IO Interactive’s highly anticipated 007 First Light is getting some rough early feedback. And when a player starts comparing your new Bond game to Hitman: Absolution, that’s not the kind of benchmark you want to hit.

A Reddit user just dropped their first impressions after spending three hours with the game. The verdict? Not great.

“After 3 hours with 007 First Light, IO’s weaknesses are on display in a way they haven’t been since” – u/QuantumQuicksilver on r/pcgaming

That incomplete sentence speaks volumes. When you’re three hours into a game and already drawing parallels to one of the developer’s biggest missteps, something’s gone wrong.

For context, Hitman: Absolution was IO Interactive’s 2012 attempt to make their stealth franchise more mainstream. It didn’t work. The game stripped away much of what made Hitman special. Linear levels replaced sandbox environments. Hand-holding tutorials replaced player discovery. The fanbase wasn’t happy.

Now here we are in 2026, and early players are seeing similar warning signs in 007 First Light. That’s concerning for several reasons.

First, IO has proven they know how to make excellent games. The World of Assassination trilogy (Hitman 2016, Hitman 2, Hitman 3) was a masterclass in stealth design. Those games gave players massive sandbox levels with countless ways to eliminate targets. They trusted players to figure things out.

Second, a Bond game should play to IO’s strengths perfectly. 007 is about infiltration, gadgets, and creative problem-solving. That’s basically the Hitman formula with better suits and more explosions.

So what’s going wrong here? Without more details from the player, we can only speculate. But if it feels like Absolution, the issues might be similar. Maybe the levels are too linear. Maybe the game holds your hand too much. Maybe it’s trying to be an action shooter instead of a thinking person’s stealth game.

The timing makes this even more frustrating. Bond games have been stuck in development hell for years. The last decent one was GoldenEye 007: Reloaded back in 2011. Fans have been waiting over a decade for a proper 007 experience.

IO Interactive seemed like the perfect studio for the job. They understand stealth mechanics. They know how to create memorable locations. They’ve proven they can handle an iconic character (Agent 47) without ruining the mystique.

But early impressions suggest they might be repeating old mistakes. If 007 First Light really does feel like Hitman: Absolution, then IO might be overthinking things again. They might be trying to appeal to everyone instead of making the best possible stealth game.

The reddit discussion will likely grow as more players get their hands on the game. Early access periods can be brutal for developers. Word spreads fast when something doesn’t click.

Still, it’s worth remembering this is just one player’s opinion after three hours. Games can improve as you learn the systems. Maybe the opening levels are weaker than what comes later. Maybe there’s a learning curve.

But first impressions matter in gaming. If your opening hours remind people of your biggest failure, you’ve got an uphill battle ahead.

IO Interactive has the talent to make this work. The World of Assassination trilogy proved that. But they need to trust their instincts and stick to what they do best. Bond deserves a game that feels like classic Hitman with a 007 skin, not another attempt to chase mainstream appeal.

The full release will tell the real story. If more players start echoing these concerns, IO might have another Absolution on their hands. If early feedback was just growing pains, the game could still deliver on its promise.

Either way, the Bond franchise deserves better than mediocre. After waiting this long for a proper 007 game, fans want something that captures the character’s sophistication and style. Not another forgettable action romp.

We’ll know soon enough whether IO learned from their past mistakes or if they’re doomed to repeat them. The stakes are high, and early signs aren’t encouraging.