007: First Light

In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Clint and Bryan are strapping in for their first mission with the world's most famous spy, tackling IO Interactive's origin story reboot, 007: First Light. Developed and published by IO Interactive, the studio best known for the modern Hitman trilogy, First Light rewinds Bond's story to age 26, when he's still a hotheaded Royal Navy recruit, voiced and performed by newcomer Patrick Gibson. We were curious to see how much of the Hitman DNA would carry over, and the answer turned out to be a lot, in the best way: sprawling, densely detailed levels built for multiple approaches, whether players want to talk, sneak, or shoot their way through. Where the game really won us over was in the smaller character beats between the big set pieces, the training compounds, the casinos, the rooftop chases, all of it stitched together by a Bond who's still learning what kind of spy he wants to become. It's not a flawless espionage thriller, and we get into where the pacing and mechanics stumble a bit, but as a reintroduction of 007 to games after a long absence, First Light earns its number. We also talk about what a sequel could build on if IOI gets another shot at Bond. Three Word Reviews: Clint - A New Trick Bryan - Bond Is Back