I recommend: 007 First Light (Review)

[00:01] delivering cutting edge graphics technology like DLSS 4.5 and path tracing. For games like 007 First Light, Nvidia Tech delivers the highest frame sharpest image quality, and maximum responsiveness so that you know you're

[00:13] meant to be played. Click the link below or stick around to the end of the video or stick around to the end of the video to learn more. >> Wouldn't know where I can find the Tranquility Cave by any chance?

[00:36] I think ever since Hitman existed, we all kept saying to ourselves, "Man, imagine if IO got their hands on the Bond franchise. Imagine what they could it happened. IO announced a rights deal with Amazon. And sometime later, 007

[00:51] James Bond that puts you in his shoes at a time when he still might have worn This is Bond as you've never seen him before. Young enough to not have to question you likely have coming into this review is, did I pull it off? Did

[01:06] always imagined they would if they were ever handed the keys to this franchise? broadly speaking, they have. But in order to appreciate that, I think we of the expectations we might have carried with us when we imagined a Bond

[01:21] game made by IO. If you were hoping for Hitman with a Bond skin on it, you're going to be pretty disappointed because while plenty of that Hitman DNA is here, a lot of it isn't because Bond and Hitman are fundamentally different

[01:33] fantasies. Agent 47 prefers the guns pointed away from him as he disappears his best work mogging the camera while driving a Jaguar through a platoon of heavily armed Russian goons. But just as Agent 47 also knows how to throw down

[01:46] when needed, so too does Bond know how to sneak, trick, disguise, and connive his way into or out of a situation. The task that IO had before them was, could they strike the perfect blend of clever, thoughtful, immersive sim puzzle box

[01:59] high-speed testosterone fueled spectacle? Could they make the perfect Hitman and Bond cocktail? One that would leave us shaken and stirred. Sorry, just couldn't resist that one. I do think the answer to this question is yes. IO got

[02:13] that formula largely correct, but there is still an unreconciled tension that sits at the core of it. By never being able to fully commit to its immersive both parts of the formula leaving you wanting a little more than they're able

[02:26] to deliver. For fans of Hitman, it's likely that First Light's puzzle box sophisticated, and immersive than you're used to. Similarly, fans of more straightforward cinematic action games may tire of these lengthy Imim segments

[02:39] and yearn for more action than First Light is willing to deliver. But the unifying factor here is James Bond himself. We know who this guy is, and we probably expect when playing a game starring him. It's not meant to be any

[02:52] collection of vignettes. It's meant to be a little bit of sneaky spy work, a driving, a little bit of under the covers field work with a featal. Throw banter with Money Penney and we're there. Another Bond adventure just like

[03:07] nicest way possible because I really do think the 007 First Light does a wonderful job of capturing the very essence of James Bond. But even that terrible opening act left me reeling and

[03:20] headed and persistent pacing issues make Bond's adventure feel more than a little padded out. It is 15 to 20 hours long, and I suspect it would have been a far better game had IO aimed for a tight 10 to 12 hours, but I'm very sympathetic to

[03:33] when it comes to number of hours for dollars spent. Even with these tensions and these complaints, this is still a brilliant Bond adventure. One that One that offers the deepest, broadest simulation of the double O life, and one

[03:46] that captures the spirit of what made the Bond film so beloved. Their charm, studio could have been better suited to the task. And while it's a bit of a mixed bag in parts, I really do think that IO delivered most of what we'd been

[03:58] have been like to have the team behind Hitman offer their own unique spin on Hitman offer their own unique spin on that other very famous spy.

[04:20] James Bond. Let's start with a quick whip around of performance, visuals, and presentation. I did this review on a high-end PC running at 4K max settings, DLSS set to quality, and I was getting around 100 FPS while doing that. Didn't

[04:32] minimal, no gameplay related bugs. The only issue I had was on the very last mission of the game. I was getting truly awful stuttering, like really bad. I that because I don't want to spoil the last mission, but it was definitely a

[04:45] problem. Restarting the game and my PC did not fix it. I essentially had to I certainly hope IO have this bug in their sights before launch because it game's finale. Visually, 007 First Light is surprisingly often a fairly simple

[05:00] spent in office interiors, in laboratories, in very plain urban areas and think to yourself, huh, not much to look at, is it? But I can assure you, much like the leading man himself, 007 First Light scrubs up pretty nicely

