Check out the full listings below. What titles are you playing this month?

PS5 Games

*Naming of products may differ between regions
*Upgrades not included

PS4 Games

*Naming of products may differ between regions 

PS VR2 Games*

*PlayStation Store purchases only. Game upgrades or games bundled with hardware not included

Free to Play (PS5 + PS4)

Myst and Riven (the sequel to Myst) were originally released on PC and the original PlayStation in the ‘90s and quickly became cultural phenomena. In fact, the release of the original Myst in 1993 had an approximately 10-year-long run of being the best-selling PC game in the world. To celebrate how popular both games were on the original PlayStation back in the day, the classic versions of Myst and Riven from the original PlayStation were re-released digitally last year, thanks to efforts between both Cyan and Sony Interactive Entertainment, and continue to be available to purchase and play in most regions worldwide.

I’m excited to have this opportunity to share more about how we made sure that our remakes of Myst and Riven could take advantage of both PS5 and PS5 Pro features to bring folks the best experience based on the way they prefer to play.

Flatscreen and PS VR2 play

Both Myst and Riven will support both flatscreen (2D) and PS VR2 at launch. This was the toughest part of development for us – making sure the experience of players using either playstyle would shine. We brought over some lessons we learned from a release of a previous title of ours on PS5, Firmament (which also supported both 2D and VR), to help improve each playstyle – both in interactions, graphical fidelity, base render resolution, performance, and more. In turn, some of the lessons we learned from these new releases have also already been brought back into Firmament. We’re excited to see how players react to being able to experience Myst and Riven with their preferred play method.

Ray-traced reflections and Performance mode

Myst and Riven will also support ray tracing through the display of ray-traced reflections (limited to flatscreen mode only). We’ve made sure that this support is included in our games on both the PS5 and PS5 Pro. While ray-traced reflections are enabled, frame rate is limited to 30 FPS to account for a smoother play experience while more time is spent on the render thread. 

While ray-traced reflections are disabled (with screen-space reflections being used instead), each game’s frame rate is increased to 60 FPS. Players have a choice in enabling ray-traced reflections by disabling the Performance Mode checkbox in the Display settings menu in each game, which will also subtly change the base render resolution of the game to accommodate for leveraging graphics vs. leveraging performance.

PS5 Pro Enhanced features

We’re also happy to state that Myst and Riven are both officially PS5 Pro Enhanced titles. This means a couple of things in our case – the first of which is an increase in graphical fidelity in each game’s flatscreen mode on PS5 Pro, including better view distance, foliage, textures, post-processing, and shading. Second, players in VR on PS5 Pro in both games will have better base render resolution when playing each game – and in Riven’s flatscreen mode, leaving the Performance Mode checkbox enabled will grant better base render resolution.

The games are taking advantage of tweaked implementations of Unreal Engine’s TSR, which allows us to use upscaling on both PS5 Pro and base PS5 in return for better graphics options.

Power Saver Mode support 

Myst and Riven will also join the list of PS5 games with Power Saver support. Power Saver mode is a relatively new feature for PS5 that enables games to scale back performance to save on energy consumption (and therefore save on energy costs for many players). Both Myst and Riven support this new feature by decreasing each game’s base render resolution and forcing a fixed frame rate of 30 FPS.

Delve into Myst and Riven

The Cyan team worked hard to make sure that these from-the-ground-up remakes of Myst and Riven take advantage of plenty of PS5 features, especially for PS5 Pro. Whether you’re playing from the comfort of your couch with a DualSense wireless controller in flatscreen mode, or enjoying our games up-close and personal in PS VR 2, we think you’ll be in for quite a treat. We appreciate everyone’s support of our studio and hope to keep making great games for another 40 years!

Myst and Riven on PS5 are available to wishlist beginning today, May 5, and will be available to purchase and play for $34.99 USD each on May 19.

Or maybe not. After taking a long drop which typically results in Dick Grayson mourning his fallen parents, the duo gets up and promptly fires their son, prompting Bruce Wayne to employ him and take up the Robin mantle.

