The new James Bond is 26 years old, still inexperienced, and a far cry from the iconic MI6 legend. "007 First Light" tells his origin story – and in doing so, disregards the traditions of the film series, which is particularly impressive on the PS5 Pro. Our review reveals why the ruthless Hitman DNA makes this prequel one of the strongest spy thrillers of recent years.
Forget the posh spy sipping at the bar, spouting blasé remarks. Here, James Bond is a boisterous recruit in training, emotionally miles away from the infallible icon of later years, and always with a witty remark on his lips.
IO Interactive tells a gritty origin story set in MI6's newly revived Double-0 program. When the first real mission—a hunt for a rogue agent—ends in utter disaster, the impulsive recruit, played by Patrick Gibson, must team up with his gruff mentor, John Greenway. What follows is a highly political, 18-hour action thriller revolving around global tech corporations, AI conspiracies, and betrayal within their own ranks. This isn't some cowardly game of hide-and-seek; it's a playful reinvention of a legendary franchise.
The perfect symbiosis of cinematic staging and playful sandbox
The strong, exclusively English voice acting, delivered in a refined British accent, is immediately noticeable when Bond first enters MI6 headquarters and is one of the game's greatest strengths. The characters aren't simply information providers, but clearly defined individuals with distinct personalities and voices. Bond himself, in particular, comes across as raw and unpolished in the dialogue, while those around him consistently position him between provocation, testing, and cautious recognition. The typical Bond humor is already present, but remains understated here – no slapstick, but rather precisely placed irony.
IO Interactive has opted for a clear "game-first" design for "007 First Light": cinematically staged missions that integrate classic Hitman sandbox elements within individual sections. The game guides the agent through the story like a thread, without sacrificing player freedom. Each area is designed as either an action-packed section or an expansive playground, often allowing for different approaches. Sometimes the game relies on silent infiltration, other times on controlled chaos with firearms or targeted fistfights. The level in Aleph brings these elements together particularly effectively, where you switch between a bustling bazaar with hundreds of NPCs, a secret auction among elites, and escaping in your Land Rover.
Especially in its structure, 007 First Light feels more like a modern Uncharted than a classic Hitman experience in places. The missions are more clearly structured, placing a much stronger emphasis on pacing and cinematic set pieces, while the sandbox elements are strategically woven into that framework. This blend of cinematic guidance and player freedom ultimately defines the overall gameplay experience.
The stealth approach breathes pure Hitman DNA and is based on the so-called "opportunities." Bond eavesdrops on targets in winding corridors, gathers valuable information through eavesdropping, and steals keycards directly from their pockets using a pickpocket. If his cover is blown or the situation demands brute force, the dynamic close-combat system comes into play.
This is somewhat reminiscent of the Free Flow mechanics of the Batman series. Bond counters attacks, dodges blows with sidesteps, slams enemies into the ground, or kicks them with a brutal Grab Rush through lightweight walls and over tables and balcony railings, which deform in the process. And if that's not enough, he hurls randomly lying objects after them, giving the fights a wonderful dynamism. It feels powerful, precise, and above all, rewarding every second when the opponent finally lies on the ground.
An arsenal from Q's lab
However, the art of espionage also demands highly sophisticated tools, which Q-Branch provides. These gadgets are usually cleverly disguised as inconspicuous everyday objects like watches, making any security check a breeze. After each mission, the game takes you back to the lab. Among workbenches, half-finished prototypes, and experimenting technicians, you'll experience that classic Bond feeling where something could explode at any moment – and sometimes it actually does.
The Q-Lens is one of the first and most frequently used gadgets, scanning areas while highlighting interactive objects. The Q-Watch delves deeper into the system, disabling surveillance cameras or sabotaging electronic devices to create distractions. The arsenal is further enhanced by tools such as a laser for cutting locks or temporarily blinding enemies in close combat. For long-range situations, there's the Dart-Phone for disorienting individual guards and the Shockwave camera for monitoring larger groups of enemies, while the Missile-Pen eliminates heavy obstacles. Flash-Mine earpieces and smoke pods expand the range with classic stealth options.
IO Interactive seamlessly blends its own history with the new license. Comparisons to Hitman are inevitable, but the studio noticeably alters its approach. "007 First Light" guides the player more decisively in the right direction, whereas Agent 47 often had to figure out every opportunity and assassination path entirely on his own in his sandbox worlds. It's a well-balanced compromise that maintains the campaign's pace without completely disempowering the player.
The license to kill
The arsenal is absolutely essential, as the game strictly differentiates between various scenarios. In "Restricted Areas," you have the opportunity to bluff, tell your opponents a believable story, and will either be allowed to pass or, if discovered, simply escorted out. This didn't exist in Hitman, where encounters of this kind usually ended immediately in confrontations or mission failure. In Trespassing Zones, however, NPCs open fire instantly, and the action rains down on you like a barrage of bullets in a London gallery.