[05:14] overall you with overly designed locations, IO's artists have instead chosen to carefully dole out the visual stimulation, keeping their powder dry in the next party scene, the next setpiece location, the next distant

[05:28] horizon or action showcase. When it wants to look good, 007 First Light looks really, really good. perfectly capturing the glamorous aesthetic of nightclubs, fancy European hotels, high society social mixes, and exotic beach

[05:40] resorts. Many of these settings benefit greatly from IO's proprietary Glacia engine, which is purpose-built to handle dense crowds with each person having their own reaction to you bumping into them. The nightclub scene is the first

[05:53] certainly doesn't disappoint, offering maybe the most realistic feeling nightclub in any video game ever. Well, except for the one on the Citadel, of except for the one on the Citadel, of course.

[06:10] gallery later is a fabulous showcase of the power of this tech since this entire bumping into folks and overhearing their chitchat as you do so. >> Well, S Nicholas's speech is coming up. You should probably watch in case he

[06:23] tech demos. >> Sounds right up the road. is actually this one. A secluded resort set in Vietnam, reachable only by boat. one that caters to the super duper rich only. This is a really beautifully

[06:37] perfect playground for Bond and his antics. And I think that's something that First Light really nails actually because when we watch Bond films, we sit it be nice to go to that place?" In the interactive form, we're a step closer.

[06:50] We're not literally there obviously, but we can decide how long we might linger on a setting sunset. We can feel these spaces a little more as we take them in at our own pace. We can poke our nose into a corner just to see what's there.

[07:02] provide a sort of virtual historical tourism, First Light provides straight up virtual tourism. And none of the previous Bond games have been able to do this because they've never been able to look anywhere near this good

[07:16] >> car park in position. Speaking of good-looking, wait until you get a load of this facial animation tech. Now, it's by no means best in class, as games like The Last of Us and Guardians of the Galaxy do have it beat, but it is very,

[07:28] very good. Certainly a cut above the average game and it's a very big deal they have. This is a licensed game based on a movie property. So if facial the first thing you'd notice. But it especially matters in a Bond game

[07:42] because Bond is so often about the raised eyebrow, the smirk, the lingering imperceptible thing that makes you go, "Ah, think she's into Bond." And that they're able to capture this so beautifully and so consistently pays

[07:57] huge dividends. I suspect you could turn the sound off in many scenes and still just by reading these characters' faces. Then again, it's never really hard to involved. >> Your visitors pass, Mr. Bond.

[08:12] >> This AAA presentation and polish is what Clearly, IO understood the assignment, considerably leveling up their expectations that come with the source material. And the result is a sumptuous

[08:25] visual feast that sits comfortably in the broader Bond pantheon. After all, watching pretty people in pretty locations is half the fun of a Bond shortage of eye candy. >> This city is an extension of my being.

[08:40] Paradise Bond. >> So, 007 First Light is really nice to look at, but how does it perform in the story department? Well, it's a little complicated, but I'll tell you that for the first few hours of this game, I

[08:54] that was down to the story. Now, honestly, it's not really possible for me to explain why without spoiling some story beats, and I'd rather not do that, especially for an embargo review. All I will say is that I think this opening

[09:07] act is kind of terrible. Full of unlikable characters, some very strange story beats that do not endear you to this new Bond, and an absolutely terrible, terrible villain. By the end of that first act, I had a very bad

[09:19] But then immediately after that, everything changes. Many of those characters and villains I didn't like are shoved to one side, almost never of the game's runtime. In their place, the game's core cast of characters

[09:34] solidifies, and they're great. The game's true villain emerges, and they're entirely new arc centered on different things, and at that point, it's pretty solid. In fact, it's surprisingly good. It's about AI and its role in security

[09:47] and intelligence and the risks of AI's fallibility, which is obviously a very relevant question to us right now. Massive companies are firing scores of staff claiming to be replacing them with AI when half the time AI is spouting

[09:59] hallucinations and [\h__\h] Just last week, Google announced that they're with AI summaries. The world is about to start trusting this [\h__\h] when most of imagine what would happen if a global intelligence apparatus started relying

[10:13] heavily on AI for its synthesis and conclusions. And you can see why First legs. The villains established here are also great. I won't spoil them, of makes a lot of sense in the world of James Bond. And crucially, he's

[10:27] motivated by interesting things rather than just mustache twirling villainy. He sort of has his heart in the right place, as twisted and as [\h__\h] up as make his motivations more interesting and relatable. connected with that

