Thanks to Bilibili's "Youxiankan" for theinvitation, I attended onApril 23rd to attend "007 First Light" offline demo. The demo featured three major levels, presenting an experience that builds upon the "Hitman" series' expertise and isHighly"007"-flavored audiovisual feast.
In our previous demo report, we shared our gameplay experiences in detail. While there were concerns about gameplay freedom, there was alsoexpectations for the 007 spy simulation story. Therefore, I participated in the post-demo interview session. Next, representatives from IO Interactive, the development team, will answer questions of interest to players.
Q:"Hitman"series'fans,During gameplayvalues stealthandassassination, while"007"movie fansthenplaces more emphasis on espionageandgrand scenes—May I askIO Interactive, how do you balance the expectations of these two fan groups?
A:Indeed, both "Hitman" players and "007" fans exist, but our primary goal in developing this game is to let players experience our creativity and gameplay mechanics. Leveraging our experience from designing "Hitman," we present a complete and immersive "007"spy stories do not particularly favor any specific group in terms of content.
Q: "007 First Light"inCombat and Stealthproportion, approximatelywhat kind of?
A:There is no specific ratio; it depends on the story we want to tell. Because, unlike the "Hitman" series we previously developed,JamesBondis a spy. So,We have designed"License to Kill" mechanic, which only allows us to use violence when enemies show clear aggression. Therefore,In most levels, combat is our last resort. For instance, in this playthrough, there was a red room filled with enemies. While combat was an option, we could also use gadgets to bypass fights and complete the level.
Q:Just now"007 First Light"during the demo—Perhaps it'sDemo'sreason, I went straight into the process for the previous few levels. It neither had the previous"Hitman" seriesthat early-stage'spreparation phase, nor completionafterevaluation interface.The preparation phase covers gadget selection and tactical planning, forming the core of stealth strategy gameplay.;As for the scoring system, in the previous game,the "Silent Assassin" rating metric,was once the driving force behind players' repeated challenges.Therefore, I would like to know if "007 First Light" still retain these two systems to ensure deeper strategic depth and replay motivation?
A:There is a preparation phase.In this game, the system is named Q-Lab—Q's Lab. Players haven't accessed this system in the demo version because key gadgets like flashbangs are not yet unlocked. Regarding the results screen, our replayabilityplayability is reflected in the game'sWithin the "Strategy Simulation" system, players are scored based on their performance when replaying missions,allowing for comparisons with friends or players worldwide. It encourages players to complete specific missions using different approaches—combat, stealth, gadgets, or social skills. Additionally, the game offers three difficulty levels that adjust enemy health and available resources, further encouraging players to revisit levels.
Q:Since you mentionedthe "Strategy Simulation" system supports mission replays,ThenCan players replay these challenges after unlocking all equipment? And,Does it also provide additional new maps for players to discover more ways to complete levels?
A:Yes, gadgets unlocked later can bebrought into early levels via "Strategy Simulation." However, there are currently no extra maps provided; instead, there will be new challenges, such as options with restrictions like "remain undetected,"Choosing these will yield higher point rewards.
Q: What does the development team consider"007"What is the core reason for this series' enduring appeal? How do you plan to continue and expand on this aspect?
A:For over 60 years, a core reason for the "007" series' popularity has been its contemporary relevance—it reflects current issues. For example, the Cold War and nuclear threats were topics of concern at the time. Therefore, "007 First Light" willIt will explorethe conflict between AI and humans represents our contemporary relevance.
Another reason isis itsIP characteristics."The "007" series showcases scenery from around the world, features renowned actors, and through AstonMartin, Omega, and other luxury brands, further solidifying the series' unique fashion style andIP identity.
Q: In the museum cocktail party level, I found I could flirt with some ladies—May I ask,Does this mean that social interaction will become a system, as a distinction from"Hitman" seriesgameplay?
A:This cannot yet be considered a system; it is more of an important means to shape the charm of young Bond. Young Bond possesses all the qualities of mature Bond, but he is still exploring and learning—which is why he can interact with many female characters in the game.
Q:In the current demo version,I didn't find any follow-up after interacting with ladiesdevelopment--May I ask,Is this just a plot dialogue,still able toadvance and completeofmission objectives?
A:Interaction with women,This is indeed building Bond'san indispensable experiential dimension of "agent identity".For example, in the third level, you can eavesdrop to gather information and advance the mission, or distract her or pickpocket to obtain key items——This is how I understandHow "social" aspects help the gameplay.
Q: Previously, emphasis was placed onJamesBondof"Aston·Martin Valhalla" vehicle--May I ask,All vehicles, including this one, do they only appear in cutscenes, or can we freely drive them in specific levels?
A:Yes, players can personally drive vehicles. In the gameplay trailer released last September, there was a car chase sequence, which is one of the gameplay features that distinguishes "007 First Light" from the "Hitman" series. Of course, Aston Martin won't be the only luxury car brand, but to avoid spoilers, we won't mention others here.
Q: 007 should beIO Interactivefirst licensedIPgame, I would like to knowIO Interactivedo licensingWhat was the opportunity for IP licensing? And,What specific influence did the licensor have during the game production process?
A:For us, bringing the game production experience accumulated in "Hitman" to the "007" series was a very exciting experience. Because we know that the last time Bond appeared in a game wasor14 years ago--so,WhenIP holder saw ourAfter the "Hitman" series, they felt that we should do the "007"'s new game series, focusing more on"shooting gameplay""007" games, bringing richergaming experience. Therefore, I thinkThe IP holder highly values our game design philosophy and has given us sufficient freedom, to design an original Bond story.
On the other hand, as an accumulated60-year-old IP,The copyright holder of "007" has also given us a lot of help. For example, the theme song we released last week was sung by Lana Del Rey,The composer iscomposer of the "007" film seriesDavid Arnold. And including the costume designers from previous films, they also helped us complete part of the costume design in the game.
Q: Demoversion'sIn the first level, there is a hostage rescue mission that must be completed. But in my opinion,the choice to rescue hostages seemed to lack rational motivation in that situation,ButI cannotmake morechoices. Does this mean the game restricts player freedom at specific points for narrative tension and character arcs?
A:Fundamentally speaking, "007 First Light" remains a narrative-driven game—therefore, although we will maximize player freedom and encourage them to advance missions with more personalized gameplay, sometimes we must push the narrative forward. So, at times you may feel forced to make choices, and rescuing hostages is precisely the path Bond must take to earn his number in this story.
Q: "007 First Light" deliberately choseJamesBondInAt the particularly early age of 26time period, does this mean we can expect licensing from Amazon MGM Studios,will last longer? In the future,We can see similar"Hitman"trilogy, or even a larger series plan??
A:We are focused on the release of this generation of "007 First Light", and future developments will be shared with everyone in due course.
Q:Inproducing "007 First Light"when,IO InteractiveWhat challenges did you encounter?
A:First of all, we are very happy to have the opportunity to create an original Bond story. One of the challenges is that the "007" universe is vast, so we had to think about where to start the story.Later we realized that the key is stillIP's core value, so we retained elements including global's scenery, luxury cars, pop music, charismatic villains and other traditional formulas, with the aim of bringing the "007"thisIPflavors into the game.
Q: Besides combat, stealth, and driving, are there other content to adjust the pace?
A:The current demo levels may not cover this, but there will be more content for everyone to discover in the future. In many levels, we also encourage players to explore and collect clues to find different ways to complete missions. Immersing players in these characters, stories, and worlds is also part of our design philosophy for presenting a spy game.