We have all the time in the world until 007 First Light arrives on May 27th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, and there’s still more information to pore over. Whether it’s the final PC requirements, including Ultra 4K settings, or IO Interactive clarifying several aspects of the experience at launch, let’s dive into all the latest, starting with…
Skills of the Trade
When IOI revealed the TacSim, it also pretty much indicated how Bond would be upgrading his equipment. By earning Intel from these missions, he can, say, increase the Power of Lazer Strap (with two other unlockable slots to boost its potency). But what about his physical skill progression during the campaign? Well, there isn’t any. As the developer noted in a recent stream, Bond is “physically capable from the start,” and the focus is more on gadgets, which progressively unlock through the campaign, and how you combine those with stealth, CQC, bluffing, and more.
About 20 Hours Long
Given the focus on linearity intermixed with sandbox sections and explosive set-pieces, just how long is 007 First Light? The development team told YouTuber JorRaptor that an average player would take about 20 hours to finish the campaign. That doesn’t include the TacSim, however, where you’ll take on new objectives in previously cleared missions, gaining Intel to unlock gadget upgrades, new weapons, and outfits.
Wardrobe Usage
And there’s certainly an extensive wardrobe for Bond to unlock, not including all the outfits available in the Deluxe Edition, from the suave Desert Explorer and Silent Anchor to the tactical Gentleman Operator (complete with a tactical turtleneck – if you know, you know). Unfortunately, you can only use these in the tactical simulator. For the campaign, Bond’s clothing of choice is predetermined and not adjustable.
No New Game Plus
New Game Plus is another element that won’t be available, as per the same interview. So if you thought about embarking on a new playthrough with all the gadgets and outfits unlocked, that won’t be possible, and it’s not planned. On the bright side, IO Interactive is “open to community feedback” – maybe if there’s some demand, it could consider implementing it.
Only One Way This Ends
It seemed a given, but the development still clarified that no, there won’t be multiple endings, calling First Light a “narrative experience with a predetermined ending.” Considering the narrative arc and how we’re following Bond, as he slowly comes into his own, gaining the signature quirks we know and love while finding a place at MI6, it makes sense. But at least players are afforded some freedom on the journey.
Difficulty Settings
Of course, if you decide to replay the game, maybe to try out different approaches or a non-lethal playthrough, which appears mostly viable, there are other difficulty options. Three will be available at launch – Story, Normal and Hard – and while their exact differences remain up in the air, various previews confirmed that getting into melees with too many opponents could prove challenging, even on Normal.
“Enthusiast” PC Settings
The full PC requirements have been revealed at last. While we already knew what Minimum and Recommended would demand, IOI has also unveiled two more specifications that fall under “Enthusiast.” If you’re looking to play at High settings at 1440p/60 FPS, an RTX 4070, a Radeon RX 7800 XT or a GPU with 12 GB VRAM is required. Otherwise, the CPU requirements – a Core i5-13500 and Ryzen 5 7600 – alongside 16 GB of RAM remain the same. That also applies to playing at 4K/60 FPS on High – aside from needing an RTX 4080, a Radeon RX 7900 XTX or an equivalent GPU with 16 GB VRAM, everything else remains the same.
Ultra Settings (and a Caveat)
Which brings us to playing at 4K with Ultra settings. You’ll need a Core i5-13600K or a Ryzen 7 7700X, an RTX 5080 and 32 GB of RAM. The catch is that DLSS 4.5 is enabled for over 200 frames per second. What would the performance be like without it? Well, we don’t know. The good news is that all the other settings and specified frame rates for Minimum, Recommended and Enthusiast don’t take DLSS into account.
PC Features
As you’ve probably noticed, DLSS 4.5 is a new addition on top of the previously confirmed DLSS 4. The PC version also supports Dynamic Multi Frame Generation and Super Resolution alongside uncapped frame rates. It seems, however, that the developer needs more time to implement path tracing and DLSS Ray Reconstruction – both have been scheduled to arrive sometime this Summer.
Accessibility Options
From audio profiles and different audio output options (including mono) to customizable subtitles and English menu narration, there is a decent array of accessibility options. You can remap inputs, enable toggle or hold, and even adjust deadzones and sensitivity while also inverting the camera. For those concerned about quick-time events and other actions that require specific timing, you can enable an option to auto-complete them.
Xbox Series X/S and PS5 Modes
On PS5 Pro, First Light will offer 60 frames per second with PSSR enabled. But what about Xbox Series X and PS5? They’ll both have Performance and Quality modes, though actual frame rates and resolutions have not been shared. Xbox Series S “does not appear” to have both, according to the developer, so don’t be surprised if it sports a 1080p/30 FPS setting or such.
No Demo
Unfortunately, we won’t have the chance to test out performance ahead of launch because there’s no demo in the works. As disappointing as it may seem, it’s not all that uncommon in the industry – see Resident Evil Requiem – and since the launch is so close anyway, IO Interactive is focused on the full release.
Not Always Online (But Not Fully Playable Offline)
One key detail that the team reiterated is offline play. Yes, you can play First Light offline, and no, it’s not always online. As you probably guessed based on Hitman’s structure, however, there are caveats. First, you need to go online once to download the first patch, and then you can play…the campaign offline. Other features, like updating the TacSim’s challenges and leaderboards, will require going online. This doesn’t necessarily mean the former is offline, though, as IOI said, “Challenge completion may be cached offline and updated later when reconnecting.” But either way, you’ll need to go online on day one to play.
Cross-Save Details
Unlike Hitman World of Assassination, cross-progression as you know it won’t be available, so transferring “full save files,” as the developer refers to them, from Xbox to PC or PS5 and vice versa isn’t possible. Leaderboards will also remain platform-specific, which should prevent PC cheaters from taking over. However, it seems that challenges and other “related online progression” could transfer, perhaps because they’re tied to your IOI Account.
Deluxe Edition Details
Aside from the four bonus outfits, the Deluxe Edition offers 24 hours of early access, a weapon skin (which should take fans back to Pierce Brosnan days) and a Gleaming Pack, which coats your gadgets in gold plating. Pre-ordering the Standard Edition will provide a free upgrade, but if you’re hoping to wait until after launch, then just know that the cosmetics will remain exclusive to the Deluxe Edition (though the developer may explore “different distribution” at a later time).
