007 First Light Complete Walkthrough

Honestly, when I first got my hands on 007 First Light, I didn't expect to sink this much time into it — I figured I'd just blast through the main story and call it a day. Nope. This game is made by IO Interactive (the Hitman folks), so you can probably guess the vibe: big maps, multiple routes, do whatever you want. The story follows a young Bond before he gets his 00 license, taking you from the snows of Iceland to the sunny beaches of Malta, with stops in London and Slovakia along the way. 17 chapters total, each one a big sandbox level where you can sneak, go loud, or do what I did — try to sneak, mess it up, then start shooting. My first playthrough took about 20 hours, and I went back multiple times for collectibles and Silent Assassin ratings.

Chapter by chapter, here's how it actually feels playing through. Chapter 1, Against the Odds, takes place in Iceland — it's the tutorial but genuinely intense. You infiltrate a research facility learning disguise, instinct, and takedowns, and I died three times before I understood enemy sightlines. Chapter 2 in Malta's training facility is much more open with multiple infiltration routes that each feel distinct. Chapter 3, A Night Out, in London's Kensington nightclub is pure Bond — social stealth at its finest. Chapter 4, A New Home, gives you the Q-Watch and the Aston Martin. Slovakia's Grand Carpathian Hotel is my favorite — Hitman-style sandbox with tons of NPCs and creative assassination options. Out of the Ashes (Ch8) gives you the Laser Strap, and the Manager's Office safe code is 1952. The Past Never Dies (Ch10) reveals Greenway's secret. Uninvited (Ch11) has the compound gate code 3256. Knightfall and Going Old School lean heavier on combat. Man of the Hour is all spectacle. The back half shifts to Mauritania, Aleph, and Vietnam — completely different vibe — before For England brings you face to face with Bawma. No spoilers, but my palms were sweating.

This game has branching choices — they don't change the core story direction, but they do affect dialogue, cutscene atmosphere, and the final ending. My first playthrough I barely noticed how important these choices were, and only realized at the ending that my earlier decisions actually mattered... So if you care about the ending, save your game at key decision points. The biggest choices revolve around how you handle certain targets, your attitude toward supporting characters, and the decision you make when facing Bawma in the final chapter. There are three endings total — I got two of them, and I'm planning to unlock the third on my second playthrough. Pro tip: if you want to save time, save before making major choices so you can see different outcomes without replaying the whole chapter.

OK let me get practical. After two full playthroughs and countless chapter replays, here are my hard-earned lessons: First, always scan with instinct mode before entering any new area — you can see guard positions and patrol routes, which will save you from dying a lot. Second, environmental props are incredibly useful — bottles and radios can distract guards, and half my stealth plans relied on throwing bottles. Third, remember to visit Q Lab to upgrade your gear after each chapter. Some gadgets are genuine game changers — like the watch laser, I honestly don't know what I would've done without it in the later chapters. Fourth, if you're going for Silent Assassin ratings, HIDE YOUR BODIES! I once had my entire rating ruined because one body was found, and I was so mad I almost threw my controller. Finally, don't be afraid to replay chapters — this game is designed for repeated runs, and on your second time through you'll realize how much you missed.