Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Previews Find 007 First Light Blends Bond Stealth With Hitman DNA

The game marks James Bond’s first major return to video games in 14 years.

Overview

  • Hands-on previews published Thursday report strong early impressions of a young-Bond origin story, with Patrick Gibson’s performance called charismatic.
  • Reviewers say IO Interactive trims its Hitman-style sandbox into smaller spaces that sit between tightly directed, cinematic sequences.
  • Coverage notes stealth is the focus but firefights remain viable, and a senior designer says Bond is built to handle louder encounters more easily than Agent 47.
  • Some write-ups fault a few bombastic action set pieces for breaking immersion, even as they praise the stealth puzzles and social infiltration.
  • IO Interactive’s art director says working with Amazon MGM on the Bond license has been “surprisingly straightforward,” which contrasts with reports of slow progress on new films.