Ahead of its official release tomorrow, the review embargo for 007 First Light has been lifted, with reviews and impressions starting to surface.
At the time of writing, 007 First Light has a Metacritic score of 88 and an OpenCritic score of 89. As it stands, that makes 007 First Light the highest-rated game from IO Interactive, surpassing Hitman 3 and Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, which both scored 87.
Here’s what critics s have to say about the action-packed origin story of one of the world’s most famous Spies:
IGN
Reviewed by: Luke Reilly
“007 First Light has made a fabulous first impression, and I’m certainly already quite comfortable to say it’s the best Bond has been since GoldenEye.”
Gamespot
Reviewed by: Mark Delaney
“As Hollywood seems uncertain about where to take Bond next, IO Interactive’s debut effort is supremely confident. “James Bond will return,” the movies always like to say. If and when IO’s Bond returns, it’ll have a great first act to follow.”
Eurogamer
Reviewed by: Rick Lane
“First Light isn’t the Bond game that I wanted from IO Interactive. But I had a great time with it regardless. IO has proved it was the right studio to handle the license, albeit for different reasons than I expected. Amazon may not have a clue what to do with 007, but letting IO handle the whole shooting match would not be the worst idea.”
Video Games Chronicle (VGC)
Reviewed by: Jordan Middler
“The understanding of the James Bond fantasy and its translation to gameplay is the real key. Patrick Gibson’s Bond ties it together to create a game that is a real frontrunner for 2026’s Game of the Year.”
GamesRadar+
Reviewed by: Josh West
“007 First Light is Bond’s best game yet thanks to smart design decisions that make this a well-rounded spy thriller. Merging together moments of blockbuster spectacle with slower-paced stealth, this understands the appeal of spycraft and is able to deliver the fantasy in ways no other game can. Starring a young James Bond, this origin story can sometimes feel like just a beginning – but what a way for this spy’s career to kick off.”