IO Interactive's James Bond origin game 007 First Light landed last month with an action-packed tutorial, a bow-tie-induced power fantasy, and a very hot main character. The game has drawn attention even from players who were mostly apathetic toward the James Bond franchise before its release, having only recently watched the Daniel Craig films. Much of its identity builds around a restrictive license to kill system that shapes how players move through the adventure.
Unlike most third person shooters that hand you a gun and expect a high body count, 007 First Light limits Bond's firearms to specific scenarios when he is in mortal danger. A red License to Kill alert appears at the top of the screen when lethal force is permitted. Bond will not be the one who shoots first. Much of the gameplay is non-violent. Bond uses wits, charm, and confidence to advance the story through social puzzles, gadget manipulation, and bluffing, including sequences set at a luxury Vietnamese resort and inside a major tech company's offices.
Bond must sneak through areas filled with henchmen. Depending on stealth and Bond's Q Watch gadgets, players can bypass guards without resorting to violence. Even then, Bond cannot easily headshot unsuspecting guards. Lethal violence is only allowed when foes are out to kill him. During one of the final levels, a mysterious frenemy accompanies Bond, kills an unaware guard, and Bond chastises them.
That's your way, not mine.
Killing remains Bond's last resort, which sets Bond apart from most other adventure game heroes. The game still includes plenty of opportunities for Bond to shoot through waves of bad guys, and the shooting gameplay is excellent. Given the emphasis on the restrictive license to kill, the amount of shooting feels like there is a bit too much. Bond racks up a body count throughout the game, though lethal force makes sense in the context of the story and his 007 status. Bond does not want to kill but is justified for doing so by the narrative.
That approach contrasts with series like Uncharted, which 007 First Light borrows from. A fight-for-a-parachute-while-flying-through-the-air set piece feels like it could fit into Naughty Dog's adventure series. Lethal violence in Naughty Dog games like Uncharted and The Last of Us has generated chatter around ludonarrative dissonance. Uncharted's Nathan Drake is a charming everyman who slaughters thousands of foes. The restriction of violence flies out the window in 007 First Light's final level.
