007: First Light was properly unveiled at last night's State of Play showcase, and James Bond isn't the only familiar name joining the game's roster.
Hitman developers IO Interactive gave us our first look at 007's upcoming origin story last night and - surprise, surprise - it looks like the Hitman had a baby with a slick action blockbuster. There's stealthy, high-end gadgets, sure, but also massive explosions and car chases and loud gunfights that don't pop up quite so often in Agent 47's missions.
And in a new press release, IOI also revealed that we'll "meet familiar faces" from the big screen. That includes genius gadget guy Q, head of the secret intelligence service M, most recently played by Ralph Fiennes, and their assistant Moneypenny. (Except they won't have familiar faces, because they'll all be played by new actors this time.)
You can even - maybe - spot the trio in the trailer above. The silver haired man in the lab coat who gives Bond a high-tech laser-shooting watch is more than likely Q. The lady who meets Bond at the MI6 reception could be Moneypenny, on account of all the flirting. And the woman who makes the "Bond is a bullet without a target" speech is probably M - she seems like she's making all the big decisions, after all.
Still, those are just my best guesses. There's also a new cast of characters for this romp, "including Bond’s mentor John Greenway, the mysterious Isola, as well as a whole new cast of villains."
What stood out to me more was the promise that "players will choose how to utilize Bond’s unique set of skills in combat, relationships, as well as the latest in Q's technological gadgetry." How that "relationships" part plays out in game is still a mystery, but one of the most exciting ones regardless.
Keep an eye on the Summer Game Fest 2025 schedule for more gameplay from the game.
