Bond’s battle with AI is his most human story yet
First published more than 70 years ago, the James Bond character has been reinterpreted numerous times, but recent media has wrestled with the question of whether the violent, womanizing, alcoholic government assassin can be made relevant today without being revised beyond recognition.
It remains to be seen whether current franchise manager Amazon MGM can deliver on the big screen, but in the meantime Danish game studio IO Interactive has delivered a masterclass in reinvention. This isn’t just the best James Bond video game in years, it’s also the best 007 game in years; It shows that a fresh perspective, a little creativity, and a deep appreciation for the series can do wonders. Bond is more than the sum of his most cruel, adolescent and problematic behavior, and here we see the character’s loyalty, principles and tenacity pitted against the very villain of the 21st century; militarized ChatGPT.
First Light It opens with Bond, a seaplane crewman in his 20s, defying the odds to thwart a terrorist plot targeting a highly classified object. Despite blatantly ignoring orders that contradicted his personal values, he was recruited by MI6 as a candidate for the revived 00 programme; this program was previously shut down after the British government adopted a quantum AI tool that replaced the need for hands-on espionage.
Framing Bond as a vital human component or gut feeling compared to the cold judgment of machines or bureaucrats isn’t exactly new territory for 007, but it’s well executed. Having Bond be the young man fighting a corrupt techno-establishment, rather than an old man complaining about progress, is key here and makes the whole setup seem more realistic.
And getting to know the super-spy as he learns the ropes gives the story a charming “college days” flavor that wouldn’t be possible with a more experienced and cynical Bond. The first missions see James finding a trusted group of friends at spy school, before his life is changed when a decades-old dispute between former 00 agents explosively returns to the present day. The game wastes no time establishing the central mysteries — how trustworthy the AI and its billionaire creator are, what actually happened in the 2000s — but it’s satisfying when the answers arrive, with surprisingly personal character moments, fancifully over-the-top evil schemes, and frighteningly realistic AI danger scenarios.
The game is consistently presented as a modernized version of James Bond cinema, complete with a stellar opening theme performed by Lana Del Rey, lots of gorgeous opening shots, plenty of flashy environments, and great character performances. Irish actor Patrick Gibson makes the perfect young Bond; she sells the genuine courage at the character’s heart, shielding her insecurities with humor and insensitivity, and occasionally betraying just how much she still has to learn. Other standout performances come from familiar British faces: Lennie James as Bond’s mentor Greenway and Priyanga Burford as M, although Gemma Chan feels underutilized as Q’s subordinate, and Lenny Kravitz has an odd, extended cameo as a pirate king.
Gameplay-wise, the game is essentially split between sneaky tricks and fast-paced action. IO fans hitman The games will recognize a lot of common DNA in the former, as the half-dozen or so main levels offer open-ended objectives and systems-based exploration; allows you to feel like a spy as you eavesdrop for information, manipulate key figures, and decide the best way to proceed. When you enter a restricted area at a black-tie gala, you may hear a security guard not arrive and bluff your way to find a job listing that gives you his name. But you might also find a cranky PR guy waiting for a journalist who needs to get past the guards and decide to impersonate him. Pulling both threads will get you there.
Of course, Bond has other tools at his disposal than his charm. Thanks to the clever system that connects his Q-watch to smart contact lenses, he can detect people through walls, hack any distractions, shoot lasers to temporarily blind targets, and much more; These are all governed by an “instinct” inventory (points you earn by doing cool things, which you also spend on bluffing) and the resources you collect from levels. So if you can’t be bothered with social engineering your way to a goal, you can just shoot a guard with a dart, which is usually nausea-inducing, and run through.
Bond is not naive hitmanBut Agent 47 has hair. He’s determined to never use deadly force unless there’s a threat to him, so you won’t choke the maids and shove them into dressers. Security guards can be dealt with using non-lethal force, but it’s almost always better to remain hidden unless you can take control of the entire area. It also has a different atmosphere in general. hitman Since Bond constantly makes witty remarks while chatting to other agents through his headset, and is closer to Nathan Drake or Lara Croft in his climbing, jumping and scaling skills.
Once the weapons are finished, the game shifts into a completely different gear. Bond automatically moves for cover and must advance while picking up weapons, taking out bad guys, and staying out of the line of fire along the way. A strong element of the cinematic style remains – Bond can pick up a firearm in a sprint and throw it into his hands, and you can integrate gadgets into combat, Bond can even fire clock guns backwards over his shoulder if the need arises – but this is a much faster game, with an emphasis on shooting accuracy and tactical positioning over thinking and puzzle-solving.
Between these two formats, you’ll receive periodic briefings at MI6 Headquarters or play set pieces and mini-games involving vehicle chases and dialogue choice negotiations. There’s also a lot of variety within levels, often with an overarching goal or constraint altering exploration and espionage.
Due to the variety of styles and inspirations, a game like this could easily become complicated or overstuffed, but IO’s greatest achievement was knowing exactly how much of each ingredient to include. It doesn’t focus too much on disguises and assassinations. hitmanand doesn’t feel compelled to add golden guns and Monty Norman pins to every corner. In fact, while the musical score is great, it saves references to iconic themes for only a small handful of big moments, aiding the impression of a continuing Bond rather than a seasoned and familiar 007.
The only complaint I really have about the game is the sometimes frustrating consequences of some solid design decisions. There are scenes where you have to take a certain action or react to others in a certain way, and doing it wrong will fail the mission. There are only a handful of examples, but the long loading screen and having to re-enter the installation really breaks the flow. Another niggle is the hand-to-hand combat, which relies on tracking yellow flashes (you need to block) and red flashes (you need to dodge). This can be satisfying when you’re fighting one or two attackers, but if you anger a group of attackers and the weapons aren’t active, it becomes a frustrating challenge that you’ll likely fail.
All things considered, this is a spectacular 15-hour James Bond story that devotees can expand on by replaying with different options or by picking up the extensive battle simulator mode. IO has done the impossible by making this outdated character relevant and likable while still being recognisably 007, and now I’m even more excited for the sequel to this game series than I am for the next big movie.
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Tim Biggs is a writer covering consumer technology, gadgets, and video games.Connect with: X or email.