It’s a comedic change of lore which perfectly captures what LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is all about – all ages enjoyment, while still being respectful to the source material. I got the chance to romp around Gotham City to get an idea of what to expect ahead of its PlayStation 5 launch on May 22. My time with the game featured single-player mode, but two-player local co-op will also be supported.

Classic stories told in new ways

As with the Flying Graysons example, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is all about subverting some of the expectations of the character’s history, having a little fun with well-known storylines, and referencing scenes from comics, TV, animated series, and even other video games.

“We wanted to make the definitive [Batman] background story,” says TT Games’ Executive Producer Matt Ellison. “DC Comics described this game as a remix of Batman’s Greatest Hits. We want to make a unique story out of that and showcase him in a different way.”

To that end, this knowing mash-up features all kinds of references, from the red Bat-phone of the Adam West TV series, to a costume from the current smash hit comic book Absolute Batman.

Movie influences everywhere

And to keep things up to date, default depictions of some characters like Catwoman and Commissioner Gordon are given a touch of Warner Bros. The Batman film, complete with performances that feel reminiscent while remaining distinct. 

“Jim Gordon is played by Colin McFarlane, who also played Commissioner Loeb in The Dark Knight,” says Matt. “His voice really suits that character. He’s got a lot of gravitas, but he’s also good fun to listen to. How their voices played off each other was really important to the story.”

Arkham Asylum-style combat

It’s not just aesthetics which have been borrowed from other tales, either. Joining a LEGO version of Joker’s incarceration from Batman: Arkham Asylum are the detective styled Focus Mode and slick combat system, clear nods to the Rocksteady fronted series. You can chain attacks with the Square button, and when prompted with on-screen warnings Triangle initiates a counter and the Circle button dodges.

The latter is essential when facing off against armoured or shielded goons to get around their protection, as well as avoiding gunfire, with R1 letting you break out a finishing move once your Focus Meter is maxed out, which ranges from a flurry of punches to a pair of cymbals across the ears. Something I gleefully employed when facing off against a variety of colourful goons as I answered random distress calls of muggings and gang warfare across the crime ridden Gotham City.

Don’t forget about the gadgets

Like another sequence cribbed from Tim Burton’s first Batman flick, there are plenty of chances to play with the Bat family’s “wonderful toys” via the R2 button. Of the seven playable characters, I was given access to Batman, Gordon, Robin, and Catwoman, each with their own selection of gadgets. Some were traditional, like Batman’s Batclaw, others… not so much. Personal favourites were Catwoman’s ability to summon a feline who can attack enemies and enter enclosed spaces, and Gordon’s bizarre foam sprayer which can both gunge up gears and security cameras, as well as encase baddies, which you can then punt off screen.

Stealth hasn’t been neglected, either. When exploring the Iceberg Lounge I had to sneak across the rafters of Carmine Falcone noisy club (complete with a DJ proudly declaring “who’s ready for more of the exact same beat!”), and wade through a massive ballpit in a hilariously unexpected funhouse. I was able to perform one-shot takedowns, but gratefully, discovery didn’t mean a game over – it simply meant diving into combat with angry guards crying out “you’re cutting into our ballpit time!”

A cave of classic LEGO humour

“Putting a twist on expectations is the way we often make humorous situations and surprise people,” says Matt. “We have these dark characters but we want to be appropriate for children as well as the older audience.”

So like the best family comedy, the laughs in LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight are often double or triple barrelled, where its humour is both explicit and subtle. A training montage with Robin is full of LEGO stud shaped bat guano and a great Rocky Balboa steps moment, while an earlier moment with Two-Face has the villain screaming “I cannot sanction your buffoonery!” to his falling thugs, in reference actor Tommy Lee Jones’ infamous off-set outburst during the filming of Batman Forever.

And in another scene Bats and Gordon attempt to blend in with a party crowd by busting out some breakdancing moves that trigger a short rhythm action sequence. Who knew the ol’ Commish could pop his minifig body like that?

