Published Apr 30, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT 'Everybody has an opinion about this guy' — including developer IO Interactive Why 007 First Light completely upends the character of James Bond Image: IO Interactive Sign in to your Polygon.com account Playing three hours of Hitman developer IO Interactive's new James Bond game 007 First Light , I was struck by how convincingly the game renders the world around the legendary spy. And yet, for me, 007 First Light struggles to summon the spirit of the character himself. The gameplay is a slick and engrossing mix of social spycraft, stealth, gadgets, and decisive action; the locations are handsome and plush. But the character, as played by Patrick Gibson, is almost unrecognizable. To begin with, this is a young Bond . 007 First Light is an origin story that starts with the character as a Navy Airman and follows his induction into the secret service. The usually cynical and worldly character is quite chipper and even idealistic in this version.…