007 First Light, one of the most hyped games of 2026, released on May 27, 2026 from developer and publisher IO Interactive. The James Bond project draws from Ian Fleming's novels and short stories while telling an original origin story in which a young Navy aircrewman survives an ambush, earns MI6 recruitment, and moves through the revitalized 00 program into field missions.
For many critics, the pre-release hype appears justified. IGN scored the game nine out of ten.
Demonstrably obsessed with bringing the 'Bond' fantasy to life in a way no game has ever managed before, developer IO Interactive has found a highly successful home for the more curated action-stealth formula of 2012's 'Hitman: Absolution,'
On Metacritic, 007 First Light holds an 87 average across 84 critic reviews. VGC awarded a perfect 100.
It's a game full of spectacle, humour, action, and romance. Everything James Bond should be.
GAMINGbible scored the title 90.
'007 First Light' is an exquisite taste of slick spy action and blockbuster storytelling, and is fully what a 'Bond' game should be, but rarely is.
Steam player reception has also landed in the Very Positive category across more than 34,000 user reviews.
The game is brilliant and the story is fantastic. Visually, it's stunning and the cut scenes leave you feeling like you're watching a 'Bond' movie. My only criticism, if you can call it that is that I wish the game was slightly longer.
Another Steam reviewer framed the experience in blunt terms.
Is this the best game ever made? No. Is it a really enjoyable Bond experience? Yes.
