007 First Light Shines Technically on PS5 and PS5 Pro

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James Bond’s latest mission in 007 First Light represents the most technically impressive release the franchise has ever seen, a massive leap forward compared to the lackluster 007 Legends and far closer to the revered legacy of Goldeneye. Built on IO Interactive’s Glacier Engine, the title also demonstrates a clear evolution beyond the baseline technology found in Hitman 3 from 2021. Performance and visuals shift notably between the base PS5 and the PS5 Pro, but the years of development have clearly paid off in a big way.

The standout visual element is the game’s diffuse indirect lighting, powered by a new software ray-traced global illumination (RTGI) system. This cleverly combines screen-space tracing with a probe-based fallback using SDFs, resulting in attractive bounce lighting and impressive depth. However, because higher-frequency lighting depends heavily on screen-space data, there are moments where that information drops out, leading to occasional distracting visual artifacts.

Specular lighting relies mainly on screen-space reflections (SSR), which, while expected, creates similar artifacts on closer inspection. Like Hitman, First Light also uses planar reflections for certain flat surfaces like mirrors and glass, reflecting a lower-fidelity version of the world. This technique, a rare and cool visual flourish in modern gaming, is a welcome addition here.

Who should be the next James Bond? Tom Francis, Callum Turner, Idris Elba, Alex Battaglia, Other? (470 votes) Tom Francis 4%, Callum Turner 8%, Idris Elba 30%, Alex Battaglia 48%, Other 10%.

Beyond lighting, the game packs other impressive technical upgrades: revised volumetric effects, improved shadowing, order-independent transparencies, motion-matched animation, new GPU particles, and enhanced character rendering. Even path tracing is planned for the PC version in the coming months. Alex’s recent interview with the First Light development team is an excellent deep dive into how these features were achieved and what technical goals drove IO’s work, and John’s upcoming tech review will share even more.

Since this is IO’s first title shipping exclusively on current-gen consoles and PC, the rendering technology required a substantial overhaul, and the results are as impactful as you’d expect. The game’s scope also surpasses Hitman, blending familiar stealth mechanics like crowd work and impersonation with explosive action scenes and chase sequences that push the studio’s engine into new territory.

On the base PS5, 007 First Light offers a quality mode targeting 30fps and a performance mode targeting 60fps, a standard approach this generation. Interestingly, the core rendering seems built with 60fps in mind, as visual differences between the two modes are minimal. The game’s conservative yet attractive RTGI survives intact in the higher frame-rate setting.

The primary visual cut in performance mode is shadow resolution, where shadowmaps become softer, rougher, and more aliased. This isn’t a critical flaw, as filtering can sometimes make lower-resolution shadows appear more realistically softened. Beyond that, minor GI tweaks are visible in side-by-side comparisons, especially in exterior and some interior scenes.

However, image quality is the base PS5’s biggest weakness. The game uses FSR 3.1.5, which produces familiar issues: noticeable flickering in static shots and chunky, digital reconstruction artifacts during motion. This is especially problematic with foliage, which can look rough during camera pans. The performance mode is worst affected, with internal resolutions typically around 720p (performance) and 1152p (quality).

The PS5 Pro delivers a much cleaner, sharper experience thanks to Sony’s PSSR, a significant improvement over FSR 3. The Pro also appears to use the newer, enhanced PSSR iteration. Frame-rates are excellent, with a locked 60fps achieved in stress tests, barring a few dropped frames during cutscene camera cuts. The Pro uses visual settings similar to the base PS5 quality mode, notably featuring sharper shadow outlines.

In terms of gameplay, 007 First Light is a more deliberate, Hitman-inflected experience than initial suggestions of an Uncharted-style action adventure. Typical sequences involve scanning environments, trailing characters, and using deceit. This makes it a slower game that may not satisfy those craving a Naughty Dog-style title, but it likely hews closer to what Hitman fans want. Early reviews are universally positive, and it’s great to see that the technical foundations are solid too, especially for players on the PS5 Pro.