From the very opening moments of 007 First Light, you are thrust into the action without any respite.
We meet James Bond, an air serviceman in training, whose helicopter is targeted by a suspicious group on a mission in Iceland.
Seeing as he is the only one who survived, MI6 contacts him to help infiltrate this group’s base that is harbouring dangerous tech.
The game’s opening does two very important things. Not only does it showcase Bond’s journey to become a spy, but it also puts the player directly in the shoes of this novice operator as you get to grips with the game.
It is a clever way to get you to relate to Bond, who often comes across as a smug and pompous character.
Danish developers, IO Interactive, are renowned for the Hitman series, which offers a stealth sandbox where players can experiment in countless ways to take down their targets.
This time around, they mix superb stealth gameplay and dynamic action set pieces to create an intoxicating cocktail that is difficult to put down.
Things begin with M (Priyanga Burford) rebooting the 00 programme to usher in the next generation of spies. Bond (played by Irish actor Patrick Gibson) is given no chance by his fellow recruits to complete the rigorous training, but does so regardless.
Gibson does a brilliant job of straddling the line between being charming and callous and is a natural when it comes to dishing out the quips we expect from 007.
His relationship with his reluctant mentor, Greenway (Lennie James), drives the narrative forward and gives Bond a counterbalance to his gung-ho approach.
Tour de force
In true 007 fashion, you will be doing plenty of globetrotting, whether it’s an opulent hotel in Slovakia, a sprawling black market in Mauritania or a swanky resort in Vietnam.
On PlayStation 5 Pro (PS5 Pro), the game runs at a smooth 60fps with a 4K resolution.
It mostly stays at a steady framerate, but I did experience three crashes in a row during a particularly hectic gunfight in Mauritania.
When the game is not crashing, it is impressive to see the crowd density of each level and the number of NPCs you can interact with in any given location.
The locations are impressively rendered with plenty of routes and secret areas to discover. They match the grandeur of places Bond is used to frequenting.
Of course, you are not there for a tour and have targets to take down. Thankfully, Q equips you with a plethora of gadgets to choose from, whether it is a lighter turned smoke bomb or a watch that shoots a laser beam to stun enemies.
At first, you can only choose from three, so the gadgets you bring are tailored to how you want to approach things.
The flash mine and missile pen are great for going in loud, while the smoke pod and dart phone for poising enemies are perfect for a more discreet game plan.
Your Q watch also allows you to highlight enemies in the area, along with what you can hack.
You can manipulate radios and printers to distract enemies, but you will also need to get creative when things get out of control, as well as to access inaccessible areas.
Charm offensive
If all else fails, Bond can turn on the charm and convince the guards he is there to fix the pipes or an electrician who is there to clean up faulty wiring.
You have a limited number of chances to bluff your way out of situations, so you need to use them sparingly and only when you really get into a pickle. It is a handy get-out-of-jail card when you get caught red-handed.
Stealth espionage is IO’s bread and butter, so it is no surprise that it has translated incredibly well to a 007 game.
The more impressive part is how well they have been able to replicate the intense action that the Bond movies are known for.
In between set pieces like jumping out of a plane and fighting enemies in the air, the melee combat and gunplay are rock solid.
While hand-to-hand combat is not particularly complex in First Light, it is satisfying to block incoming attacks and smash a goon's face off a desk.
There is a lot of flexibility in how you can smash people’s heads in, and the level of detail put into accommodating each outcome is admirable.
You will not get far, though, if you try to punch your way out of situations, and when the game flashes ‘Licence to Kill’ above your head, you can use lethal force.
The game shines during these moments as you get to cause havoc, whether it is causing massive explosions that wipe out groups of enemies or hacking a nearby vent that smashes them into the wall.
It is a lot of fun, and the level of destructibility in each level makes it feel more like a Just Cause game than Hitman.
Ammo is limited, so you will be switching weapons a lot, from a pistol to an SMG to a shotgun.
It forces you to be aggressive, seeing as when you run out of bullets, you can throw your gun at them to get straight back into the action.
IO also does a great job of implementing DualSense features on PS5, as the thud of combat and the kick of gunfire is felt through the controller.
The only downside gameplay-wise is the driving, which is very imprecise. Car chases, which should be a thrill or a real drag, as you have to concentrate more on keeping the car on the road.
When it comes to First Light’s story, it is a typical spy thriller with a more modern focus. There are interesting questions about how we tolerate human error, more than we do with AI.
It also touches on how having a sense of duty can make you blind to how you can be manipulated by it. It is a step up story-wise for IO, but they also fall into tired tropes about spy craft boiling down to simple mottos or lessons.
Thankfully, the story’s shortcomings do not stop the game from being a riveting experience overall.
First Light blends Hitman and Uncharted to create something special that could be the next great franchise for a new generation of Bond fans.
Our score: 8/10
