007: First Light Vs Hitman – Which One Should You Get?

Developed by IO Interactive, 007: First Light and Hitman may share the same developer DNA, but they deliver two very different experiences. 007: First Light offers faster-paced, explosive action missions for thrill seekers. On the otherhand, Hitman is more deliberate, rewarding patience and careful thought about your next move. Thus, the comparison between 007: First Light Vs Hitman is less about which game is better and more about what you’re looking for.

What is 007: First Light?

007: First Light is an action-adventure game that adapts to Ian Fleming’s James Bond spy fiction franchise, which follows the titular James Bond’s missions as a fictional MI6 agent working under the codename 007. 

There have been over 20 blockbuster films, as many video games, including the renowned 1997 GoldenEye 007 FPS, and now 007: First Light. 

What is Hitman?

Hitman, on the other hand, is a stealth game that follows Agent 47’s missions as a contract killer. It’s a spy thriller taking you to different locations around the world and assigning you high-value targets to assassinate. 

So far, there have been eight mainline games in the franchise, as well as spin-offs, novels, remasters, a comic book, and film adaptations.

Story

007: First Light kicks off with the origin story of James Bond. He’s a young lad, being reckless and immature in the field. It’s clear, though, he’s super talented on the job, just needing a little molding. 

It makes for the perfect signee into the newly launched Double 0 elite black operations program. And so, the adventure begins, teaming up with your mentor, Greenway, and embarking on a mission to expose a deep state conspiracy. 

While James Bond will have the most fun unraveling the origin story of the world’s most famous spy, newcomers, too, have a place here, tagging along on an explosive spy fiction espionage.

You enjoy an excellent pace and build-up of events through to the climactic finale. It’s also grand that you witness James Bond’s growth as an agent and as a person, learning to take more caution and think things through.

In comparison, the Hitman series follows Agent 47. What makes him perfect for contract killing is genetic enhancement, giving him superior abilities. You work for the ICA, who give you targets to assassinate.

These are often very bad people who’ve committed treacherous acts like treason. Some are crime lords. Still, others are darker crimes and sins. But you also have inner struggles, wanting to leave a life of killing behind.

While the stories differ in quality and engagement across the series, they have often held your attention long enough. There are some surprisingly funny jokes in the writing and dialogue, some a little dark. I’d argue that Hitman’s strength is in the gameplay.

Gameplay

The gameplay in 007: First Light is a mix of stealth, hand-to-hand combat, and gunplay. Meanwhile, Hitman focuses almost entirely on stealth. Comparing stealth first, in 007: First Light, you can crouch and hide behind cover. You can disarm cameras and use gadgets like poison darts to take out guards. Disguises also come in handy to get into places you aren’t allowed.

As is the goal in stealth games, you need to complete missions undetected. How you do that is up to you. The most obvious is avoiding enemies’ line of sight. You might cause a distraction. Here, the environment comes in handy, whether you’re setting up traps or starting a fire. You might snoop around for secret files, talk your way out of tight spots, or escape through the ceiling and tunnels.

However, Hitman is the master of stealth. It’s how the idea behind eliminating targets without detection caught on steam. The variety of stealth moves, tactics, and gadgets in the series is so impressive. And the best part? They let you experiment and be creative in how you use them to navigate the environment and get away with contract kills.

At the most basic, you can crouch and take cover. You can wear disguises and cause distractions using the environment around you. It takes a lot of patience to complete missions. You have to carefully study patrol patterns, pinpoint where the cameras are, and remember to stash bodies away.

Mission Structure

Stealth is what Hitman does best, and what being an assassin is all about. You aren’t just going to storm into missions guns blazing and be sure that the target won’t get away. And Hitman designs its levels around this. It even has challenges that demand that you not wear any disguises when assassinating a target, and you get rewards for completing the job undetected. Some reward you for killing a target in a specific way.

Not to mention that unleashing your guns and weapons, however plentiful, will almost guarantee failure. You’ll likely run out of ammo, reducing your chances of making it out of shootouts alive.  

The mission structure in Hitman has worked so well because of how large the map is, and yet, you often have a specific target you need to follow and kill. Do this a couple of times, and you’ll discover hidden routes in the map and new tricks you could crossover to another kill.

007: First Light is on another spectrum, though. Stealth can be an option, but so is explosive action. Once you infiltrate and locate your target, you can launch into a full-on assault. You have SMGs, pistols, shotguns, machine guns, and more. You can get into car chases and enjoy breezing past stunning locations. It’s more frantic and can easily give you an adrenaline boost.

Verdict: 007: First Light Vs Hitman

By virtue of 007: First Light and Hitman’s different focus in gameplay, it makes it difficult to judge which game is better than the other. IO Interactive developed both games, and you can see the stealth mechanics and tactics crossover from Hitman to 007: First Light. 

Hitman remains the OG stealth game. I love how it forces you to actually come out of hiding and be creative around maneuvering packed spaces without getting caught. 007: First Light, on the other hand, unapologetically veers off into explosive action setpieces. It isn’t afraid to let you enjoy running and gunning your way out of tight spots.

In the end, it depends on your interests. If you’re looking for a slower-paced game that needs more patience to plan your next move, Hitman is it. Otherwise, you’ll enjoy the explosive shootouts in 007: First Light a lot more.