The City never sleeps

There are plenty of deepcut references across Gotham City, too, along with knowing billboards, and BatMite shops to visit. While suitably dark and occasionally rainy, the open world is alive with vehicles, and pedestrians who wave and chat to our heroes, an active train network which you can ride on top of, and lots of crimes and puzzles to tackle.

Pressing the Up directional button unleashes the Batmobile for getting around the city if you don’t fancy using the fun combo of a grappling hook and glider, with driving, combat, traversal trials if you want to practice your skills. There are even spots where you can just sit and watch the world go by.

Suit up for more costumed capers

With the ability to change into a variety of different skins for each of the playable characters, TT Games has ensured there’s a costume for all occasions no matter if you’re trekking through Nanda Parbat or fighting Poison Ivy in her carnivorous garden.

“We really want to celebrate the character and his history through all the different media that he’s been in,” grins Matt. “But we also want people with different levels of Batman knowledge to enjoy the game. There’s something for everyone.”

You’ll be able to join in the big and slightly batty celebration when LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight swoops onto PS5 on May 22.

At the end of February, we invited a small group of players into the Gathering for the first time. For three days during select play windows, we saw folks get their first taste of Machine Incursion, try to master the playstyles of either Rem, Sun, or Axle (or all three.), and work together through the challenges of Cauldron Descent. We are incredibly grateful to those who took the time to play, gave us invaluable feedback on their experience, or stuck around on our official Discord server.

Since then, we’ve been focusing on a host of improvements based on that first playtest,  as well as getting additional content ready for the next one. A lot of people have also been asking questions about the game, the world of the Gathering, or some of our planned features, so if you haven’t yet: check out our ongoing developer Q&As we’ve been hosting on Discord and socials. We’ve really enjoyed sharing more about our ideas, processes, and development with you.

New playtest in May

Whether you want to return for another round, couldn’t make it into the first playtest, or prefer to experience the game firsthand, we’re happy to share that the next closed playtest will take place between May 22 and 25.*

Just like last time, the game will be playable on both PlayStation 5 and PC (Steam), with registration exclusively through the PlayStation Beta Program for both platforms. (Note: if you’re having trouble with the link, first sign in on PlayStation.com and then try clicking the link again.)

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Aside from quite a bit of implemented player feedback (which we will highlight at a later date), there will be a bunch of new content to explore.

• Two new Hunters: Aside from Rem, Sun, and Axle (who have each received improvements.), you can now get to know Ensa; a charismatic Oseram smuggler with a mercenary past. Or the mysterious Shadow, a Carja covert operative who commands a fearsome Stalker machine. We will be sharing a little more about them in the coming weeks.
• A playable Episode: Episodes play a central role in the game’s narrative campaign by introducing new mysteries, characters, and mechanics. Pick your Hunter, ready up, and head into the wilds to save Ashwater Valley from a horde of machines.
• Added difficulty: Two familiar game modes return with higher stakes than ever, as the war against the machines continues to ravage the wilds:
  • Machine Incursion is a high-intensity mission where waves of machines pour out from underground gateways, led by a formidable boss. To make things more interesting and encourage you to return for an even greater challenge, we’ve added two additional difficulty modes: Hard and Merciless. We dare all Hunters to try and beat a Thunderjaw and a Ravager at the same time…
  • Cauldron Descent is a longer, multi-stage trial pushing Hunters to their limits, from brutal machine encounters to hidden doors that promise power and reward for teams prepared to open them. Coordination and teamwork with other Hunters here are key to success, and our second playtest features even more challenging rooms to explore.
• New Region: Travel to Breakers’ Bounty, featuring dense jungles and ravaged ruins bordering a scorching desert home to dangerous machines, in order to save the Oseram and stop the incursion. You’ll also still have access to Devil’s Thirst, and of course the Gathering: the central social space where you can meet other players, build your loadout, and customize your camp.
• Play your way: Training Modules have been added to improve general onboarding for the game and its systems. For players wanting to master the hunt in Solo Mode, Hunter NPCs will be available for this playtest during Episode or Machine Incursion modes. These NPCs (either Rem, Sun, or Axle) offer battle assists where possible or can automatically fill an empty spot on a three-player team.

