At Gamescom 2025, I had the rare privilege of watching a 25-minute live demo of 007: First Light. Played on PC with a PlayStation 5 controller, it showcased Bond’s very first mission – a pursuit of the rogue 009 through the Slovakian mountains.
As a lifelong Bond fan and die-hard follower of this project, I thought I knew what to expect. I even braced myself for a few surprises. But IO Interactive had far more in store than I imagined.
The demo offered a fresh team dynamic with fellow MI6 recruits and set-pieces that escalated from quiet infiltrationto full-blown spectacle. Moneypenny’s razor-sharp mission overview set the tone, and by the time Bond was clinging to the wing of a cargo plane, it felt like a condensed Bond movie – yet entirely its own thing. 007: First Light doesn’t just want to recreate cinematic moments; it wants to redefine what it means to play as James Bond.
Learning the Rules
Going into the demo, I knew that 007: First Light would follow a younger Bond on his way to earning the licence to kill– with Greenway watching over him like a mentor, almost a father figure. What I didn’t expect was how deliberately the game leans into that early stage. Instead of fast-tracking Bond into solo heroics, First Light slows down to place him among fellow recruits – sharing a mission, training side by side, and discovering what it means to operate as part of a team. It feels less like a “lone wolf in training” and more like a collective trial by fire.
And that’s exactly what excites me: the story seems willing to take its time, letting us first see Bond learn the rules – the procedures, the hierarchy, the accountability – before he eventually bends or breaks them. That makes the evolution into the Bond we know all the more compelling.
The mission didn’t just start – it began with a full-scale briefing. And the way this was framed? Pure IO Interactive. Floor plans slid across the screen, dossiers of fellow agents appeared, and even a distorted photograph of the rogue 009 flashed by – all in that razor-sharp, cinematic style fans of the Hitman trilogy will instantly recognize. Moneypennyadded an extra layer of tension here: since 009 knows many of MI6’s established agents by face, it falls to the fresh recruits – still unknown to him – to step into action.
I can’t tell you how much I love these kinds of introductions. Back in Hitman, I would often replay them multiple times before even starting a mission, just to soak up the vibe. Sometimes I still watch them on YouTube years later. Knowing that First Light will feature stylish, information-packed briefings like this makes me ridiculously happy – and yes, it suits Bond damn well.
Among Recruits
After the briefing, the perspective shifts to a winding forest road in the Carpathians. A limousine glides through the trees, driven by Bond himself – not as the star agent, but as the chauffeur for two fellow recruits: Cressida and Monroe.
It’s a strikingly different setup from the usual Bond formula. Instead of stepping into action alone, Bond is surrounded by peers – and each begins to fall into a role. Cressida emerges as the one effectively leading the team. Whether that responsibility was formally assigned or simply a reflection of her personality isn’t made clear, but she carries herself with authority: confident, informed, and just a touch bossy, like the class overachiever. That dynamic already creates a subtle tension with Bond, who listens and observes but doesn’t easily slip into following someone else’s lead. Monroe, by contrast, lightens the mood with more conventional banter.
Their talk circles around 009, who before his betrayal was considered “the best” MI6 had. They speculate about his ties to Greenway, with hints that the seasoned agent might have a special interest in Bond’s progress. It’s a clever narrative twist: in the films, 009 was often just a throwaway reference, a shadow to highlight 007’s brilliance. Here, he feels like a looming benchmark – someone Bond must measure himself against, even if he’s still several steps behind.
By the time the limousine reaches the gates of the Grand Carpathian, the sense of hierarchy is clear. Cressida holds the lead, Monroe provides balance, and Bond remains the quiet outsider – not yet the lone wolf we know from the films, but already navigating a group dynamic that doesn’t sit easily with him.
And that’s what makes this whole “MI6-as-a-school” angle so intriguing. First Light doesn’t just drop us into action – it shows how Bond is shaped by the people around him. Q might refine his manners and composure, Moneypenny could evolve into a trusted ally, and mentors like Greenway – alongside peers such as Cressida and Monroe – may provide the crucible in which Bond’s character takes shape.
If that setup sounds too much like a “Bond school” to some critics, I’d stress that this is only my interpretation. The story may evolve in very different directions. What we see here feels like his foundation, not the final form. After all, 009 is still on the run – and in his shadow may lurk the true villain and a wider conspiracy waiting to pull Bond far beyond this early training ground.
