Most people will tell you that 007 First Light is one of the best Bond stories ever told — and they’re right.
It’s a globe-trotting origin story on steroids, packed with spectacular set pieces, memorable villains and enough espionage intrigue to keep even the most hardened Bond fan glued to the screen.
What nobody warned me about was how hungry it would make me — or thirsty for that matter.
I’m always on the lookout for games featuring food or wildlife. While 007 First Light is disappointingly light on the latter, it turns out 007’s first adventure is absolutely packed with delicacies in the former category.
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Across dozens of missions, exotic locations and fancy interiors, I found myself constantly distracted by plates of food, bottles of whisky and enough cocktails to stock a luxury hotel bar.
It’s certainly not the best looking food in video game history, but it certainly helps tell the story.
Fancy a tipple?
The Bond connection certainly helps. It wouldn’t be a proper 007 adventure without a drink in hand, and the developers clearly understood the assignment.
Every location seems to contain another bottle, another glass, another opportunity for someone to order “another” with Bond-like confidence.
Though it’s never actually addressed in the game, its namesake comes in the form of a whisky brand, first spotted in Q’s lab. Given Bond’s reputation, it’s fitting that even the background alcohol receives star treatment.
Fancy a cocktail? They’re everywhere too.
Elegant bars, rooftop venues and exclusive parties all provide the sort of atmosphere that made me want to pause the game and book a reservation somewhere far more expensive than I can comfortably afford.
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Coca-Cola
Then there are the surprises.
For reasons known only to the marketing department, Coca-Cola is everywhere. Vending machines line the halls of MI6 headquarters, while billboards and advertisements appear throughout London. It’s not subtle, but it fits in well.
Street food in the city of Aleph
One of the game’s standout locations is Aleph, a fictional city built within a sprawling shipping graveyard and ruled by the feared Pirate King Bawma.
The city itself is fascinating, but what caught my attention wasn’t the architecture or criminal underworld.
Its dangerous streets are lined with vendors serving what appears to be Northwest African-inspired street food.
Grilled meats, fresh bread, colourful spices and fresh fish fill market stalls throughout the city, creating a very convincing digital food district.
Aleph is also where I kept wishing there was a photo mode.
The lighting, food stalls and layered city design constantly beg you to stop and frame a shot, even if the game itself never quite gives you the tools to properly capture it.
That said… I did my best.
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Fine Dining
A stay at the luxurious Grand Carpathian Hotel in Slovakia comes complete with elegant dining experiences that look almost as expensive as the room rates.
And when the world-saving is finally done for the day, there’s always time for a pizza party.
To be clear, 007 First Light isn’t about food. It’s an action-adventure blockbuster first and foremost.
The character performances are exceptional, the story is gripping and the globe-spanning locations are among the most memorable in gaming.
But for a game about spies, assassins and international conspiracies, it spends an astonishing amount of time making sure you’re aware of what’s available for dinner.
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I finished the campaign convinced that Bond is a brilliant secret agent.
I also finished it craving a whisky, street food, pizza and whatever was being served at that hotel restaurant.
Mission accomplished, I suppose.
To the developers, if you’re reading… Please give me a photo mode. Thank you.
Access to 007 First Light was provided by the publisher.
