Why 007 First Light “woke” criticism is a symptom of armchair gamers

Ever since its launch, IO Interactive’s 007 First Light has been called “woke” and not a true James Bond media by a section of gamers. While this has not been the prevalent notion, with the game having a ‘Very Positive’ review score on Steam and an 87 on Metacritic, it still is intriguing to understand why some players are apparently unhappy with 007 First Light, which I call a symptom of armchair gamers. There are three terms that could be contentious in this discussion.

“Woke” is currently being used as an umbrella term for dissatisfaction with one or many elements of a video game that the player considers has been shoehorned into the narrative (race, gender, etc.). While the word initially meant to be aware of important societal affairs, it has been increasingly used pejoratively in recent years to call out performative political correctness (correctly or incorrectly).

The phrase not a true James Bond media is also a dubious claim. First, there has to be a concrete description of what a James Bond media has to have to be called that. Second, how many of those features align with our current sensibilities? And third, the creative liberty to tell or interpret Bond’s features without erasing the franchise’s identity.

And finally, the armchair gamer: I use this phrase to refer to commentators who have not played a game to its completion (or even a significant amount) but are quick to echo sentiments (positive or negative) regarding the title masquerading as an expert.

To sum it up before diving into the matter, 007 First Light is not a “woke” game (if we were to take “woke” to refer to performative political correctness), it perfectly imbues the ethos of a James Bond media, and the criticism directed in these lines is a symptom of armchair gamers.

007 First Light is delightfully James Bond, with shaken martini, exotic locations, and fast car chases

The common criticism I have seen regarding 007 First Light being a “woke” game is about James Bond being bossed around by a woman M and that M and Moneypenny are non-white characters. Firstly, there is no narrative dissonance within the game because of these two factors, which would make you feel that it is merely for show. Secondly, both these complaints have precedence in the James Bond movies.

James Bond’s M

Dame Judi Dench became the first woman to play M in the James Bond movie franchise with GoldenEye back in 1995. While her character passes away in Skyfall (2012), Dench’s M makes a cameo appearance in Spectre (2015), the second-to-last film of the latest Bond era. That is a two-decade run of Bond answering to a woman M.

Furthermore, you will notice the relationship between M and Bond in 007 First Light is somewhat similar to the relationship between Dench and Craig’s portrayal of the two characters, especially in Casino Royale (2006). Dench chastises the young Bond, entrusts him into action when others are questioning him, and takes decisions that Bond does not agree with.

Thus, Priyanga Burford‘s M in 007 First Light is neither an anomaly nor a force representation. It does not jut out in the game’s narrative or the franchise’s history. The only criticism I would have is that M did not have enough screentime in the game to have a proper impact or to showcase her authoritative role more coherently.

Non-white characters in 007 First Light: M and Moneypenny

Once again, there is a precedent for the portrayal of Moneypenny as a non-white character in the James Bond movies. Naomie Harris played the latest iteration of the character in three films, Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), and No Time to Die (2021). Similarly, Jeffrey Wright’s Felix Leiter in the Craig era is a beloved character in Bond’s history.

If you have been watching these films, you should not have any problem with 007 First Light’s portrayals. Even if you have not and are completely unaware of these matters or James Bond in general, the way IO Interactive has written the story, its characters, and the narrative flow, none of these factors will stick out. Take it from someone who has spent roughly 25 hours in 007 First Light before the game launched on early access.

James Bond

James Bond’s characterization in 007 First Light is him becoming 007. In the first mission, Bond is an SAS member. He is then recruited into the 00 program of MI6 by M. Greenway trains him along with the other six members. The story then takes a turn with the return of 009 and the main mission kicks off. At 007 First Light’s ending, Bond gets his 00 status and chooses 007.

With all of this in mind, IO Interactive’s James Bond is charming, witty, risk-taking, passionate, and caring for his colleagues and friends. Even Bond’s characterization as a “womanizer” from the novels and the films is evident in 007 First Light, with Bond getting involved with three separate women.

To me, the game’s James Bond is more similar to Craig’s Bond in Casino Royale (2006), with mannerisms from other eras seeping through. Nevertheless, 007 First Light perfectly encapsulates the James Bond ethos. Even from a gameplay perspective, you have stealth, combat, gadgets, car chases, gritty fistfights, and intuitive shooting.

The age-old adage of play it yourself before coming to a conclusion will always hold true. But, given that you may not always get to play a game, try not to come to a conclusion or echo it further just from viewing one opinion. 007 First Light is the best James Bond game you can currently play, and it achieves so not with any pretend performativity.