007: First Light Hailed As The Best James Bond Game Since GoldenEye In First Reviews

The new James Bond video game from Hitman developer IO Interactive, 007: First Light, arrives on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC tomorrow, and the first reviews are in.

Over on Metacritic, the action-adventure game is currently sitting at a score of 88 after 51 reviews on PS5, three on Xbox, and 24 on PC. This makes First Light the second-highest-rated Bond game - unsurprisingly, GoldenEye 007 for the N64 still reigns supreme at 96 - on the aggregator.

First Light features an original narrative that draws inspiration from Ian Fleming's novels and the long-running film franchise. The game serves as an origin story for the iconic secret agent, as we follow a 26-year-old Bond (Patrick Gibson) as he attempts to secure his 00 "license to kill" status by completing a series of missions.

Check out some reviews and reactions below, along with some new gameplay footage.

007 First Light reviews are coming in NOW: https://t.co/TQgOvX0plv
"007 First Light does a great job of making the player feel like they are embodying James Bond. Gadgets, shoot-outs, stealth and an amazing cast really make this stand in the hall of 007 greats." - CG Magazine pic.twitter.com/xeJbdUrwJ1

— metacritic (@metacritic) May 26, 2026

As a fan of the HITMAN games, 007: FIRST LIGHT is the best game I’ve played in years.

Combat & spy work is incredibly detailed & satisfying to play with a fascinating story that perfectly fits Bond in the modern era.

A splendid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ game pic.twitter.com/qF5UnL7YZy

— Jacob (@JacobFisherDF) May 26, 2026

I’ve finished 007 First Light and can confidently say this is one of the best action games of the generation for me.

Really remarkable game that seamlessly stirs so many styles into a James Bond cocktail.

The nearly six year wait was worth it, almost unbelievably so. pic.twitter.com/YYO3axgEx4

— Cade Onder (@Cade_Onder) May 26, 2026

After beating 007 First Light I can confidently say that this game is a near masterpiece.

It's actually shocking how IOI went from Hitman, to making this. Visuals, gameplay (especially combat), immersion, it's all next level stuff. But what impressed me the most is the pacing.… pic.twitter.com/g4y5cmORja

— Blue Thunder 🔜Summer Game Fest (@BlueThunderReal) May 26, 2026

REVIEW: 007: First Light

Uncharted meets Hitman.

007: First Light is the newest game by Hitman developers IO Interactive. Going into this, I didn’t have any idea what to really expect. Whether it would end up way more linear like Uncharted or simply be another Hitman with a new… pic.twitter.com/LDGNeXsAjK

— Synth Potato🥔 (@SynthPotato) May 26, 2026

First Light knows exactly when to be funny, exactly when to be serious, exactly when to deliver the right character beats. It every bit lives up to the films in this manner, and it does so consistently for five, ten times as long.

Our review: https://t.co/nzR6btcvAC pic.twitter.com/DTk6CQ5HG6

— Eurogamer (@eurogamer) May 26, 2026

I loved 007 First Light! This is just my type of game.

A great take on Bond that goes beyond Craig-era and embraces some of the silliness. A great mix.

It's FUN to play. I love the combat and shooting. A blast to play aggressively. Walking around Q Branch is a Bond fan's dream.… pic.twitter.com/KubeIpTnpb

— Jake Baldino (@JakeBaldino) May 26, 2026

007 First Light initial impressions after 3-4 hours played:

✅ Set pieces and level design are VERY Uncharted-like and feel super fluid when moving through levels

✅ Combat is really satisfying and cinematic

✅ Dialogue and writing feels perfectly on brand, not cringe or… pic.twitter.com/YwjS3ZKmAq

— Sal (@salvahed) May 26, 2026

After a heroic life-saving act in the field, a reckless but audacious young Bond is recruited into MI6’s newly revived Double-0 program. His induction takes a dramatic turn when an operation to stop a rogue Double-0 agent ends in tragedy.To unravel the conspiracy, Bond partners with Greenway, a reluctant MI6 mentor who harbors deep doubts about the "00" program itself. T

ogether, they are thrust into a globe-spanning espionage adventure—traveling to locations like the snowy mountains, a chess tournament at the Grand Carpathian Hotel in Slovakia, and a corporate gala in Kensington. Ultimately, Bond must navigate this web of intrigue to expose a dangerous conspiracy and stop a potential coup at the very heart of the United Kingdom