[10:39] compelling story is a very compelling set of core characters. There's Money Penny, who's cool and quirky and fun, and the chemistry between her and Bond is very well- handled. There's M, who is, as always doing her job, providing a

[10:51] Bond's risk-taking antics without ever being allowed to say it. There's also Q, of course, a father figure of sorts if your father wore three-piece suits and gun. But the real star of the supporting cast is Greenway. He's Bond's mentor and

[11:05] the beginning, but you know, they're forced to spend time together and I'm relationship goes over time. Just a really brilliant performance from actor Lenny James. He really did crush it. The game ends up having a lot of heart and a

[11:19] Greenway's character, both the excellent writing and James' flawless performance. writing and James' flawless performance. 9 is a master manipulator.

[11:35] >> But luckily, the standout performance comes from the man himself, Patrick Gibson, as the newly minted 007. And oh my god, listen, if we don't get another devastated because this Bond is absolutely [\h__\h] perfect. It is crazy

[11:51] how good this guy is in the role. 26 years old, cheeky grin, twinkle in his knows how to handle it. There's an inevitability to Bon's charm, and the it's delivered with the right amount of subtlety and elegance. The world wants

[12:05] to give him a free ticket, and he knows how to cash it with style, never being crass, never being assuming. There's no humility to Gibson's portrayal of Bond, but there's also no arrogance. It's a very charming and disarming form of

[12:18] help be won over by, and that makes it very easy to believe when the world is won over by him. That I think is what makes this kid such a great bond. He's does. I absolutely loved him in this role. I was casting couldn't have been

[12:33] >> must say, you look astonishing for your age, Agent Roth. Hardly a day over 50. >> How about an explanation? >> First Flight's opening hours are very disconnected from the rest of the game, but it does eventually settle into a

[12:49] You've got the exotic destinations. You got the high society living. You got the evil mini bosses. You've got Bond meeting some sexy woman in a bikini and then betting her 15 minutes later. Even I was surprised at how quick baby Bond

[13:02] works. It has it all, man. All the Bond juice you could want. That's why for Bond fans, this is an absolute must must play because I think you're going to get this character. And for those of you who have little affection for Bond, well,

[13:15] I'm sure he'll win you over just as quickly as that woman in the bikini.

[13:29] in the modern era. It's a licensed game based on a movie franchise. We don't get many of those these days. It's a strictly linear game. Again, we do not an immersive sim, a genre that simply refuses to die no matter how many times

[13:42] it obituary is written. Structurally, yes, this is a strictly linear affair. There is no hub. You do not choose missions from MI6 headquarters and then streets of London or anywhere else. You'll watch a cut scene telling you

[13:55] you're headed to Vietnam and the next shot is you riding a boat in Vietnam. in the world of Bond because it allows IO to tell the story that they want to tell using the locations and camera angles that best serve the story. But IO

[14:08] when it comes to their gameplay scenarios. And that's why a number of from the Hitman Handbook. These missions have a fairly linear introduction before opening up into these massive sequences set in large areas with lots going on

[14:22] way through. Before that though, it's probably best we go meet Q. Bond is, after all, not all about fisty cuffs and firearms. He's also very much about his missions in Q Lab, where you're able to select up to two or three gadgets to

[14:36] bring along with you. The most important one is your Q watch, which allows you to hack specific electronic devices, make guards sick so they'll wander off, and guards so you can just walk up behind them in the moment that they're dazed.

[14:49] Armed with these tools, you're ready to do some good oldfashioned spycraft IO perfect example. As the party goes on around you, you've got to get upstairs are a few different ways to do that. Personally, I stumbled on a PR publicist

[15:03] waiting for a contact. Rob Minkley, Krux magazine. No, he's not here. That's why I'm calling you. Actually, Mike Chfield from the bulletin is here, I'm told. If Minkley doesn't appear in the next 10, let's find him. Give him the exclusive.

[15:19] waiting for. >> Mike Chfield. >> Oh, I thought you'd be old. >> She tells me I need to get a camera and a press pass. And here's where the fun

[15:32] really begins. Press pass is laying at a nearby security desk, but they don't seem to be too willing to hand it over. Luckily, my Q watch can be very Luckily, my Q watch can be very persuasive.

