The search for a fresh-faced James Bond actor is a monumental task. While the big screen has opted for relative unknowns set to break into stardom, can 007 First Light replicate that burst of excitement? Putting us in the shoes of a younger Bond looking to prove himself, I want to know more about him - and whether it is Patrick Gibson in the vocal booth. But is IO Interactive senior producer Theuns Smit willing to tell me at Gamescom?
Kind of. After seeing the game in action at an early 007 First Light preview, Smit sits down to chat about all things Bond. Despite trying to uncover who is portraying the spy in-game, Smit instead offers insight into the 007 First Light casting process. "007 First Light is definitely that moment where we get to usher in a new chapter for Bond in gaming. So, from the very beginning, for the entire cast, it is something that we paid a lot of dedicated attention to get the best talent that we felt was freeing up the characters," he shares with me.
Now, we know that Dexter: Original Sin star Patrick Gibson is our new James Bond for his gaming future. Smit clarifies that "what I can say is for Bond himself […] it wasn't just chosen willy nilly. It was a big search, until we [were] like, 'okay, this is befitting of the character we want to be. This is befitting of the story we want to tell."
For the first time in Bond's gaming history, players control him as a 26-year-old, having recently served time in the Royal Navy. MI6 resurrected the 00 agent program, and as an orphan with nothing to lose, he's the perfect kind of expendable cannon fodder MI6 is looking for. While the world of espionage is cold, Smit reiterates that it's calculated.
"We have 25 years of experience working with the agent fantasy. Having our eyes and opportunity on the Bond IP felt like a match made in heaven. And from the very, very beginning, we wanted to do it justice […] we didn't want to just make it feel like this is just a reskin of anything we've done before […] it's a lot more fast paced." Because of the studio's Hitman history, First Light plays with the format of open-ended levels to a degree. How far that reaches remains to be seen, but there's still room to experiment.
Bond can opt for stealth, using the game's bluff mechanic to charm his way past guards if needed. Using some handy gadgets to get the job done, well, as Smit puts it: "Where would Bond be without his trusty Q-Lab devices?" Sometimes, pulling a trigger or punching out a henchman isn't the best solution.
"He's charming, right? We wanted to lean in on that as well. So his charisma, that means what we call bluffing, for example, is one of the tools you have to de-escalate the situation […] and that's a real Bond power move in itself."
The 007 First Light release date lands next year, and you can watch the gameplay reveal here. Or that isn't enough, our list of new Switch games can keep you entertained.