Today is the day Bond fans have been waiting decades for. After a year of anticipation – and a last-minute Denuvo controversy that prompted a wave of refund requests – 007 First Light has launched. And if the critics are to be believed, IO Interactive has not just made a good James Bond game. They may have made the best one since GoldenEye.
The game is out now on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch 2. The review scores have come in, and they are exceptional.
The Review Scores Say It All
007 First Light is sitting at an 88 on Metacritic based on 47 reviews, and a remarkable 98 on OpenCritic from 37 outlets. Critics have been reaching for some bold comparisons: Naughty Dog levels of cinematic spectacle, Call of Duty levels of big-budget production, and the tight mission design of IO Interactive’s own Hitman trilogy – all wrapped in a Bond origin story that apparently delivers on every count.
Reviewers are particularly effusive about the narrative. First Light tells the story of James Bond as a young recruit entering the Double 0 program for the first time, drawing from Ian Fleming’s original novels and short stories alongside the film series. The result, according to critics, is a polished 14-hour globetrotting adventure that blends stealth, combat, gadget use, and large-scale setpieces in a way that feels distinctly and satisfyingly Bond.
What IO Interactive Built
IO Interactive, the Copenhagen-based studio best known for the Hitman World of Assassination trilogy, spent years building this game after acquiring the James Bond gaming license. The result is not a Hitman reskin with a tuxedo – it is a deliberately different kind of game, one that is more linear and narrative-driven than Hitman’s open sandbox missions, but that carries over IO’s core philosophy of letting players choose their approach.
You can go loud or silent, use fists or firearms, deploy gadgets, or bluff your way past guards with social infiltration. The game reportedly rewards all three styles without forcing the player down a single path. It is a 14-hour campaign rather than a replayable sandbox, which represents a different design bet from IO – and based on the review reception, it appears to have paid off.
The game’s title song features Lana Del Rey, continuing the tradition of iconic Bond themes. The launch trailer, which dropped this week, offers a final look at the game’s tone, locations, and the villain – played with evident relish according to reviewers who have seen the full story.
Where to Play
007 First Light is available now on Steam for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch 2. The official game page at IO Interactive’s website can be found at ioi.dk.
