007: First Light review: IO Interactive delivers one of the most cinematic action adventure games of 2026, but there are few things that prevent this James Bond game from reaching its full potential. Read our review to know more. (Mild Spoilers)
Released in 2026, 007: First Light is the latest James Bond game developed and published by IO Interactive, the studio behind the legendary Hitman games. Expectations were naturally sky-high. After all, if there was any studio capable of blending stealth gameplay with the cinematic spectacle of a Bond film, it was probably IO Interactive.
And to be fair, 007: First Light does succeed in several important areas. The visuals are phenomenal, the presentation is incredibly cinematic, and some stealth sections genuinely feel like classic IO Interactive brilliance. In fact, this may be one of the most cinematic non-PlayStation-exclusive action adventure games ever released.
But there is also a major problem.
007: First Light constantly feels unsure about what it actually wants to be. Instead of focusing on one clear identity, the game desperately tries to become Hitman, Uncharted, Batman Arkham, Watch Dogs, a cinematic narrative game, and a full Hollywood blockbuster all at the same time. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it feels like five different AAA games fighting each other in the same room.
One Of The Most Cinematic Games IO Interactive Has Ever Made
The first thing players will notice about 007: First Light is the presentation. The game looks absolutely gorgeous. Character models, lighting, animations, environments, and cinematic camera work are all extremely polished. Compared to the recent Hitman trilogy, this is easily IO Interactive’s most visually ambitious project.
Whether Bond is infiltrating snowy military facilities, exploring luxury hotels, sneaking through crowded markets, or attending elite events, the game constantly feels expensive. Several scenes genuinely look like something straight out of a modern Bond movie.
And honestly, this is where the game deserves massive credit. Very few non-PlayStation-exclusive games have managed to reach this level of cinematic spectacle at launch. The transitions between gameplay and cutscenes are smooth, the action choreography is stylish, and the globe-trotting atmosphere feels authentic to the Bond franchise.
At times, I genuinely forgot I was playing a game made by the same studio behind the Hitman games because the presentation feels so much larger and more cinematic than anything IO Interactive has done before.
The Hitman DNA Is Visible
If you are among the long-time fans of the Hitman games, you will immediately recognize familiar design ideas hidden throughout 007: First Light.
Strong aesthetic similarities to both classic and World of Assassination Hitman missions can be seen in nearly all the missions. The Mauritania mission strongly resembles Marrakesh and Mumbai probably because of the environment and its crowded market infiltration. Meanwhile, the nightclub mission feels heavily inspired by Berlin’s Apex Predator with its dark club atmosphere, undercover espionage tone, and most importantly, hidden threats inside civilian crowds.
The Slovakia hotel mission also gives strong Paris and Dartmoor vibes thanks to its high-profile event setting and elegant architecture. Meanwhile, the Webb Industries mission feels like Chongqing mixed with elements of The Graveyard Shift and The Jacuzzi Job from Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. These similarities are not criticisms. In fact, some of the best parts of 007: First Light happen when the game fully embraces its stealth roots instead of trying to imitate a Hollywood movie every five minutes.
Stealth And Puzzle Sections Are Surprisingly Strong
One thing I genuinely enjoyed throughout 007: First Light was the stealth gameplay and puzzle-solving sections. Sneaking through guarded compounds, infiltrating restricted areas, bypassing security systems, and solving environmental puzzles often feels satisfying and rewarding. If you love the Hitman games, you will most likely enjoy these parts.
These moments showcase the classic strengths of IO Interactive. There are several missions where the game slows down and actually allows players to think, observe, and experiment instead of constantly throwing explosions at the screen. Ironically, for me, these quieter stealth and exploration moments were kind of more memorable than some of the giant cinematic set pieces.
Unfortunately, replay value is where the game struggles badly. Once the surprises in the story and scripted sequences are gone, many missions lose much of their appeal. This becomes especially noticeable because replayability has always been one of the biggest strengths of the Hitman games.
I replayed all Hitman games, including even Hitman Absolution multiple times despite its flaws. But with 007: First Light, I honestly cannot see myself replaying the game again anytime soon. Once the cinematic spectacle fades away, there simply is not enough gameplay depth left to keep pulling me back.
The Game Has A Serious Identity Crisis
And now this is where 007: First Light starts falling apart. The game constantly jumps between completely different gameplay styles. One moment it wants to be Hitman with stealth infiltration and disguises. Then suddenly it becomes Uncharted with heavily scripted action scenes in beautiful locations and collapsing environments. A few minutes later, it starts behaving like the Watch Dogs games with gadget hacking systems, followed by combat, stealth sections and boss-fights heavily inspired by Batman Arkham series.
Then the game suddenly decides it also wants to become a cinematic narrative game. There are dialogue choices throughout the story, but most of them barely affect anything meaningful. The ending and major story remain unchanged, which makes many choices feel cosmetic rather than impactful. It feels like the game desperately wants players to think they are shaping the story without actually committing to meaningful consequences.
And then come the QTE moments. Why exactly does a third-person stealth-action game suddenly need random “press button quickly” sequences every few hours? This is not Detroit Become Human. These sections often feel outdated and unnecessary, interrupting gameplay flow instead of improving immersion.
At times, 007: First Light genuinely feels like a AAA identity crisis simulator.
007: First Light Feels Like Several AAA Games Fighting Each Other
One of the most fascinating and unintentionally hilarious things about 007: First Light is how aggressively it tries to borrow ideas from almost every major AAA franchise imaginable at the same time.