Arrival at the Grand Carpathian
When the limousine finally pulls into the grounds of the Grand Carpathian, the mission shifts gears. Cressida and Monroe step out in style, assuming their covers as guests of the prestigious chess tournament. At the hotel entrance, Bond even introduces them under their aliases – “Blake and Loretta York” – before returning to his far less glamorous role as chauffeur.
It’s a clever little inversion: James Bond, the man of tuxedos and martinis, reduced here to leaning against a parked car, hands in his pockets, waiting for something to happen. He even puts on a chauffeur’s cap for good measure. For a moment, he looks less like a secret agent and more like an underpaid driver killing time on the job.
And yet, even in this idle pose, Bond’s instincts kick in. From his spot outside, he notices something odd – a blonde bellboy on a terrace tossing luggage straight over the railing into the landscape below. Suspicious enough to make any spy raise an eyebrow.
Bond reports the sighting to his teammates over comms (possibly through the Echo Trace gadget), only to be brushed off by Cressida, who insists they should focus on the mission. Her dismissal adds another nice wrinkle to the team dynamic: she’s the by-the-book leader figure, while Bond is already showing that spark of independence, unwilling to ignore what feels wrong.
This moment struck me as one of the first times First Light lets Bond step slightly outside the expected path. He isn’t just following instructions or filling a supporting role – he’s already making choices, hinting at the independence that will later define him. It’s not yet the fully formed Bond we know from the films, but a glimpse of how those instincts begin to surface.
Tools of the Trade
From the parking lot, Bond doesn’t linger long in chauffeur mode. He follows his instincts toward the hotel, only to discover that the most obvious entry point has already been claimed: a press-only entrance, freshly decorated for the Carpathian Invitationals.
According to IOI, levels like the Grand Carpathian fall into the category of so-called Arena Levels – more open environments designed to accommodate a wide range of playstyles. Whether you go in loud, remain unseen, or mix improvisation with gadgets, these spaces are meant to give players the freedom to shape their own approach.
Here the demo introduces one of First Light’s most intriguing systems – branching dialogue. Bond tries to talk his way past staff, but his cover story fails, and the path is blocked.
It’s a perfect Hitman-style moment: the direct route won’t work, so it’s time to get creative. As Art Director Rasmus Poulsen told us, “The Omega Seamaster forms the home of the gadget use and via your lens you can observe the world and it will tell you what you can manipulate and how.” More than a stylish accessory, it’s the pivot around which every infiltration decision turns.
So Bond improvises. He picks up a garden hose and drenches the unsuspecting guard, creating just enough of a distraction to sneak past. It’s a playful little scenario that shows how IOI is encouraging us to think like a spy: a mixture of mischief, resourcefulness, and observation.
Not everything is perfect at this stage. The flowerbed Bond crawls through doesn’t yet feel convincing, more like a flat patch of textures than dense greenery, and it barely conceals him.
The Art of Not Being Seen
Once inside the grounds, Bond tests another tool in his arsenal: the Shockwave Camera – essentially a dart gun disguised as a smartphone. Fans already spotted it in the reveal trailer, where it was briefly fired, but the demo gave us a much closer look. For the first time we could actually see its minimalist HUD, along with additional ammo types beyond tranquilizer darts – including smoke rounds. And it’s easy to imagine how these variations will open up plenty of creative tactical scenarios: do you quietly put a guard to sleep, blind a group with smoke, or combine both for a layered escape?
The name Shockwave Camera isn’t random: Leica, the renowned German camera manufacturer and official brand partner of First Light, is preparing to launch its first smartphone in the real world. The company has often described smartphones as a natural entry point into the world of cameras. Connecting those dots, I couldn’t help but see the gadget as more than coincidence. A phone-shaped spy tool in Bond’s arsenal feels like a subtle nod to Leica’s philosophy – and maybe even a playful wink at their upcoming product. Whether or not it’s meant to directly mirror the device remains unconfirmed, and Leica, when asked, declined to comment on this theory. Still, the parallel is too striking to ignore.
As Art Director Rasmus Poulsen made clear, Bond will gain additional gadgets and functions over the course of the story whenever Q decides the moment is right – but there is no skill tree, no RPG-style progression system.
In the demo, Bond fires a dart at a guard’s neck. The shot connects, the guard grabs at the spot in confusion and mutters what just hit him – but it didn’t actually clear the way for Bond. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe it wasn’t a tranquilizer dart at all, or maybe I simply missed a detail in the moment. Either way, it was a neat reminder that not every gadget use is designed to hand you an easy shortcut.