We want to emphasize again: Horizon Hunters Gathering is a game in development; we choose to playtest early and with small numbers to focus on the core experience and implement player feedback before opening to bigger groups of players. We learn a lot from each playtest and this second one is no different; we appreciate each of you who take the time to leave us your honest thoughts.

There’s much more to explore on your next adventure into the wilds. Over the coming weeks, we will be dropping more playtest information on our Hunters Gathering Discord and social channels, so keep an eye out for news there.

For a chance to play the game between May 22 to 25, sign up via the PlayStation Beta Program. This link will automatically flag you as interested in Horizon Hunters Gathering. We will be sure to let you know when invites for the playtest are being sent.

Thanks for the continued support and all of us at Guerrilla look forward to welcoming you (back) for another hunt!

*Internet connection required for the playtest

How does it work? At the end of every month, PlayStation Blog will open a poll where you can vote for the best new game released that month. After the polls close we will tally your votes, and announce the winner on our social channels and PlayStation.Blog.

What is the voting criteria? That’s up to you! If you were only able to recommend one new release to a friend that month, which would it be? Note: re-released games don’t qualify, but remakes do. We define remakes as ambitious, larger-scale rebuilds such as Resident Evil 4 (2023) and Final Fantasy VII Remake.

How are nominees decided? The PlayStation Blog editorial team will gather a list of that month’s most noteworthy releases and use it to seed the poll.

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A new team joins the battle: Fighting Avengers

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Joining the previously announced Captain America (voiced by Brian Bloom) and Iron Man (voiced by Josh Keaton) are Hulk (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) and Black Panther (voiced by Erica Luttrell), forming the brand-new team: the Fighting Avengers.

Led by Captain America, this newly formed Avengers squad comes together to confront a new threat facing Earth. As heroes watched closely—and admired greatly—by people around the world, we hope you’re looking forward to seeing how they rise to the challenge in Episode Mode.

New stage revealed: Wakanda

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We’re also excited to announce a brand-new stage: Wakanda.

Wakanda is a nation located in Africa, blessed with rich natural landscapes while also standing as a global leader in advanced scientific technology. Traditionally protected by its king, the Black Panther, Wakanda is now ruled by the young Black Panther, Shuri, who has taken on the mantle to defend her people.

New playable character: Hulk

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A green goliath whose strength grows with his rage, Hulk once fought alongside the Avengers to save the world. However, in MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, his overwhelming power and instability lead the government, S.H.I.E.L.D., and even his fellow teammates Captain America and Iron Man, to exile him to the Savage Land.

There, Hulk lives a quiet life, surrounded by nature and animals, but his distrust of the Avengers has yet to fade.

During development, Hulk’s backstory was established early on. While staying true to the core design concept of a massive, gamma-radiated powerhouse, elements inspired by this narrative were incorporated into his design. Hulk adorns himself with dinosaur bone armor toreinforce his feral, untamed fighting style and highlight his raw power.

Hulk can overpower opponents at any range with sheer force. Channeling his anger builds his unique Gamma Gauge. When it reaches maximum, Hulk enters Gamma Rage which significantly boosts his strength and speed.

Build up the Gamma Gauge and unleash devastating one-shot attacks at just the right moment to deal massive damage.

New playable character: Black Panther

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Ruler of the great African nation of Wakanda, Shuri protects her country as the Black Panther. 

Having only recently inherited the mantle, she struggles with doubts about whether she is truly ready for the role. 

As a new threat approaches, Shuri must make critical decisions, not only as a warrior, but as a queen who must balance tradition and progress.

When we decided to include her in the roster, her character backstory was discussed and established early on. Having only recently taken up the mantle of Black Panther alongside her existing role of Wakanda’s chief scientist, Shuri’s design reflects this important transition.

Sleek, athletic lines emphasize a sense of speed befitting an acrobatic fighter, while preserving the primal wildness that defines the role. At the same time, subtle touches of Wakandan royalty are woven into the finer details of her suit, reflecting the weight of leadership she now carries.