[15:47] >> Hope they weren't too attached. >> After that, I need a camera. I find a photographer who's walking around. I use my Qatch to short circuit his camera and he's like, "Oh [\h__\h] I need a new camera now." He then leads me to a place where

[15:59] I can find cameras and again, I use my Qatch to zap this guy in the face. Walk go. >> My eyes. >> because I'm the restaurant critic of the London Review. I just told you.

[16:11] >> So, on the one hand, this is clever and that I do need to explore my environment get things done. On the other hand, you probably watched this gameplay and thought to yourself that it looks kind of goofy. And honestly, yes, it does.

[16:24] about the game. The fact that Bon can just stand right there in front of people, bring his watch up, press a button, blind them, and then he sort of just gets away with it, it doesn't look or feel quite right. It seems a bit

[16:38] a requirement for you to be out of sight when these things happen. A little bit how this stuff works. But of course, what I showed you there was just one of immersive sim, there are a handful of ways to accomplish your objective. I

[16:53] there. I know there was a staff passageway that worked as well. There's forward, and I suspect that one of the reasons someone might want to replay of these alternative routes thoroughly. Having said that, neither the gadgets

[17:08] sophisticated, and I can't imagine that hardcore IMS or Hitman fans are going to feel very tested by this stuff. I suspect that IO had a pretty clear view game like this and they probably rightly guessed it's a different audience to the

[17:23] one buying Hitman World of Assassination and seeking that deeper, more demanding, more complex version of Imim gameplay. As such, I do think it's important to go expectations. It is an immersive sim, but it's Imim Light with a focus on

[17:36] approachability and perhaps a few corners cut when it comes to immersion. Perhaps my biggest complaint about First Light, other than its opening act, is around pacing. And these immersive sim puzzle solving segments seem to be

[17:48] caught in the crossfire when it comes to this game's runtime. See, it is a 15 to could have been a 10 to 12hour experience had IIO been willing to trim the fat and keep things moving. But in the modern era, a very large segment of

[18:01] linear 10-hour experience that doesn't have the words resident or evil on the box. As such, I'm sure that IO felt some pressure to get this runtime up. And rather than add more action sequences, we're asked to wander around office

[18:14] buildings looking for keys or through slightly different looking office During these sequences, the exposition pours forth from your earpiece. But much awkward silence rather than things that truly needed to be said. Some of this

[18:28] Light had a better, more interesting gadget economy that would open up new through the story. that doesn't really happen. You get almost all of your new ones that do unlock later have more utility in combat than in boring walk

[18:43] and talk sections. That goes back to that earlier criticism of the IMIM undercooked. And yeah, I think they are overall. We could have done with some more gadgets, a little less goofiness when using them, and fewer segments

[18:55] the motions. But even with these issues, this whole package still hangs together because Spycraft is just one part of the Bond fantasy. There's also the story and car chases and the combat. First Light may not live up to Agent 47's high

[19:10] standards, but it was never really a fair measuring stick to apply when Bond and 47 have very different MMOs. For Bond, Spycraft will only get you so far. Bond, Spycraft will only get you so far. Then it's time for the fun stuff.

[19:29] First Light can feel a little underbaked and overstretched, combat suffers from good that the biggest complaint you're likely to have is that there just aren't enough combat sequences to let you truly have your fill. Combat in First Slight

[19:41] is either a fail state or just another option depending on how you see the world. You are encouraged to constantly crouch quietly sneaking around specific get the job done without anyone noticing. But invariably, you will make

[19:54] a mistake, get spotted, and then it's on like Donkey Kong. This is the fail state way of looking at things. But it is true that you could also just walk into every stance, by the way. Settle down. And then just start serving up haymakers

[20:07] combat is a choice that you can make whenever you like. And there are very punishes you for making that decision. In these scenarios, you're largely draw a weapon when you're granted a license to kill. And that only happens

[20:22] when an enemy draws their weapon first. Bond is after all a gentleman and a fair sport and far be it from him to bring a gun to a punchup. Melo combat in first light is highly intuitive. We might incorrectly diagnose it as simple but

[20:35] only because IO have put so much work into it to make it feel so intuitive. of goons standing around you in a circle taking turns swinging at you while flashing a certain color so you can parry or dodge their attacks. Much of it

[20:47] when an enemy has their guard down. soften them up enough and a takedown option pops up and it's good night sweet henchmen. but there's a hell of a lot more to it when it comes to things like vaults,

[21:00] grabs, and charges. Because each of these maneuvers is highly contextual. See, what I have built here is a melee combat model that works in harmony with a wall nearby and you grab an enemy,

[21:12] wall to KO them. There's a rushing attack that sees you charge straight at enemies, pushing them back until they eventually hit some geometry. The vault let you seamlessly slide over objects to quickly and easily leave enemies

[21:26] quickly and easily leave enemies staggered. >> He got me. >> This environmental sensitivity is the combat so good because it obviously adds mechanical depth, but perhaps more

[21:40] importantly, it just looks [\h__\h] cool. And it's how punch-ups should look in a James Bond video game. IO really knocked it out of the park here.