That flexibility continues with other improvised tools. Spotting a wheelbarrow full of dried leaves, Bond casually ignites it to create a fire. The blaze draws attention, pulling a staff member away and leaving an opening to slip past unseen. From there, he drops onto a small canopy and begins to climb toward the upper floors. The logic wobbles here, though: instead of vanishing discreetly, Bond shimmies along the hotel façade until he reaches a window – in full view of the very people he just tried to distract. Apparently everyone in the courtyard either has a stiff neck… or considers wall-climbing chauffeurs part of the Carpathian service package.
And yet, the moment pays off beautifully. Bond slips inside the Grand Carpathian not like a ghost, but in full sight of startled staff and elegantly dressed guests. Their expressions say it all – shock, confusion, maybe even recognition – as if his cover might be blown on the spot. But Bond does what Bond always does: he talks his way out. With a grin, he introduces himself as “Ken Becks, penetration tester – nothing to worry about.”
It’s a perfect snapshot of what makes IOI’s take on 007 so refreshing. Bond doesn’t just sneak past people – he interacts with them. Later in the demo, he even exchanges pleasantries with hotel guests while moving through the corridors: always present, witty, socially engaged. Where Agent 47 thrives on silence and invisibility, Bond wins people over by owning the room.
Moves on the Board
The next memorable stop in the demo is one we already know from the reveal trailer: Bond steps out onto a balcony overlooking the grand hall of the Carpathian Invitationals. The chess tournament is underway, with Gretchen Wongfrom the United States facing Aleksander Nyvik of Norway – a detail IOI has now brought to life fully in-game. Down in the audience, Greenway quietly takes his seat, his presence a subtle reminder that Bond’s progress is being watched and weighed.
The pacing slows here, and First Light uses the moment to introduce another mechanic. Bond picks up a small green vial– a collectible that refills a resource for his signature Bond-style actions. These aren’t tied to a skill tree or RPG grind, but to story-driven opportunities. As Art Director Rasmus Poulsen explained: “It helps you steer the game in a way where you combine wit, observation, action, chance-taking and smarts – some sort of nice mixture to get that engaging flow of experiences.”
That balance of wit and presence also shows in how the world reacts to him. As Bond moves back into the corridors, a couple spots him hurrying past and whispers, “I think I’ve seen him before… oh yes, he models for that designer, doesn’t he?” It’s a playful nod to stealth tropes, but it also highlights something crucial: conversations in First Light aren’t just about intel or shortcuts. They’re about showing who Bond is – how he charms, defuses tension, or drops surprising expertise in the right moment.
And sometimes, the world plants a mystery rather than an answer. At the hotel bar, the bartender casually mentions spotting the blond page sneaking into a restricted backstage area – a place he clearly had no business being. It’s an intriguing lead, but the demo leaves the trail cold and the fate of the page hanging for another time. These dialogues can open up new hints and alter the flow of a mission, but the overarching story of the game itself remains linear – your choices in conversation or approach won’t rewrite the larger narrative, even if the demo ends this particular thread abruptly.
A Sudden Turn
The developers then skip the story forward. When the demo resumes, Bond is already outside on the hotel’s parking lot, just in time to see 009 speeding away in a red Jaguar. He looks slightly disheveled in his chauffeur’s uniform – jacket rumpled, hair out of place – as if fresh from a scuffle during the castle search. The chase is on – but he’s not alone.
At his side appears the same mysterious woman fans already noticed in the reveal trailer: posing as a maid at the Grand Carpathian, dressed in red at Webb Industries’ gala, and seen with Bond at a luxury resort pool. Up to this point, we only knew her by the name Isola. Now, without explanation, she’s suddenly there, insisting on joining Bond as he smashes the window of a parked yellow Aston Martin DBS. Because it’s a stolen car and not one supplied by Q Branch, this DBS is notably bare – no hidden gadgets, just raw horsepower for the chase ahead. IOI has already confirmed that mods will play a role in extending the game’s longevity, much like in Hitman, where players could adjust mission parameters. It’s easy to imagine this chase being replayed in a different way – for instance, tackling the same route not in the DBS, but on the Triumph TF 250 X motorcycle shown in the reveal trailer, trading horsepower for two wheels and pure nerve. It’s worth noting that vehicle sequences are overall far more linear compared to the open-ended infiltration segments.
