007: First Light receives its first reviews, and James Bond’s origin story passes with flying colors

After several months of anticipation and a slight delay, IO Interactive released 007: First Light, its first James Bond-related title, which tells the origin story of the famous British agent. With the release today of its collector’s edition—which offers early access to this new take on 007—the first reviews have begun to appear, revealing scores that show the studio hit the mark and delivered one of the highest-rated titles of the year.

What score did 007: First Light receive, and is it worth buying?

At the time of writing, 007: First Light has a total of 47 reviews and an 88 on Metacritic. Overall, the game was well-received by the gaming press, with a total of 7 perfect scores and 19 scores averaging between 95 and 90. On the other hand, only two outlets gave it a score of 70. Overall, the reviews agree on two key points: the respect shown for the experience of being James Bond—with some noting it’s the best James Bond experience in video games—and the technical work done to optimize the graphics, not just on PC but on consoles as well.

Its current Metacritic score places it among the top 5 video games released in 2026, alongside titles such as Forza Horizon 6, Pokémon Pokopia, Resident Evil Requiem, Mewgenics, and Saros. This puts 007: First Light in a very privileged position, proving that IO Interactive managed to breathe new life into the franchise before its new owners, Amazon MGM Studios, did.

Notable scores for 007: First Light

• CulturaGeek - 100
• MeuPlayStation - 100
• VGC - 100
• Guardian - 100
• Indigo Geek - 95
• GAMINGbible - 90
• Screen Rant - 90
• Atomix - 90
• The Independent - 90
• Multiplayer.it - 85
• Gamereactor Ul - 80
• Game Rant - 80

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007: First Light will arrive on May 27 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and PC. A Nintendo Switch 2 port will arrive later this year.

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