With no exact release date in sight for IO Interactive’s upcoming007 First Lightoutside a 2026 estimate, there’s no telling how long the wait will be until you can experience the spy thriller action for yourself. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of games to scratch the itch that the007series has left in its decade-and-a-half-long absence. From team-based heist shooters to a plethora of stealth-focused espionage titles, there’s one franchise that bears a striking resemblance to Bond’s iconic adventures.
Part of what makes the007series is its unique blend of tropes and genres that make it an incredibly distinct moviegoing experience, setting a new standard for the industry to follow. While both the film and gaming adaptations have had their share of ups and downs over the years,First Lightseems to take the best elements of its predecessors whileexploring rare new territoryfor the iconic character.Even if there’s no shortage of007games to pass the time beforeFirst Lightlaunches, one upcoming release is the perfect option to satisfy your Bond needs this summer.
Metal Gear Solid Delta Is The Perfect Game To Satisfy Your Spy Thriller Needs
Snake Eater Has All The Makings Of A Classic Bond Adventure
While you’ve likely played a few entries or at least heard of the legendaryMetal Gear Solidfranchise before,Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eaterstands out as the title most similar in the series to a traditional Bond narrative. Set during the peak of the Cold War,Metal Gear Solid Delta’s storyline follows a one-man operation in an exotic jungle to save the world from a Soviet-era nuclear war. Aside from its base plot elements,Deltahas all the classic Bond tropes, from deadly femme fatales, quirky gadgets, and iconic villains, all wrapped up in a bundle of betrayal.
The upcoming game is canonically the very first entry in theMetal Gear Solidtimeline.
The best part of Konami’sMetal Gear Solid 3remake is that the upcoming game is canonically the very first entry in theMetal Gear Solidtimeline, beingthe perfect jumping-in point without needing any prior knowledge about the series. While the originalSanke Eatercan be rough around the edges at times, the latest remake aims to offer a more seamless gameplay experience while still keeping the original experience intact.
Given that the originalMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eateroffered several revolutionary mechanics that still hold up today, the modern overhaul is a perfect chance to bring these features to life with an even more memorable experience than the best Bond film can provide.To take your spy thriller immersion even further,Metal Gear Solid 3’s pre-orderedition grants you access to the White Tuxedo bonus skin, which itself is a direct nod to the iconic outfit worn by Connery and Craig inGoldfingerandSpectre, respectively.
The 007 And Metal Gear Franchises Have More In Common Than You Think
Sharing More Than Just A Few Subtle References
Even thoughMetal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eatereasily bears the closest resemblance to a Bond film, the comparisons go much deeper to the very roots of the series.Kojima himself has stated several times over the years that theMetal Gear Solidfranchise was heavily inspired by the iconic spy franchise, combining the narrative elements and plot points with revolutionary game design that helped to redefine the industry. While we might never see an officialMetal Gear Solidmovie, Bond’s latest films could be the closest we’ll ever get to one.
The novelization of the originalMetal Gear Solidwas even written by the author of several James Bond books, Raymond Benson.
While James Bond’s DNA runs throughout the series as a whole, one of the most notable examples isMetal Gear Solid 3’s protagonist, Big Boss himself, being inspired by Sean Connery’s Bond. Even if Snake’s most iconic gadget is the simple cardboard box, aplethora of exciting gadgetslike the Fulton system are inspired by similar ones in films likeThunderball, being just as effective as they are goofy. With both franchises pushing the international espionage genre forward over the past few decades, it makes sense that elements of theMetal Gear Serieswould also bleed over into the films.
While Bond has implemented the surprise brother twist that could be loosely inspired by theMetal Gear Solidseries,the main plotline for the most recentNo Time To Diefilm seems to borrow heavily fromMetal Gear’s FOXDIE narrative. Following each protagonist being infected with a nanomachine virus that activates upon contact with certain people, it’s far too similar to be a simple coincidence. Given that007 First Lightis likely topay homage to the filmsin more ways than one, reviving elements from past entries or evenMetal Gearagain could bring it to even greater heights.
007 First Light Has Plenty Of Games To Take Inspiration From
Laying The Foundation For What Could Be The Best Bond Game Yet
It’s easy to point fingers at which games or films that007 First Lightcould take inspiration from, but IO Interactive has already made it clear they’re planning to focus on a brand-new origin story and direction for the fresher Bond. Acting as a soft reboot of the series,First Lightcould still use elements from the novels, films, and past gaming entries while still staying true to its unique identity for the series. Even ifFirst Lightonly takes minor notes from other franchises, there’s still plenty of source material to borrow from, both in and outside the series.
There’s still plenty of source material to borrow from, both in and outside the series.
Despite the massive similarities with stylized villains, cinematic design, and reliance on classic spy tropes, even a game as old asMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eaterand its upcomingDeltaremaster have fantastic elements to incorporate. WhileDelta’srealistic survival-based mechanics wouldn’t be a seamless fit for Bond,Metal Gear’s engaging boss fights would be fantastic to see carried over into007 First Light, especially with Bond’s fantastic history of henchmen. Combining a nuclear plotline, themes of betrayal, and a billion-dollar treasury to save,007 First Lightcould benefit fromDelta's equally nuanced storytelling and sandbox gameplay mechanics.
While it’s easy to want to see elements from theMetal Gear Solidfranchise making their way into007 First Light,given that we haven’t seen a new mainline entry sinceMetal Gear Solid V in overa decade, there are many closer games to pick from.TheHitmanseries is easily the first contender for a007-themed spy adventure,with IO Interactive carrying over the best aspects of the long-running series. Even if I’m more than happy with007 First Light’sexciting gameplay and narrative potential, future sequels could even incorporate thenew multiplayer modecoming toHitman 3.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a remake of the classic PlayStation 2 title Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. In the game, players assume the role of FOX operative Naked Snake, who is sent to diffuse growing tensions between the United States and Russia during the Cold War era. When Snake’s former mentor, the Boss, is revealed to have launched a nuclear device in Russia, Snake is sent on behalf of the U.S. Government to deal with her covertly - and to discover the truth of the incident for himself.