What follows is a furious car chase across the Slovakian countryside. With 009’s Jaguar just ahead, Bond slams the DBS into gear and roars off the lot. The pursuit takes them down twisting roads, across open fields, and straight through obstacles: fences splinter under the wheels, a street market erupts into chaos, and shallow streams turn into risky jumps. The yellow Aston Martin takes punishment with every impact, its trunk caved in, windows shattered, and the license plate hanging loose – a refreshing touch of realism that shows Bond’s cars won’t emerge pristine from mayhem.
The woman riding shotgun makes herself impossible to ignore. She isn’t just along for the ride; she pushes, critiques, even mocks Bond’s choices like an impatient co-driver. Her sharp, commanding tone creates a clear imbalance – she sounds like the one in control, while Bond, calm on the surface, is still clearly learning to keep pace. At one point, Bond guns the DBS behind an auto transporter and launches it into the air – a stunt highlighted by IOI’s dynamic camera system, which swings into a dramatic angle just for the jump.
But then the momentum breaks. The red Jaguar turns up abandoned on the roadside, its driver vanished. The pursuit fizzles into uncertainty, forcing Bond and the woman to split up.
Partout où nécessité fait loi
It’s only here, at the end of their first joint mission beat, that the mystery finally lifts. She introduces herself with a longer French name – but as Rasmus Poulsen later noted, the developers themselves simply referred to her as Miss Roth, the name that stuck.
Roth is no ordinary ally. She belongs to the DGSE, France’s foreign intelligence service (read more here)– and as she makes clear in the demo, her agency has been hunting 009 for some time. Their motto, “Partout où nécessité fait loi” (“Where necessity makes law”), hints at her defining traits: pragmatic, ruthless, unflinching. It’s easy to see how that background shapes her sharp, commanding presence during the chase.
And that’s where things get interesting for Bond. Roth feels more seasoned, more fearless, almost as if she’s there to test the rookie at her side. The imbalance between them raises tantalizing questions: what does she really see in him? Is Bond merely a means to an end, a trophy to claim… or will James, for once, find himself in the position usually reserved for a Bond Girl?
With 009 known to be making his escape through a nearby airport, Bond has no choice but to press on.
The Airport Inferno
With the yellow DBS badly damaged, Bond leaves the car behind and continues on foot. A narrow path takes him to a large concrete drainage pipe that leads toward the airport grounds. He walks slowly through the tunnel, the light at the far end showing the runway ahead, where 009 is preparing to escape on a waiting cargo plane.
Halfway through, a guard blocks his way. Bond could fire, but the game makes clear that MI6 agents are not meant to be kill machines. At this stage, every elimination must be justified – for example, in self-defense. Permission to use lethal force comes only from his superiors – or from the game itself, when the situation demands it. It’s an intriguing mechanic, one that highlights Bond’s role as a recruit still under supervision.
From there, the demo escalates into a full-blown materialschlacht: vehicles explode, debris rains down, and the entire airfield turns into a stage of chaos. It almost feels as if IOI spent more digital TNT here than the filmmakers did in the finale of No Time To Die.
The cargo plane is already taxiing toward the runway as Bond pushes closer. Explosions and gunfire shake the airfieldwhile the aircraft looms larger in the background, engines beginning to roar.
As the turbines spool up, the sheer force of the airflow scatters equipment across the tarmac. A service vehicle is caught in the blast and hurtles toward Bond. He manages to grab hold, pulls himself inside, and takes control of the wheel. Now behind the wheel, he races after the moving aircraft, closing the gap as debris whips across the runway.
At the last moment, Bond swings the vehicle into position and leaps for a dangling fuel hose, clinging to it as the plane gathers speed. The climb is brutal: wind and engine noise tear at him, and guards appear at the rear hatch to fight him off. Bond strikes and grapples in close quarters as the ground falls away beneath him – until he finally drags himself into the cargo hold.
Freefall into Bond History
Inside, the demo reveals one of its most inventive touches. Bond reaches a control station and tampers with the systems, seemingly able to influence the plane’s tilt. Heavy crates slide across the hold, slamming into enemies and scattering anyone caught in their path. “Never a dull moment,” Bond mutters, half for his own focus and half for the player, as he works to force the aircraft down.
