Fourteen years is a long time to wait for a James Bond game. The last one, 007 Legends, was a mess that helped put its developer out of business. Not exactly a legacy you want hanging over your head when you announce you’re taking another swing at the licence. IO Interactive announced Project 007 back in 2020. What eventually arrived as 007 First Light on May 27, 2026 is not only the best Bond game ever made — it’s one of the best action-adventure games in years.
Earning the Number
You play as a young James Bond, a 26-year-old naval aircrewman. He survives a catastrophic SAS operation in Iceland and catches MI6’s attention in the process. From there, he’s recruited into the newly revived 00 programme and paired with a deeply reluctant mentor, John Greenway (voiced by Lennie James). The tagline is “Earn the Number,” and the game genuinely earns that framing. This Bond is capable and charismatic, but still rough around the edges.
A Strong Performance at the Centre
Patrick Gibson, known from Dexter: Original Sin and The OA, voices and motion-captures Bond. It’s a terrific performance. He brings some of Craig’s physical aggression and flashes of charm reminiscent of earlier Bonds. There’s also something that feels genuinely his own: a clipped impatience, a sense that he’s always half a step from disobeying an order because he’s already decided on a better one.
An Exceptional Supporting Cast
The supporting cast is exceptional throughout. Priyanga Burford brings real authority to M. Alastair Mackenzie’s Q is an inspired reimagining of the role. Kiera Lester’s Moneypenny serves as Bond’s voice of reason, and it works better than it sounds on paper. Lennie James is magnetic as Greenway, making the mentor dynamic genuinely compelling. Lenny Kravitz as the villain Bawma is a casting choice that absolutely works. Gemma Chan rounds out the major players as Dr. Selina Tan, a game theory expert whose role in Bond’s development is more significant than it first appears.
The story runs around 14 to 20 hours depending on how much you explore. It takes Bond across a genuinely globetrotting set of locations, from the beaches of Vietnam to the cold streets of London. IO has used the scope of a full game, rather than a two-hour film, to let the character breathe and develop. It shows.
The Spy’s Toolkit
IO Interactive’s pedigree in stealth is everywhere in 007 First Light. The way the studio has translated that expertise into the Bond fantasy is the most impressive thing about the game. This isn’t Hitman with a tuxedo, though the DNA is there. It’s something more layered, built around four interconnected systems.
Four Ways to Play
Spycraft covers the quieter end: eavesdropping, pickpocketing, reading environments, and gathering intelligence before acting. Bond’s Instinct lets you manipulate suspicion, sharpen perception, and lure enemies into position. Q Branch gadgets handle the rest, including hacking tools, a dart phone for silent takedowns, and environmental distractions that open up the level design. Combat rounds things out and is more nuanced than it initially looks. Bond uses everything around him during close-quarters fights, treating the environment itself as a weapon. It feels purposeful in a way that suits this rougher, younger version of the character.
Social Stealth is Where it Shines
The social stealth missions are the highlight. Bond moves through environments full of people who aren’t immediately hostile but could easily become so. The Bluff system lets him talk his way out of trouble rather than defaulting straight to violence. It gives the game a dimension that most Bond adaptations have never attempted. A version of espionage where the mouth is as useful as the gun.
The set pieces escalate in scale and ambition without tipping into self-parody. Some linear action sequences do interrupt the sandbox pacing, and Bond’s combat one-liners repeat more than they should. Neither is a serious problem in a game this consistently well-constructed.
Razer Chroma RGB: Your Setup in the Mission
If you’re playing 007 First Light on PC with a Razer Chroma RGB setup, the integration is worth knowing about. IO Interactive built it directly into the game in collaboration with Razer. The result is more considered than the average peripheral tie-in.
There are over 80 custom lighting effects mapped across the experience. Each is tied to specific in-game moments rather than looping ambient colour. During driving sections the lighting shifts to match Bond’s environment. Combat triggers directional effects that respond to the action on screen. The gadget moments are particularly well handled, with each piece of Q Branch equipment producing its own distinct lighting response. None of it feels bolted on. If you have a compatible Razer setup, it adds something genuine to the experience.
Visuals and Performance
Running on IO Interactive’s proprietary Glacier engine, 007 First Light is a strong-looking game with a clear visual identity. Each location has its own distinct feel. The globetrotting scope gives the team room to work across a wide range of aesthetics, from cold Nordic wilderness to sun-drenched coastal resorts. The cinematic presentation is polished throughout and facial animation holds up well in key story moments.
On PC, the game supports DLSS 4.5 for Nvidia hardware, handling the image cleanly at high frame rates. PS5 performance is solid across the runtime. 007 First Light currently holds an 88 OpenCritic rating and 87 Metacritic score, reflecting how well it has landed with critics broadly.
Lana Del Rey’s Bond theme, written with franchise composer David Arnold, opens the game with the dramatic horns and strings the series demands. Whether it ranks among your personal Bond theme favourites will depend on taste, but it sets the right tone.
Pros
- Patrick Gibson’s Bond is a genuinely compelling lead, finding something new in a very familiar character
- The four-pillar gameplay system rewards creativity and experimentation across the full runtime
- Social stealth and the Bluff mechanic add a dimension most Bond games have never attempted
- An outstanding supporting cast, with Lennie James and Lenny Kravitz as particular standouts
- Set pieces that escalate in scale without losing their sense of craft
- Razer Chroma RGB integration is thoughtful and well-matched to the rhythm of the game on PC
- Lana Del Rey and David Arnold’s theme sets the tone well
Cons
- Bond’s combat one-liners repeat often enough to become noticeable
- Some linear action sequences interrupt the more open sandbox pacing
- The tonal shift between grounded espionage and larger-than-life action isn’t always smooth
Final Verdict
007 First Light is the Bond game people have been waiting for. IO Interactive understood what the licence needed and had the experience to deliver it. They’ve built something that feels genuinely different: a Bond who earns the number rather than starting with it, backed by a gameplay system that rewards creative, patient thinking. The Razer Chroma RGB integration on PC is more thoughtful than most peripheral collaborations tend to be. If you have a compatible setup, it adds a layer of atmosphere that’s worth having.
It’s been fourteen years. It was worth the wait.
Check out 007 First Light at the IO Interactive official site.
Available now on PS5 at JB Hi-Fi and EB Games, with physical copies from $99. Digital is available from the PlayStation Store. Xbox Series X/S is available physically at JB Hi-Fi and EB Games, and digitally via the Microsoft Store. PC players can grab it via Steam at $99.95 AUD, with third-party key sellers currently offering it from around $85 AUD.
A review copy of 007 First Light and Razer Chroma RGB peripherals were provided by Razer AU for the purpose of this review.
