We’re just a month away from the launch of 007 First Light, a James Bond game developed by IO Interactive, known for their work on Hitman. As we get closer to launch, the team just dropped a major new ‘Rules of Spycraft‘ trailer that highlights the many ways that Bond can approach his missions in the game – and one of the stealth mechanics seems pretty revolutionary for the genre.
The trailer demonstrates how the world-famous spy can blend in on his missions, from listening in on conversations to unlock dialogue options to stealth combat takedowns silently wiping out enemies, all while using his expansive arsenal of tools. It doesn’t always go well though, so what happens when you get caught? That’s where IO Interactive introduces bluffing.
When stealth isn’t an option, or when facing off against bigger groups of enemies, players will have the option to bluff. When using the mechanic, Bond will give a context-based explanation to justify his appearance, from entering a security room under the pretense of repairing a coffee machine to shouting over enemies who catch you red-handed to try and blend in as one of them.
This is an impressive system, and something potentially revolutionary to the genre depending on its implementation. Stealth-based games often fall apart once combat begins, with either an immediate mission failure or the loss of stealth options and being pushed into combat. Bluffing allows you to keep the ball rolling, and might prevent the cover you’ve built yourself from being lost, if you’re resourceful enough.
Bluffing won’t always work though, especially the more frequently you do it on a mission. Using bluffs will use up the ‘Instinct’ resource, and isn’t an available option on professional enemies like security guards in highly restricted areas, so players still need to think carefully on when to speak or when to fight.
Bond’s next big adventure starts when 007 First Light releases on 27 May for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, with a Switch 2 version coming later in the year. If you’re particularly excited, there’s even a golden DualSense controller releasing in collaboration with PlayStation available to pre-order now.
