James Bond’s origin story video game landed last month with an action-packed tutorial, a bow-tie-induced power fantasy, and a very hot main character. Before 007 First Light, I was mostly apathetic towards the James Bond franchise, only recently having watched the Daniel Craig films and… none of the others. But IO Interactive’s inventive Bond adventure intrigued me in the run-up to its release for a very particular reason: the license to kill.

In most games where shooting is a core part of the gameplay experience, you’re often handed a gun and told to shoot first, worry about an alarmingly high body count later. Not so in 007 First Light. The game restricts Bond’s firearms usage to very specific scenarios when Bond is in mortal danger; a very dramatic “License to Kill” alert then appears on the top of your screen highlighted in red. It’s an interesting flip on what we’ve come to expect from a third-person shooter, though 007 First Light could have been even more restrictive with its approach to lethal violence.

Much of 007 First Light’s gameplay is of the non-violent variety. Bond has to use its wits, charm, and confidence to advance the story. Take the luxury Vietnamese resort level for example. Plenty of it is spent solving social puzzles, manipulating the environment via gadgets, and bluffing your way........

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