As soon as enemies show clear intent to kill, the game unlocks the "Licence to Kill," allowing unrestricted use of firearms until the situation is deemed "Contained." Ranged combat boasts extreme precision. Headshots are lethal, while hits to the legs or hands allow for non-violent takedowns, which you can then charge into directly.
When the magazine is empty, Bond hurls the weapon at the nearest mercenary with a Weapon Throw, dashes forward, grabs another firearm, and then dives back behind cover. Combined with the Instinct resource, this creates an extremely dynamic gameplay flow. In Focus mode, time freezes briefly, allowing Bond to string together deadly volleys or lure enemies out of cover with a bluff. It's precisely in moments like these that "007 First Light" feels like a playable Bond film.
Long-term service in the TacSim lab
The enemy AI is exceptionally well-coordinated in open combat, breaking free from rigid scripted patterns. IO Interactive presents you with a well-thought-out hierarchy of threats. Simple Grunts and Soldiers use cover for targeted flanking maneuvers. Veteran Leaders pin you down with heavy suppressive fire and throw fragmentation grenades, while Specialists parry your melee attacks with lightning speed. Brute Brutes, snipers, or heavily armored tanks demand the precise use of your entire gadget arsenal, as every encounter feels like a tactical puzzle.
The studio falters, however, with its stealth design. Outside of shootouts, random NPCs often behave implausibly. These extras rarely react when you take out a guard just a few meters away or quite obviously manipulate the environment, unless it's within their direct line of sight. These AI glitches not only disrupt the otherwise tense atmosphere of the stealth sections, but also make things far too easy for Bond.
Even after the credits roll on the thrilling campaign, the fun is far from over. In Q's lab, the tactical simulation awaits, led by Dr. Selina Tan. This mode completely eliminates the easy difficulty setting and forces you into incredibly tough challenges.
The monumental sound deserves respect.
The soundscape of "007" has always been a masterpiece of handcrafted audio design. For "007 First Light," Aston Martins were recorded at full throttle on Swedish racetracks, while handguns were fired deep in the Scandinavian snow to capture an especially crisp and dry sound profile. The British composer duo The Flight delivers a soundtrack that balances modern energy with classic Bond tradition. This is further elevated by the title song by Lana Del Rey, which perfectly continues that fusion of contemporary style and timeless Bond atmosphere. The orchestral intensity is palpable throughout every major action sequence and gives the scenes even greater momentum.
The acoustic centerpiece, however, is a brilliant design trick. James Bond has to earn his famous musical motifs. At the beginning of the story, the music remains minimalist, dark, and understated. Only when the player performs an action that is absolutely typical of the iconic agent—a perfect stealth takedown or a spectacular escape—does the world-famous James Bond theme blast through the speakers with full force. Each location, from the Black Market in Mauritania to the oriental ship graveyard and the Pearl Resort in Vietnam, possesses its own musical identity, seamlessly blending traditional local instruments with classic Bond motifs.
The Glacier engine on the next level
IO Interactive sets extremely high performance demands for its action set pieces. On the PS5 Pro, the team works with a high internal rendering resolution and pushes the visuals to their limits using Sony’s new GPU. PSSR 2 upscaling technology enables full 4K output at 60 frames per second. The AI-assisted reconstruction stabilizes the reduced base resolution, delivering a noticeably sharper image at 4K/60 FPS. Close-ups of faces, hair, and animations in particular reach a new level of detail, which, combined with the polished look of the Glacier engine, results in a high degree of visual fidelity.
Owners of the standard PS5, however, will have to accept some compromises. While Quality mode delivers an internal 1440p resolution, it limits the game to a sluggish 30 FPS. In Performance mode, the internal resolution drops to a meager 1080p to maintain 60 frames per second. The subsequent standard upscaling noticeably softens the final image on the base console compared to the PS5 Pro.
The lack of German voice acting bothers me immensely again. Couldn't they at least implement AI for translations into all languages, since there isn't one? Simply an AI that reads the subtitles aloud.
You prefer an AI without soul or charm to real British actors with their own mannerisms, pronunciation, etc.?
Just because you don't want to read a little or you don't speak any English at all? That's crazy.
Always watch anime in Japanese; it's amazing what the voice actors do there, even if you don't understand it and have to read it, the emotions that are put into it and conveyed make a huge difference.
Localization, no matter how professionally it is incorporated and implemented, whether in film or video game, is always and without exception subordinate to the original.
In this age of convenience, where no effort is made through one's own initiative and where people close themselves off to the truth because it is inconvenient, you can no longer address such a matter in conversation with someone without it degenerating into a discussion.
Or you could engage in the discussion ;) Aside from that, there's no right or wrong answer. It's subjective, and theoretically, it makes no sense to justify yourself or defend the developers. People who were interested bought the game. Those who were perhaps undecided won't buy it now, and Germany is a small country; theoretically, a few people not buying it due to the lack of voice acting shouldn't affect sales. What I do criticize the developers for is that if you're going to acquire such a license, you should do it properly or stick with Hitman.
