James Bond's Big Genre Switch In First Light Is A Masterstroke

Published Sep 3, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT

Known as 'Cyberpunk 2077's' biggest fan, Angharad is a Welsh games writer who thrives in anything related to digital storytelling. If a video game explores the intricacies and horrors of womanhood, she is there.

Thanks to previous work at GAMINGbible, GameByte, The Loadout, Game Luster, Angharad has built a strong understanding of both the digital world and what fans want from it and is eager to share her thoughts and expertise with readers.

It was back in 1962 that the movie Dr. No brought the James Bond franchise to life for the first time, welcoming Sean Connery as 007 and kickstarting a movie series that would still be going over half a century later. Now, with Amazon MGM having complete creative control over the future of the franchise, and our next Bond remaining a mystery despite the recent shortlist, talk has turned to what the next 50 years of James Bond could look like.

With our most recent Bond, Daniel Craig, hanging up his gun back in 2021's No Time To Die after a five-movie stint, the position for the next 007 has remained vacant. However, there has been a Bond since Craig's iteration, and it is one that has taken fans by complete surprise.

The First Light In More Than a Decade

It was back in May that IO Interactive released 007 First Light, an action-adventure game that not only takes place in the Bond universe, but also gave players a glimpse into a much younger 007, showing how he became the lovable rogue we all love to this day.

Portrayed by Irish actor Patrick Gibson, it was his introduction to the role that took many 007 First Light players by surprise, with many now hoping that he will reprise his role in the next live-action movie.

Whilst this remains to be seen, there is no denying that his portrayal as James Bond helped make 007 First Light a potential Game of the Year contender, with the action-adventure title still sitting at an impressive 8.3 user score over on Metacritic. In our review, we awarded 007 First Light a 9/10 stars, praising its innovative story and gameplay.

007 First Light has a legitimate claim to being the best James Bond video game ever. It likely won't be as influential as GoldenEye 007, and it can't recapture my childhood memories of snipers-only duels on Nightfire's Ravine map, but it has a deep understanding of what makes James Bond so magnetic. The car chases and extravagant villain lairs are essential, but the keystone is the globe-trotting covert ops.

A Breath of Fresh Air

On top of praise for Gibson's performance, it is also worth realizing that 007 First Light may have just given the Bond franchise the revival it needed, especially when it comes to its genre. Whilst previous James Bond games have, understandably, focused on non-stop action, this latest iteration by IO Interactive proves that there is more to Bond than shooting guns and seducing women. Yes, he does a lot of this in 007 First Light, but we also see a different side to him, one that adds a naivety and vulnerability, and an engaging story to boot.

With 007 First Light expected to be the first entry in a brand-new action-adventure saga, we can only hope that this positivity will continue whenever we see the next installment.

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