In combat, Black Panther excels with swift movement and long reach using the Spear of Bashenga. She possesses a high-speed mobility skill called Bast’s Blessing, allowing her to dash in multiple directions. Bast’s Blessing consumes a dedicated gauge, but it can be canceled from normal attacks and skills, enabling varied and flexible combos and mixups.

Dominate mid-range battles with precise spear attacks, then close the distance with lightning-fast movement to overwhelm opponents up close.

New threat revealed: The Champion

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The latest trailer also introduced a new character: The Champion.

One of the Elders of the Universe, Champion has existed since the birth of the universe and travels the cosmos alongside his right-hand showwoman, Promoter. A cosmic conqueror obsessed with hand-to-hand combat, he journeys from planet to planet in search of worthy opponents.

Those who fail to satisfy his thirst for battle face the ultimate consequence: the destruction of their entire world.

And now, his next target has been chosen: Earth.

Under Promoter’s direction, the “Challenge of the Champion” tournament has been announced. Teams of four will battle through qualifiers, earning the right to face Champion himself. But is there more to this sinister game than just sport? 

The Fighting Avengers enter the tournament as one of its leading contenders. More details about Champion will be revealed soon!

What’s next?

Did you enjoy the hands-on demo at EVO Japan? Thank you so much for all your feedback! We truly appreciate it and it is already helping shape development.

Next up, we’ll be bringing the newest playable build to:

• Combo Breaker 2026, starting May 22 in Chicago, Illinois
• Hong Kong Comic Con 2026, starting May 29 in Hong Kong

The build will include the newly announced Black Panther and the Wakanda stage, for a total of 13 playable characters and five stages. If you’re attending either event, be sure to stop by and try it for yourself!

Development is entering its final stages, and the entire team is working hard every day to deliver the best possible experience at launch.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support! We’ll have more news to share soon!

Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com!

Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here

Hey, everybody! Sid and I are back this week to celebrate the launch of Saros with a special interview featuring Actor Rahul Kohli and Creative Director Gregory Loudeni from Housemarque.

Stuff We Talked About

• Next week’s release highlights:
  
  • Wax Heads | PS5 
  • Mixtape | PS5
    
    
• Arc Raiders PS5 Pro update — The new PS5 Pro update is now available and it brings PSSR upscaling and other enhancements to the third-person extraction shooter.
  
  
• 4:Loop The Scanner boss design — The feature offers a walkthrough of the design process behind this ominous cube from the developers at Bad Robot Games. Learn how staying in motion is key to survival, and how each boss encounter is a unique puzzle. 
  
  
• The Blood of Dawnwalker impressions — Coming to PS5 on September 3, dive into the unique time mechanics where time passes by a little or a lot, depending on your actions. Will you be able to save your family in the 30-day timeframe?
  
  
• NBA The Run gameplay reveal — Get your first look at the high-octane, momentum-based gameplay inspired by classic streetball video games. Make sure your sneakers are laced up for when this game comes to PS5 this June.
  
  
• 007: First Light hands-on — The latest look uncovers how Bond deploys stealth, action, and charm in his origin story. The game launches on PS5 May 27.

The Cast

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Sid Shuman – Senior Director of Content Communications, SIE

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O’Dell Harmon Jr. – Content Communications Specialist, SIE

Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music.

[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

elizado_ shares a plant and book-filled room in When The Past Was Around.

PattyGnand shares Swann laying in bed with her cat in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage.

call_me_xavii shares the comfy quarters of Stardew Valley

 xenobitz shares a grilling picnic in progress in My Time At Sandrock.

KevinFerna43259 shares the titular stray cat taking a nap in Stray.

FuchsFeuer22763 shares a cozy sweater and scarf-based outfit in Infinity Nikki

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: Celebrate
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on May 5, 2026 

Next week, share moments from your favorite game where characters are celebrating. Use #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

For those who want to return, New Game Plus offers a different way to experience that journey again – building on what you’ve already learned and unlocked. 

New Game Plus in Control Resonant allows you to start a fresh playthrough while carrying over much of what you’ve already earned. Your Aberrant upgrades, health and combat ability resource improvements, unlocked supernatural combat abilities, talents, and artifacts all persist into the next run. What does not carry over are traversal abilities, as those remain tied to story progression and how the world unfolds. 