But the danger isn’t over. The rear hatch suddenly opens, and the slipstream tears through the hold. Equipment and enemies are sucked out into the daylight sky as Bond braces himself against the gale. In the chaos, he slaps his Omega watch onto the frame, leaving behind a magnetic tracker, before he too is blown free.
The demo closes with Bond in freefall, tumbling through the bright sky while reaching for a falling enemy’s parachute. For longtime fans, the sequence is instantly recognizable as a deliberate echo of Moonraker (1979). That film famously opened with Bond being pushed out of a plane by Jaws, forcing him to wrestle mid-air with another skydiver to steal his parachute. IOI’s version doesn’t copy the scene beat for beat, but the DNA is unmistakable: the sudden ejection into the open sky, the desperate scramble for survival, and the sheer spectacle of Bond fighting gravity itself. It’s a clear homage – and a fitting way to end the demo on a sharp cliffhanger.
Final Thoughts
Wow – I was genuinely surprised. I knew First Light would begin with Bond as a recruit, but I expected him to be thrown more quickly into solo action. Instead, IOI takes its time, surrounding him with peers and mentors, almost like a classroom on a deadly field trip. That focus on interaction and influence – rather than lone-wolf heroics – was not what I anticipated, and it already sets the game apart. The early-stage dynamics of Bond finding his place, the subtle rivalries with other recruits, and above all the tension with Miss Roth (aka Isola) left a strong impression on me. Will she become something like an older sister to him? Or is she the predator while he’s the prey? Will she break his heart, push him to grow – or both at once?
And that’s where you sense IOI’s design philosophy: they deliberately play with what fans expect, only to push things a step further than anticipated. And I have to admit – I enjoyed letting them do that to me.
On top of that, IOI layers in the Hitman DNA: countless possibilities to approach a scenario – tactical, stealthy, brutal, or clever. I loved how fluidly these options unfolded. The cinematic melee combat reminded me strongly of the Batman: Arkham series, and I really hope it will develop the same depth over time. And extra kudos for the stylish mission briefings – IOI nailed those perfectly, giving them the sharp, cinematic flair fans of Hitman will instantly recognize.
The runway sequence – with its desperate chase to catch the plane and the brutal fight spilling onto the wing – was a truly cinematic action set-piece. And since this was only the very first level, I’m confident IOI is keeping its sharpest arrows in the quiver for later.
On the technical side, there are still some minor visual quirks – a few rough textures, animations that occasionally feel repetitive. But they’re hardly worth dwelling on, because when the game is in motion it looks stunning. IOI has made a huge leap compared to Hitman. The lighting and particle effects in particular are enormously improved: explosions cast showers of sparks, glass shatters into glittering fragments, and drifting smoke gives every scene a cinematic weight. Just like in the films, when the world is on the brink and Bond becomes an unstoppable force tearing through everything between him and his target, you feel that same energy here. When Bond plows through enemy ranks, explosions rock the scene, concrete shatters and glass shards whirl through the air – he leaves behind traces you’ll remember.
The only moment that truly felt odd to me was the façade climbing sequence. NPCs below somehow didn’t react at all – leaving me unsure whether this is a deliberate design choice (perhaps outer walls are intended to be a “safe zone”), whether the level is still due for restructuring, or whether NPC vision is genuinely limited to a single plane. If it’s the latter, that would be a pity, since so much of the game otherwise pushes immersion to new heights.
But make no mistake – IOI is taking on a huge challenge here: winning over Bond fans, Hitman fans, and newcomersalike. And they’ve been bold. Instead of adapting an existing story with an established actor, they created a new, young Bond with a fresh origin story. To me, that’s not just the right call – it’s a stroke of genius.
My only hope is that they don’t lean too heavily into nostalgia. References like the GoldenEye watch laser or the Moonraker homage are wonderful seasoning, but the main dish should always be IOI’s own, daring ideas.
As we later learned in our interview, IOI seems reluctant to openly share which video games inspired First Light. Understandably so – once you name them, you risk being compared to them at every turn. Still, it’s hard not to see Uncharted as the touchstone many players will reach for, and I mean that in the best possible way. That series excelled at blending fluid gameplay, heartfelt storytelling, and cinematic spectacle – exactly the mix IOI appears to be aiming for here. And in a way, that would close the circle: Uncharted itself was clearly influenced by Bond – most famously in its cargo plane scene from Uncharted 3, which echoes the net fight in The Living Daylights (1987).
If the rest of the game builds on what I saw in this demo, 007: First Light could truly redefine what it means to play as Bond.