- Hitman WOA– stealth infiltration, disguises, and sandbox-inspired level design.
- Hitman Absolution – cinematic action pacing, bullet-time effects, flashy takedowns, and “hero slowly walking away from explosions” energy.
- Uncharted – globe-trotting adventures, beautiful locations, collapsing environments, and gigantic scripted sequences
- Batman Arkham – stealth predator sections, reliance of gadgets, and strategic boss fights.
- Sleeping Dogs – stylish hand-to-hand combat choreography and flashy environmental takedowns.
- Detroit Become Human – dialogue choices, QTE moments, and interactive-movie presentation
- Watch Dogs – hacking systems and tech-driven espionage gameplay.
Individually, none of these inspirations are bad. The problem is that 007: First Light tries to juggle all of them simultaneously while also behaving like a full Hollywood Bond movie. At times, the game genuinely feels less like one focused experience and more like seven AAA games arguing with each other over who gets control of James Bond.
The Story Starts Slowly And Leans Too Hard Into Hollywood Clichés
The story itself is not terrible. In fact, by the time Chapter 4 ends, things finally start becoming genuinely interesting once the larger conspiracy elements begin unfolding. Before that point, however, the narrative mostly feels like a generic spy thriller.
The biggest problem is that the game constantly tries too hard to behave like a modern Hollywood blockbuster. And unfortunately, that means many scenes become painfully predictable.
Villains repeatedly get Bond cornered only to start delivering dramatic monologues instead of simply shooting him immediately. Apparently every villain in this universe has a PhD in wasting time. Bond also keeps surviving through last-second rescues again and again and again. Every time the game tries to convince you Bond was finally trapped, another character magically appeared at the very last possible moment to save him.
After a while, these scenes stop creating tension because the player already knows exactly what is going to happen.
“Oh no, Bond is cornered and about to die.”
Five seconds later:
“Never mind, somebody crashed through a wall to save him again.”
The villains are another weak point. Damian especially feels far too cartoonish throughout the game. Instead of feeling threatening or psychologically interesting, he often comes across like a stereotypical Hollywood villain trying very hard to sound dramatic without having particularly clear motivations.
The supporting characters are also somewhat underutilized. Some interactions are enjoyable, and Bond himself has charisma in several scenes, but many emotional moments feel underdeveloped. Isola is honestly one of the more interesting characters in 007: First Light, mainly because she brings some mystery and unpredictability into the story whenever she appears. However, her dynamic with Bond also feels heavily reminiscent of the classic Batman and Catwoman relationship.
The flirtation, the constant tension, the “can you really trust this person?” energy, and the emotionally distant chemistry all feel very familiar. While that dynamic can still be entertaining, it also makes several story beats feel predictable because experienced players can immediately guess the kind of role Isola is going to play in Bond’s journey long before the game fully reveals its hand.
The Combat Feels Like Hitman Absolution Mixed with Other Games
The combat in 007: First Light feels heavily inspired by Hitman Absolution, especially because of its cinematic shootouts, slow-motion bullet-time effects, flashy takedowns, and action-thriller pacing. At several moments, it genuinely feels like IO Interactive revisited the Hollywood-style direction they experimented with in Absolution, except now with James Bond instead of Agent 47.
At the same time, other influences are clearly visible too. Some melee sections resemble Sleeping Dogs because of their cinematic hand-to-hand choreography and environmental takedowns, while the gadget-assisted combat sections occasionally give off Batman Arkham vibes. The large scripted cinematic action sequences also feel very similar to the Uncharted games.
The problem is not that these inspirations exist. The problem is that the game rarely commits fully to one combat identity. Instead, 007: First Light constantly shifts between stealth shooter, cinematic action game, gadget thriller, and scripted Hollywood spectacle, making the overall experience feel stylish but sometimes strangely unfocused.
Technical Problems Hurt The Experience
Though I managed to finish the game in five days, performance problems also damaged my experience significantly. Despite running the game on low settings and having hardware above the minimum requirements, the PC version still suffered from crashes, stuttering, and lag throughout the playthrough. These issues became frustrating because cinematic games rely heavily on immersion and pacing.
Several critics also mentioned inconsistent PC optimization, so this clearly was not an isolated issue.
Final Verdict- Is 007: First Light Worth Playing?
007: First Light is one of the strangest AAA games I have played recently because it is simultaneously impressive and frustrating at the same time. As a cinematic experience, it absolutely succeeds. The visuals are gorgeous, the atmosphere is stylish, and several stealth missions genuinely remind players why IO Interactive became famous in the first place. Fans looking for visually spectacular action adventure games of 2026 will probably still find plenty to enjoy here.
But as a complete package, the game often feels unfocused. Instead of mastering one strong identity, 007: First Light constantly tries to become several popular AAA formulas imaginable. Along with Hitman, Uncharted, Batman Arkham, etc. it mixes together Hollywood spy movies into one giant package. Sometimes those ideas blend well. Other times, the experience feels bloated and exhausting.
I did not hate 007: First Light. In fact, I enjoyed parts of it quite a lot. But by the end, I mostly felt relieved that the experience was over instead of emotionally attached to it.
And honestly, for a game developed by the creators of the Hitman games that I love, it was honestly disappointing.
So, if you are looking for a one-time linear action adventure game, feel free to give it a try. However, don’t expect something like Hitman that makes you want to replay the game again and again.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Check out some of our other articles on the Hitman franchise:
Review of Hitman World of Assassination almost 5 years later: The Game That Refused to Die