Rebuilding your approach 

One of the goals for New Game Plus is to give players more room to experiment with builds that weren’t possible during the first playthrough, as you cannot unlock everything in your arsenal in one go. 

As you progress, you’ll unlock new talent nodes, expanding how your abilities and Aberrant attacks work together in combat. In addition, New Game Plus introduces new flexibility in how abilities are combined. You’ll be able to equip multiple different combat abilities from the same boss, opening up new combinations and synergies that change how encounters play out. 

It’s not just about becoming stronger; it’s about becoming more precise in how you play. 

Customization systems working together 

One of the ways you can shape your build in Control Resonant is Artifacts, a system we haven’t explored in detail before. Artifacts are equippable items with passive modifiers that allow you to fine-tune your build. They can affect survivability, combat performance, exploration, or the resource economy – and some come with conditions or trade-offs. Rather than being purely additive, they encourage you to tailor your setup for specific situations. 

You can equip up to three artifacts during your first playthrough. In New Game Plus, a fourth slot unlocks, allowing for more complex combinations. 

Artifacts are also tied to the crafting loop in the game. You’ll discover untapped artifacts throughout the world, which can be crafted into usable artifacts in the Gap. As your collection grows, so do your options for adapting your build. 

A world that pushes back 

Returning to Manhattan also means facing a more demanding version of it. 

As you progress through Control Resonant, the world itself evolves. Enemies grow more dangerous, encounters shift, and even familiar fights can take on new dimensions. Some bosses may surprise you with new behaviors, forcing you to rethink strategies that once worked. A fight you handled one way before may require a completely different approach the next time you face it. 

New Game Plus continues that escalation. While you return with more tools and knowledge, the world keeps pushing back – reshaping encounters and raising the stakes as you move forward. 

It’s not just about becoming more powerful. It’s about adapting to a world that refuses to stay the same. 

This is where the depth of your build really matters. The game supports different approaches, but success comes from understanding how those pieces fit together. 

Going back in 

Control Resonant is built to reward returning players, and not everything is necessarily found in a single run. 

It’s an opportunity to revisit World Quests, bounties, and collectibles you may have missed, or see different outcomes in certain side stories and conversations. 

New Game Plus is for players who want to spend more time with the systems and world of Control Resonant. 

The first playthrough already offers a wide range of options and experimentation. Returning to the game allows you to build on that foundation, try different approaches, and take on new challenges with a more complete toolkit. 

We’re looking forward to seeing how players approach their second run – and what new combinations they discover along the way. 

Control Resonant releases on PlayStation 5 in 2026.

I recently went hands-on with 007: First Light across three missions, and saw first-hand how IOI has created a Bond game that combines action with a more thoughtful spy experience.

Bond from the beginning

Unlike the Bond film series, 007: First Light tells a new story, set in the modern era, that delves into Bond’s origins. When we first meet IO’s take on James Bond, he’s serving in the Royal Navy, a crewman on a mission in Iceland. Suddenly, missiles hit the two helicopters on the mission, and they crash on a nearby coastline. Bond makes it to shore and immediately finds himself sneaking past hostile mercenaries as they search for any survivors.

Before long, Bond is contacted via radio by an MI6 operative, and with no one else left, he’s pressed into service to retrieve some mysterious item. The mission gives a sense of Bond’s capabilities — even at this early point in his career, he’s able to keep his cool and analyze the situation thoughtfully, quickly donning a parka to disguise himself among the mercenaries and gather information.

But we also see that this younger Bond isn’t easily swayed from his convictions, and that he can be impatient and maybe a bit reckless. He eventually ignores his new MI6 handler and risks his life to save other operatives who’ve been captured by the enemy soldiers. After a harrowing trip through the camp to save the captives, the mission culminates in an action-packed chase as everyone escapes.

Welcome to MI6

Despite disobeying orders, Bond’s performance in Iceland got him noticed. After First Light’s take on Bond film opening credits, we headed to Malta for MI6 training.

