James Bond is undergoing some of the biggest changes that the iconic character has ever faced in his 73-year history. Amazon MGM Studios has now taken over creative control of the franchise after longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michel G. Wilson stepped down after more than 30 years, with the former’s family having overseen the direction of 007 for the entire official film franchise. It’s no exaggeration to say this is a seismic shift for the beloved spy, and while nerves remain high regarding what Amazon will do with the character, the latest reboot is an overwhelmingly positive sign of things to come, as it ties with the greatest James Bond movie of all time.
As we edge ever closer to the long-awaited announcement regarding who will play the next James Bond, the first reboot under Amazon has now been unleashed. Taking the character back to his roots and giving him a reimagined origin story, the studio teams up with IO Interactive for 007 First Light, which has now been released on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Alongside the release, the reviews have now emerged and been calculated, with 007 First Light now not only one of the greatest James Bond stories ever told, but better than any of the movies led by Daniel Craig.
Starring Dexter: Original Sin actor Patrick Gibson as James Bond, 007 First Light begins when the man who will become 007 first steps into the world of espionage after catching MI6’s attention, beating the odds in a precarious situation in Iceland. Bond’s skills are quickly put to the test when the rogue return of 009 puts the whole 00-Programme in jeopardy, sending him on a journey across the world.
Turning to Metacritic, 007 First Light now stands at a score of 87, with reviews heaping praise on both the game and Gibson’s portrayal of a young Bond, hailing it as the “perfect James Bond game,” that “beautifully marries” sandbox elements with “explosive set pieces.” And all while honoring James Bond’s legacy and the car chases, shooting, explosions, plot twists, politics, charm, Bond Girls, gadgets, iconic characters, and beautiful locations you’d expect.
A score of 87 puts 007 First Light well above any of Daniel Craig’s outings, with his highest being 2021’s Skyfall at 81. Meanwhile, his debut, Casino Royale boasts a score of 80, with Quantum of Solace scoring 58, Spectre scoring 60, and his final, and fatal, offering, No Time to Die, scoring 68. As it stands, 007 First Light is now tied with the highest-rated James Bond movie ever, 1964’s Goldfinger, which also holds an 87 on Metacritic and a score of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. You can check out the Top 10 Bond movies via Metacritic below:
1
Goldfinger
87
2
From Russia With Love
83
3
Skyfall
81
4
Casino Royale
80
5
Dr. No
78
6
No Time to Die
68
7
Never Say Never Again
68
8
Moonraker
66
9
GoldenEye
65
10
Thunderball
64
Starring Sean Connery as James Bond in his third outing, Goldfinger is the “best-reviewed Bond film to date,” and finds 007 visiting the United States, where he must prevent the evil Auric Goldfinger from robbing Fort Knox. Including several now iconic Bond elements, such as the hat-throwing henchman Oddjob, Bond girl Pussy Galore, a deadly laser beam, and Jill Masterson covered in gold (which was later paid homage by Craig’s Quantum of Solace, which replaced gold with oil), Goldfinger is arguably the most memorable Bond movie of all time. And Amazon’s first foray into the franchise just matched it. Maybe James Bond is in good hands, after all.
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This game is not better than all the Daniel Craig movies. It’s not even close to Casino Royale
Casino royale is incredibly overrated
thomas
I disagree, it’s one of the few book to movie adaptations I think was done incredibly well. Complimentary to the source material, characters developed well. Action and dialogue well done. To me it’s an action film and art. I didn’t appreciate it as I do now till I read the books and watched it again 15+ years after its original release
Bizarre article equates a metascore for a game, to the metascores for films as if that is an acceptable metric
Seems like the author was paid to hype the game up even more than it’s already been.
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