007 First Light Beyond the Light Episode 1 emphasizes player creativity and the Bond experience. Read on to learn more about the game's first dev diary episode and what fans can expect with its combat.
007 First Light Beyond the Light Episode 1 Unveiled New Details
Emphasis on Player Creativity
007 First Light will feature extensive player creativity and a plethora of options to overcome challenges. During the first episode of the Beyond The Light dev diary series, developer IO Interactive shared new details about the game’s level design and core design philosophy.
The 16-minute video features Gameplay Director Andreas Krogh and Senior Level Designer Thomas Pulluello responding to fan reactions of First Light’s gameplay footage and discussing the game’s mechanics in-depth.
One of the topics they highlighted was player creativity, emphasizing the goal of providing fans a broad spectrum of choices on how to overcome any given challenge.
"The base definition is about the player feeling creative when overcoming any given challenge in the game. And it's really easy to say that, but it's really hard to translate that into what the moment-to-moment gameplay that make you feel creative this way. But from this game, we broke it down into the thing that you need to know that there are different options in the game," Krogh said.
He noted that it was important for them to establish trust with players and allow them to be creative. Krogh stated, "If we start violating that trust as developers, the player will forget those options or not use them, because they don’t rely on them. And then it becomes a much more narrow option space. So you get less creative."
Additionally, the gameplay director mentioned the concept of "uncertainty in execution", which is a prominent factor in the Hitman series and will also be included in 007 First Light. "It’s really the thing that, you know your own options, you see the options in the environment, and you get to that point where you think ‘okay, I’m going to try this thing,’" he said. "When you get to the other point and get past them, you think to yourself, ‘Oh I did it! It actually worked!".
Blending Stealth and Combat
Unlike IO Interactive’s previous titles, which focused mainly on stealth, 007 First Light will have stealth and combat on "equal footing." Krogh explained, "Some of the ways that I think we push it forward is, and this is very gameplay focused, it's in the stealth gameplay actually, where we now have ways to deescalate situations a lot easier than we've had before. And that happened because we've married some of those Bond traits into our stealth mechanics."
This includes the "Bluff" feature, where players can use Bond's charm to talk their way out of being caught and maintain their stealth status during a mission. However, similar to the Hitman series, there will be high-level NPCs called "Enforcers" who know everyone working in a location, preventing Bond from simply bluffing them in the same way.
In terms of combat, the melee and close-quarters action is designed to feel fast, fluid, and cinematic, giving a sense of improvisation. Bond can utilise the environment in fights, such as ramming people into objects, throwing people over railings, or detonating a fire extinguisher for a fun, impactful explosion.
For players who wish to achieve a non-lethal playthrough, the game offers specific options—such as shooting enemies in the foot—that avoid enemy casualties even in sequences that force combat. Furthermore, 007 First Light also features the "License to Kill" mechanic that prevents Bond from shooting first, only granting the player permission to fire after an enemy NPC draws a weapon or engages in combat.
Beyond the core mechanics, combat arenas are structured to ensure players keep moving, encouraging a blend of melee and ranged attacks rather than relying on cover like a standard shooter.
Pulluello elaborated, "We don't want the player to stay and stick to one place. We want him to move around and switch between combat range and also combat melee. And that means also using all the different things around to provide that."
The Bond Experience
Aside from the stealth and combat gameplay, IO Interactive wanted to accentuate the Bond experience through the world and the tools he carries. Starting with his iconic gadgets, the developers ensured players that Bond’s gear, such as a variation of the laser watch, is included.
These gadgets are designed to be distinct and practical, offering players tactical flexibility by allowing them to disable devices, put targets to sleep, hack systems, and perform other operations critical to mission success.
This utility is complemented by the level design philosophy, where environments are crafted like a "postcard" to be immediately glanceable, clearly presenting the player with every available option—from eavesdropping opportunities to environmental combat set-pieces—upon entering a space.
Finally, to complete the cinematic Bond fantasy, the game incorporates essential driving segments, offering a variety of experiences ranging from calm "mood driving" introductions to thrilling, high-octane chases.
All of these elements tie to IO Interactive’s goal of allowing players to feel the ultimate Bond experience. "I mean, the ultimate feeling we want to give the player is to feel like having played as the James Bond character. And this just adds so much into that bucket of feeling," Krogh said.
007 First Light is set to be released in 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and Epic Games. To stay up to date with the latest information about the game, check out our article below!
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Beyond the Light Episode 1 - Gameplay Dev Reacts & Insights
