With our playtime guide to 007 First Light, you’ll know exactly how much time to set aside for Bond’s latest adventure — whether you only want to play the campaign or go beyond it.
I spent the past three days hiding away in my quiet little room despite the blazing sunshine outside, finishing the first James Bond game since 2012. My first playthrough of 007 First Light on “Normal” difficulty took just under 19.5 hours. I did take my time, though, especially in the more open areas, where I experimented quite a bit and looked for collectibles. If you focus purely on the story, move quickly, and maybe choose the easier Story mode, you can see the credits after around 14 hours.
- Note: In our progress guide, we’ve listed the playtime for each individual chapter. Take a look if you want to know where you currently are in the game and how much time you still need to set aside.
Why 007 First Light’s playtime varies so much
The reason for that wide range lies in the game’s design. 007 First Light is not a purely linear action game. Developer IO Interactive designed many missions so they can be tackled in different ways — through stealth, direct confrontation, or a mix of both. Especially in the more open areas, there are many different paths to your objective. That inevitably means two players can spend very different amounts of time on the same mission.
- Want to know what to expect? Read our review of 007 First Light
What extends playtime beyond the campaign
TactSim mode
The story is not the end of it. When you meet Selina Tan in Q’s lab for the first time, you unlock TactSim mode. This is a mission replay mode that comes with additional modifiers known as “Game Changers.”
The Agent Points and experience points you earn there let you compete on global and friends leaderboards, while also unlocking cosmetic items such as weapon skins and outfits for James. IO Interactive has already announced that this mode will continue to receive new content after launch.
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Collectibles and trophies
Hunting down every collectible is a classic time sink. A look at the official trophy list shows five categories: postcards, MI6 files, mementos, playing cards, and so-called “Legacy Items.” On top of that, there is a trophy you only get once you have collected everything. During my first playthrough, without paying too much attention to them, I unlocked 22 trophies. Eighteen of them were tied to the story, while the rest were linked to specific gameplay mechanics.
The MI6 hub & optional mission objectives
Between missions, you often return to the headquarters of the British intelligence service. Here, you talk to characters such as M, Q, and Moneypenny and can discover additional lore details. Q’s lab in particular is packed with Bond Easter eggs, which is why I strongly recommend taking some time to explore and have a few conversations.
Some story missions also include optional activities that can further extend your playtime. In Chapter 4, for example, access to an auction is tied to a certain amount of money. You have to earn that money first, and Aleph’s black market gives you plenty of ways to do it.
My verdict on the playtime
Set aside at least 20 hours for 007 First Light and experiment as much as you can — it is worth it. If you want to complete the TactSims and collect every trophy, you can expect up to 60 hours of playtime.
Is there New Game Plus in 007 First Light?
The short answer: no. 007 First Light does not have a traditional New Game Plus mode. However, once you finish the campaign, chapter select becomes available in the main menu. From there, you can replay any mission to pick up missing collectibles or try different approaches. You can actually do this before finishing the game, too. Once you complete a mission, you can replay it right away.
You can find even more details on the release of 007 First Light here:
