How 007 First Light is Different From Past James Bond & Hitman Games

007 First Light just got its first gameplay showing and it definitely confirms this is a bit of a successor to IO Interactive’s Hitman franchise. For years, fans dreamed of what a James Bond game developed by IO Interactive might look like. The Hitman series already borrows so much from that franchise with its exotic locations, devious villains, espionage, and British female handlers that have an almost maternal quality to them. However, many thought it was just a pipe dream… until it actually got announced at the end of 2020, just two months before the release of Hitman 3. Now, after years of waiting, 007 First Light is finally almost here.

However, sometimes these pairings don’t go as expected. Just because fans want IO Interactive to make a James Bond game doesn’t mean the studio is going to give them what they expect. However, after seeing nearly a half hour of the game and attending a Q&A with the developers prior to the 007 First Light State of Play, I was somewhat surprised to see how similar they are, but there are some big differences. I thought it would be fitting to break down how First Light differs from not just Hitman, but also older Bond games as well.

007 First Light Has Put an Emphasis on Combat

If you’ve ever tried to shoot your way through a level in Hitman, you’ll know that the gunplay and overall action isn’t great. Generally speaking, most people avoid getting into gun fights in Hitman. Hitman is about stealth and social puzzles, not shootouts. However, firefights are a big part of James Bond’s world and a necessity in a game about the MI6 agent. As such, IO Interactive has taken care to refine the combat. Not only has the developer tightened everything up to make it feel better, but it also has some depth to it to separate it from other Bond games which sometimes divulged into generic shoot ’em ups.

If an enemy intends to kill you, Bond is granted a license to kill and can use his gun to take down foes. The environments appear to be somewhat destructible and allows for dynamic action, Bond can throw his empty weapons at enemies, and if you’re on an elevated platform, he can even tackle enemies off a ledge to break his fall down to a lower level. It looks pretty involved and like a clear upgrade from IO’s past work.

James Bond’s Signature Charm Is a Gameplay Mechanic

We’ve all had that moment of frustration when playing a stealth game like Hitman where the guard spots you and blows your cover, turning the encounter into a gunfight or a chase. However, IO Interactive has found a clever way around that. As we all know, Bond can charm just about anyone and that includes guards in 007 First Light. If someone stumbles upon you in a restricted area, you can talk your way out of any trouble using a bluff mechanic. It seems like this will only usable if you have enough points or some sort of charged meter, so you won’t be able to talk your way out of every single encounter.

James Bond Is a Spy, Not an Assassin

In Hitman, all of your tools are used to kill people. However, James Bond is not an assassin, so he has a variety of methods and gadgets that are non-lethal in 007 First Light. For starters, he has a classic spy watch that allows him to hack electronics and blind enemies or stun them with a laser. He can also utilize tasers and tranquilizer darts in addition to his fists for non-lethal encounters. On top of that, Bond’s training allows him to eavesdrop on people for information, pickpocket people to steal items, and more.

007 First Light Puts You Behind the Wheel

Is it really a James Bond adventure without car chases? 007 First Light will have car chases across the game, allowing the player to drive the flashiest cars in the most exotic locations. Of course, Hitman never had anything like that, but it is pretty customary to have some driving sequences in a Bond game. Whether or not IO’s inexperience with driving mechanics will hinder these sequences remains to be seen, but the one that we saw was the kind of over the top chase scene that you’d hope for from a Bond outing.

Hitman’s Open Ended Levels Get Combined With the Cinematic Spectacle of a James Bond Movie

The big thing about the last three Hitman games was that you’re dropped into a massive level, assigned an objective, and it’s up to you to figure out how to accomplish that. There are many ways to kill your target, making the game highly replayable. However, 007 First Light is more of a narrative experience and players want to play the cinematic sequences the films are known for.

As a result, there will be open-ended sections in levels that allow you to problem solve your way to completing your objective. You can talk to people for info, create distractions, and much more, but it all ensures there’s a degree of agency and replayability to the levels. With that said, there will be more scripted moments such as the car chase or the shootout on the airstrip that give players the Bond fantasy they want. IO Interactive refers to the scripted sequences as “guided gameplay” and the more open-ended sections as “core gameplay.”

007 First Light will release in 2026. What do you think of the game so far? Let me know in the comments below.