Obliterating every enemy in your path is part of the James Bond game formula. Sure, Nightfire throws in some stealth sequences, but the Call of Duty style Quantum of Solace tie-in is all-out action. 007 First Light has no interest in making Ian Fleming’s spy a certified killing machine, though. Speaking about earning Bond’s license to kill, IO Interactive’s franchise director, Jonathan Lacaille, reveals the restraint players will need to succeed.
Unlike other James Bond gaming adventures, 007 First Light puts you in Bond’s shoes as a fresh-faced candidate for the newly resurrected 00 Agent program. That means he doesn’t yet have his license to kill, putting barriers in the way of how Bond can deal with incoming threats. Lacaille teases this aspect to Radio Times Gaming as if it’s a mechanic, saying that it “will be a feature that will be detailed later this summer.”
While Bond will undoubtedly have to bear arms along the way, he adds that “there will be some rules and some rules of engagement, [for] who you can be aggressive [to]” as players progress through the narrative. Different levels feature unique parameters that feed into the license to kill feature, determining whether Bond can utilize more lethal means of combat in battle. On the back of this, gadgets play into Bond’s arsenal, and some gizmos will be more “passive”, rather than nuisances for your foes.
Off the back of IO Interactive’s multi-decade experience with Hitman, this is the type of detail that I think makes First Light a highly fascinating chapter in James Bond history. The feeling of immersion in the Hitman games is second to none, offering spycraft that is unparalleled. Becoming Agent 47 can be as simple as shooting everyone in the level, if you want it to be. But Hitman rewards you for being methodical and thinking out of the box.
Lacaille comments on this, adding that the new Switch game is about “forward moment […] we want the player to think on their feet all the time, and to have to make quick decisions, to be under pressure.”
Because Bond can’t freely murder enemies, I’m curious to see how IOI improves its hand-to-hand combat. It’s one of the weaker elements in the Hitman series, that’s for sure. I’m not expecting anything super in-depth, but if it can replicate the heft of punching baddies in the underrated James Bond: Bloodstone, I’ll be happy.
IO Interactive plans for the 007 First Light release date to land in 2026. You can read here how the game is learning from the mistakes that the Hitman: World of Assassination Switch 2 port made.
All that Bond talk probably has you hankering for an adventure, so be sure to check out our list of the best movie games, or follow us on Google News for the latest in handheld gaming and hardware.
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