007 First Lightwill be the first newJames Bondgame in 14 years when it comes out next year. Although we’ve only gotten a brief look at the game so far, it already looks like there is a lot to love about 007’s next video game outing. However, there is one aspect missing from older James Bond games that has put a bit of a damper on my excitement for the new title.
007 First Light’s trailerreminds me a lot ofUncharted, in a good way.James Bondfeels like the perfect franchise for a cinematic game with big action set pieces. Games likeUnchartedandThe Last of Ushave also proven that this style of third-person action game can do just as good a job of telling stories through gameplay as through cutscenes. This keeps the momentum of the story moving faster than shooters that simply switch between action and cutscenes that you have no agency over. Still,it’s hard not to lament one aspect of classic FPSBondgames.
007 First Light Won’t Have Multiplayer
007 First Light’s Developer Confirmed Multiplayer Isn’t Happening
WhenScreen Rant’s Chris Carter spoke to Jonathan Lacaille, IO Interactive’s franchise director, Lacaille made it clear thatmultiplayer was not in the cards for007 First Light. In fact, Lacaille made it clear that IO had never even considered including a multiplayer mode in the game, instead choosing to lean into their strengths as a developer of single-player action adventure games. IO Interactive is best known for creating theHitmanseries, and doesn’t have a ton of experience with multiplayer shooters outside theKane & Lynchgames.
Considering IO Interactive’s past projects,it maybe shouldn’t have been a big surprise that007 First Lightwouldn’t include a multiplayer mode. And, from what we’ve seen of the game so far, it doesn’t seem like it needs a multiplayer mode to be a good game. Still, I can’t help but be a little disappointed that the game won’t have any multiplayer features, given how important multiplayer was to theJames Bondseries.
Multiplayer Was A Key Part Of Older James Bond Games
GoldenEye 007 Made Multiplayer A Major Aspect Of The Series
James Bond has a long history with video games, dating all the way back to the 1982 text adventureShaken but Not Stirredfor the ZX Spectrum. I was actually shocked to learn thatthere were 13 otherBondgames beforeGoldenEye 007was released for the N64. However,GoldenEye, or more specifically its multiplayer mode, is what a lot of players often think of when discussingJames Bondvideo games.
In retrospect,GoldenEye 007’s multiplayerwas far from perfect. Most of this boils down to its antiquated controls, like having to choose between aiming your gun more precisely or moving, since N64 controllers only had one control stick. However,the game played a large part in popularizing split-screen multiplayer in FPS games, more than earning it its iconic status. It’s also worth mentioning that, for all its flaws,GoldenEye’s multiplayer was still a ton of fun, and its technical limitations or unbalanced mechanics, like Oddjob’s hat, often added to the experience more than they took away from it.
Following the popularity ofGoldenEye 007’s multiplayer, the next fewJames Bondgames continued to build on it.A highlight for me has always beenJames Bond 007: Agent Under Firethanks to its addition of the Q-Claw, a grappling hook that pulls you through the air at high speeds. The claw had enough momentum to propel you through the air even after you stopped actively using it, allowing you to swing around the map with it like Spider-Man. It created some insanely fast-paced combat and completely transformed how I approached movement in FPS games.
Now,007 First Lightisn’t the firstJames Bondgame to ditch split-screen competitive multiplayer.James Bond 007: Everything or Nothingwas an earlier shift in the series towards a third-person cover shooter which only included a cooperative multiplayer mode. However, the last game in the series before007 First Light,007 Legends, did include split-screen multiplayer, and I had sort of hoped that the new game would continue the tradition, even if I can understand why it isn’t.
007 First Light Not Having Multiplayer Makes Sense, Even If It’s Disappointing
Although I wish007 First Lightcould have included multiplayer,it’s probably not a bad thing that it doesn’t. Multiplayer modes in mostly story-driven games like this often feel tacked on. That isn’t to say they’re all terrible, and I was pleasantly surprised byUncharted 4’s multiplayer modes. Still, this is more of a rare occurrence in my experience, and multiplayer modes in these types of games typically don’t compare to something likeCall of Duty, which puts more of an emphasis on its online modes.
There are also instances where combat that works alright in single-player doesn’t translate well to multiplayer modes.I remember being forced to playMass Effect 3’s multiplayer mode to earn a good ending and hating every minute of it. The game’s combat isn’t that engaging, and the game relied a lot on my investment in the story to keep my interest in the campaign. We haven’t seen much of007 First Light’s combat yet, but if the game relies on the story and set pieces to make the action exciting, multiplayer likely wouldn’t live up to its campaign.
Time and resources are also factors in any game’s development, and it’s hard to argue that a game like007 First Lightshould divert too many of its resources towards trying to cram in a multiplayer mode. The game will likely be better served by having its development team focused entirely on crafting and polishing the single-player experience. If the game gets a sequel, maybe multiplayer can be worked in since it will be working off the baseline established by007 First Light, but I’d rather have a well-crafted product with limited modes than several disappointing ways to play.
As much as I understand IO Interactive’s decision to not include multiplayer in007 First Light, I can’t help but be a little disappointed. Even though it has been a long time sinceGoldenEyeor evenAgent Under Fire, I still strongly associateJames Bondgames with their split-screen multiplayer. Hearing that the new game won’t have it, however understandable a decision it is, is still a bit of a bummer.