Bond’s goal here is to make it past a group of soldiers patrolling ruins while his instructors look on. You can use stealth, staying behind cover or hiding in tall grass, or go loud with your fists and any weapons you find along the way. You’re also outfitted with Q gadgets, which provide lots of ways of dealing with enemies, both in and out of combat.

Holding L1 activates your Q Lens, which lets you see enemies through walls and highlights devices you can hack by hitting the X button to create distractions. Your watch can also fire a laser with Square to do things like cut ropes or explode devices to injure nearby enemies.

If you are spotted, you can take on enemies with Bond’s fists. Throwing punches is done with the Square button, and you can block and parry blows with Circle or sidestep with X. Timing those moves correctly is essential — even on the easier difficulty settings, First Light’s enemies are brutal fighters, especially when they gang up.

Luckily, Bond’s good at finding ways to gain an advantage. You can bounce enemies off hard surfaces to stun them, or grab nearby objects with Triangle to bash them. Holding L1 also gives you access to all your gadgets during fistfights and gunfights, so you can use your Q Watch’s laser to blind opponents or hack something to knock them off balance, before you come in with a haymaker. With an enemy off-balance, you can execute a takedown to finish them off by pressing X and Circle buttons together.

In the training mission, I felt Hitman’s influence on 007: First Light in its mix of stealth and action, its emphasis on improvisation, and its freedom to approach problems from multiple angles. But 007 stands apart with how many ways you can put together different actions to get out of trouble, and how quickly Bond can switch between all of them. The fun is in chaining together options on the fly to beat enemies down or just slip out of sight.

Practicing the craft

The third mission, Kensington, showed how you’ll need to use Bond’s fast thinking, spy capabilities, and charm as much as his fists and his marksmanship skills.

The level starts with Bond returning to his apartment after a mission, only to be attacked by assassins. After a tough fight, gunfire explodes through a window, forcing you to scramble over rooftops, staying behind cover and hacking distractions, to reach the shooter. 

He escapes, but Bond manages to track him across London to a gala at a museum.

The gala is where 007: First Light drew most from Hitman in my preview, opening up into a “wide-linear” level with lots of options. To find a way into areas off-limits to guests, you can eavesdrop on conversations and talk to characters to gain information. You can also use your gadgets, including a poison dart that temporarily makes whoever it hits feel sick, to distract people so you can pick their pockets or sneak by.

I overheard a public relations director talking about a journalist she was supposed to meet and opted to impersonate him to get past security. But while Bond is a smooth talker, you still have to listen closely; the director had actually mentioned two names, and I had to choose one.

I picked the journalist she’d seemed less annoyed with, and she happily directed me past security to the press room — but when I used the same name at the press room, the woman handing out credentials said he’d already checked in. Bond smoothed over the flub with some flirting, and I used a dart to get the woman to leave so I could steal what I needed.

All kinds of improvisation

Tracking down the assassin in the museum’s basement led to an intense boss fight. Since Bond was unarmed, I stealthily used Bond’s gadgets to hit the assassin with traps, like dropping a chandelier on him. After some developments in First Light’s story, I spent the rest of the mission trying to escape the museum.

When machine gun-armed mercenaries streamed into one art exhibit with walls covered in display panels, I combined all of Bond’s tricks — stealth, fistfighting, gadgets, and improvisation — to take them on. I thinned them out by dropping more chandeliers and blowing up the panels, confusing and disabling them. 

They eventually caught up with me, but a takedown on one let me grab his gun. I dodged from cover to cover as I shot at the mercenaries, before detonating a fire extinguisher with my watch laser to distract them as I slipped out the door.

The mission eventually ended with the 007 theme music ramping up as Bond hijacked a garbage truck, with mercenaries in hot pursuit. I plowed through buildings, ran mercenary cars into walls, and eventually smashed through a mall to escape.

The three missions in the preview highlighted how IOI’s combination of action, improvisation, and freedom captures not only the action of the Bond franchise, but the experience of being a smooth and savvy spy, too. You can earn your 00 status when 007: First Light hits PlayStation 5 on May 27.