[21:56] kill from time to time, and gunplay exhibits the same smart design that cinematic spectacle. Do expect plenty of aim assist when playing on a controller, making head shot plenty easy. And the ability to slow down time on a whim lets

[22:09] you pull off some very smooth kill chains. unhelmeted enemies are in fact a one-shot kill. And that isn't the only

[22:22] targeting. For example, shooting out a target's leg sets them up for an easy out of their hands leaves them momentarily stunned. >> He hit me. >> No matter which way they drop their gun,

[22:38] way that Bond can keep trading shots in a firefight is by picking up the weapons This actually mirrors one of the best features of another licensed movie game starring a charismatic ladies man, Indiana Jones. In that game, Indie had

[22:52] went because that's what he did in the movies. Here, it's actually better animations allowing you to seamlessly kick up weapons with your feet so you can grab them and immediately start firing.

[23:06] melee brawling, First Light's combat has a beautiful fluid momentum that plays as good as it looks. You'll hide behind cover, empty a magazine to take down your empty weapon at them to stagger them, perform a quick melee takedown,

[23:20] kick their weapon up off the floor, catch it, and start spraying it in a this game are going to be absolutely insane, especially in the locations insane, especially in the locations where IO really puts on a show.

[23:32] where IO really puts on a show. >> I can't get a clear shot.

[23:45] than I would have liked in a game that runs for 15 to 20 hours. I reckon full frontal weapons-free combat only accounts for about 2 to 3 hours of that level exploration and the MSIM stuff that I mentioned before. I get why that

[24:00] but I would have liked just a little more. Luckily, I can get it outside of simulations, which is an entirely separate game mode that provides VR its own currency, so you can unlock more missions and upgrades as you go. IO said

[24:16] missions post launch, which mirrors the work that they've put into Hitman post being quite as expansive as the world of assassination ended up being, but I'm menu of content is going to be a hell of a lot fuller.

[24:43] listed in this review and be thinking to yourself, did IO really deliver the Bond to what I said in the intro. I think yeah, broadly speaking, they did. though games seem to effortlessly capture the essence of indie, First Light eventually

[24:59] gets there, but it does have a few missteps along the way. The first act is villains and events that seem totally disconnected from the rest of the game and the plot moves past that awkward opening act. It does find its stride,

[25:12] get there. The Spycraft side of the Bond Fantasy is a touch undercooked here, studio and what we might have expected from them. The gadget economy is a little limited and the number of drawn out walk and talk sections puts further

[25:25] systems. And as for combat, it does feel like the game could have done with a little more of it. And with that balance would have come both better game pacing games best features. But look, here's the thing about reviews. In listing

[25:37] things that do and don't work, it's the classic forest for the trees thing. that fall short can place disproportionate weight on them. Yeah, I didn't like the opening act, but the rest were great. Yeah, I thought the

[25:49] spycraft stuff was simple, but it was still fun. Yeah, I would have liked more actually really good. More than that, though, the reason why I think IO pulled it off is because Bond is that mix of a little bit of everything. A bit of

[26:02] action, a bit of spycraft, a bit of globe trotting, a bit of betrayal, a bit of villain, a bit of heroism. Pull back to Wideshot, Bond, and the Lady Dour Kiss. Credits roll. IO didn't get every part of this package right, but I think

[26:15] putting you in the shoes of this newly minted o agent and letting you live out another thrilling Bond adventure. It really is as simple as that. If that one purchase. But if you're less invested in this character, then this

[26:30] the line when some more content and some discounts have rolled through. really enjoyed it. And whether you grab it day one or much later, I do recommend it day one or much later, I do recommend it.

[26:49] you play it. But to ensure the sharpest image quality, best lighting, and want to play it on a GPU from this video sponsor, Nvidia. Nvidia GPUs are the it comes to raw processing power, nothing comes close to what Nvidia's 50

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