Do we really want to know how a German dub would have captured Bond's strong British tone and charm? The original voice acting contributes enormously to the atmosphere. Just saying, it's essential.
To the point 💯
That may be true, but I just participated in a Capcom survey about Requiem, and there was a section that explicitly asked about the voice acting and whether participants found it to be good. They also asked about on-screen text. That's another way to do it.
It doesn't matter whether it's intentional, whether some people are simply lazy, or whether they're just not proficient in the language. If customers decide that the lack of German dubbing is a drawback, then it's legitimate for them to choose not to buy the game. You don't have to understand it, but you also don't have to downplay it or blame the customer.
Bond's voice acting is just mumbling. The Irish accent must be truly unintelligible.
Many Germans already have trouble understanding Bavarian or Low German. How is a gamer from South America supposed to understand a game in Bavarian?
The same is true for this game. Non-native speakers have a harder time with First Light than it should be.
Despite its hefty price tag, the game hasn't been dubbed. And Bond really mumbles. It's almost impossible to understand.
Anyone who doesn't want to constantly read everything shouldn't buy the game.
Yes, I thought so too when watching the test. It's probably because they didn't have the money for proper dubbing. I also think that German dubbing should be mandatory these days; always these excuses. If they want to, they can do it, for example, Capcom.
I wonder why none of the many YouTubers even mentioned in passing that the game is only available in English. That would probably have required too much research.
But one of them reported on it; he presented it in a semi-neutral way, but I think he wants the game to be successful. I'm pragmatic; the game wasn't a must-have for me. I was interested at first, but after hearing there was no dubbing and watching some gameplay, it wouldn't captivate me enough to make me want to play it in English, especially not spend money on it. Claire Obscure 33 was also in English, and I played it through, but that game grabbed you immediately, just with the score. The Bond game is mid-
You'd be surprised how many people today are able to speak and understand a world language, and if you've missed out on that so far, especially as a middle-aged gamer who grew up with video games in times when there weren't even German texts, let alone voice acting, then you've, well, simply missed out on something in life or, to put it mildly, haven't gotten off your butt.
This eternal argument "No German language output, no buy!!" (here, suddenly, English is spoken) is just as obligatory in 2026 after a lifetime of opportunities for self-realization as the inability to breathe autonomously without one's mobile phone.
Absolutely unnecessary.
I simply don't want to hear Bond's mumbling. Understanding it is anything but relaxing.
If the description said "only english", many people would be less annoyed now.
And yes: not providing a translation to the customer is an important criterion. We're not talking about GT6 here, where it doesn't matter if you understand the text. This is about a game that lets players experience a story.
If the language were clear and understandable, things would be different. But it isn't.
Yes, I can understand that.
English or British dialect is quite different from school English, but I can only strongly recommend that you and others at least try it and, if in doubt, use the subtitles. In the long run, even consider using your vocabulary notebook again and watching films in the original English with subtitles as training, instead of foregoing high-quality titles of this kind outside of the usual open-world games.
I think there is a very high probability that, due to the cost-cutting measures pursued by smaller companies and developers, proper localization will be dispensed with in the future, just as there will be no more game discs in the coming years.
This is unavoidable; English can be learned, and one can adapt here.
I also think that a game like 007 First Light, compared to a nuke like GTAVI, is less story-heavy, or rather, the story is negligible, compared to Rockstar's upcoming magnum opus (unless you're playing exclusively online). It can be really frustrating when you can't follow the intricately written storyline and have to peek at subtitles during moments of high-quality presentation.
Come on guys, you can do better than that & you're never too old to learn (gaming) English 💪
I'm learning Japanese specifically for Tekken, Ukrainian for Stalker or Metro, Polish for Witcher, and Russian for Atomic Heart (although I already know it).
I immediately uninstalled the game from the console. The first 15 minutes were enough of a negative example for me.
I have drawn the following lessons from this:
No offense, but it wouldn't be the same for GTA 6 either 😉 with so much money circulating, a dub would be possible.
Well, it's also about accessibility; the PS bubble is usually known for inclusion. And don't worry, I understand English and even Russian, and yet a German dub wouldn't have been bad, especially for a James Bond game. But hey, "no BYO" statements about that are just as nonsensical when games aren't released on disc. But in this case, I won't get it, not because of the lack of a German dub, but because the game only interested me semi-interestedly, and that's precisely the point that ultimately determines whether I really need the game.
The part you don't understand because of mumbling or slang, you can simply read in the subtitles; that's what they're there for. Or does reading bother you?
How great that there are still top-tier linear games these days; besides Resident Evil Requiem in 2026, they're almost a rare sight. I'll definitely pick up 007 First Light as soon as my backlog is down to a manageable size, which should be around 2077...
. . Joking aside! I'm really looking forward to it, thanks for the informative test!