When I shipped my Nintendo Switch to an eBay buyer in 2018, I swore I was done with it. My brief attempt to re-enter the world of video games ended in nothing but a whimper. When ads for the Switch first appeared, I was captivated by its hybrid design and clever marketing shots of young professionals loving their consoles while riding planes and heading home to their fancy apartments. I haven’t played a game since I got rid of my N64 controller in 2001. But all of a sudden, I wanted to try it again.
Long story short, things didn’t go well. I played Mario Kart for 5 minutes straight until I got bored, but I completely lost interest in Zelda’s lotions, potions, and recipes. I wasn’t cut out to be a gamer anymore.
This year, one game changed everything. This led me to believe that video games could finally provide an entertainment experience on par with movies. And most importantly, I ended up emptying my wallet and buying a PS5. The name (of the game) is Light. First light.
If there was one game that reminded me of myself, it was the James Bond games. Not only am I a true (bondafide?) fan of books and movies, but some of my fondest childhood gaming memories include playing GoldenEye 64 in the late 90’s. But despite this, none of the (admittedly terrible) Bond games from then until 2012’s 007 Legends were able to change my mind. I just wasn’t interested in games anymore. And when the first trailer for 007 First Light was released, I wasn’t particularly optimistic.
All that changed when I attended the world premiere of 007: First Light at BAFTA in London last month. Hearing the creative team and cast talk passionately about the process of making the game, and most importantly, having the chance to play it, I was instantly hooked. When the first ten minutes of gameplay were shown on BAFTA cinema screens, I didn’t want it to end. It was the most addictive experience I’ve ever had when playing a video game. In short, it felt like watching a movie.
It dawned on me that video game technology may finally be at a point where it can offer truly rich, cinematic experiences. This statement may be scoffed at by seasoned gamers, but since I’ve only been a casual gamer (and haven’t been a gamer in the last 10 years), I’ve never been able to immerse myself in a game’s plot or visuals. The graphics couldn’t figure it out. But when I watched the gameplay of 007 First Light, I truly believed I was seeing the same cast sitting in panel chairs under a movie theater screen.
I wasn’t the only one who was surprised. During a subsequent panel session, several cast members expressed that they could not believe they were acting for the game, and the acting experience was so authentic. Since then, I’ve seen Bond fans wax lyrical about how this game captures the 007 movie world in a way that no previous video game could.
So I was tempted again. My new PS5 is in the mail. Time will tell if First Light can turn me back into a gamer. But after a few years, I’m excited to pick up a controller again.
