'Bond often starts without a gun in the movies, and he can solve that creatively' — 007 First Light combat designer on the method behind its bombastic brawls
How improvisation shapes combat
by https://www.techradar.com/uk/author/dashiell-wood · TechRadarFeatures By Dashiell Wood published 30 April 2026
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Upcoming James Bond game 007 First Light is shaping up to be the ultimate spy fantasy, offering not only satisfying stealth but also bombastic action and combat that combines third-person cover shooting and intense melee brawls.
The fights are frantic and improvisational, qualities that senior combat designer (and self-professed 'director of violence') Tom Marcham argues are deeply rooted in the Bond franchise.
"We didn't want the game to just be guns. We needed close combat, and it needed to be an important part of the game," he said in a recent interview with TechRadar Gaming.
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"Bond often starts without a gun in the movies, and he can solve that creatively. He often runs out of ammo. He is often in really bad circumstances where anyone else would die, and he can turn it around with wits and creativity."
Encounters are shaped by intelligent enemy AI, with guards reacting realistically to your actions in a predictable manner that can be exploited by savvy players. "We make sure our enemies don't want to kill their friends," Marcham revealed.
"If you're in a messy fist fight with someone, they're not going just come in and shoot the other guard, right? But you can use that to your advantage, and just because they don't want to doesn't mean they won't. You can use that to your advantage as well."
According to Marcham, the goal is to create a "crazy loop" of "James Bond-style fight sequences" that escalate realistically. The combat system is designed to be a little tricky at first, with the player's mastery of it reflecting the young Bond's own growth as a spy.
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