Beginner's Guide

The short version for a first run of 007 First Light: play on Intended, scan every new area with the Q-Lens, eavesdrop before you act, keep Instinct topped up through takedowns so a bluff is ready when you are caught, and ration your batteries and chemicals. Nothing in the game is missable, so you can play the story for its own sake and sweep up the Collectibles later with Chapter Select. These 20 tips come from guide sites and reviews, each credited and dated, and are current for Hotfix 1.3.2 (Oct 29, 2026). The systems behind them are on Stealth and Disguises, Gadgets and Combat and Takedowns.

Quick facts

Sources: Beebom, May 26, 2026; PowerPyx trophy guide and collectibles guide, May 26, 2026; Game Rant, May 26, 2026; GamingBolt, May 26, 2026.

Before you start

1. Play on Intended. Beebom says the developers recommend Intended for a first playthrough; Novice removes gadget cooldowns and Purist makes enemies much stronger. Difficulty does not affect trophies. See Difficulty Settings.

2. Download the patch, then play offline if you like. GamingBolt reports the campaign plays offline after one online patch download, while TacSim updates and leaderboards need a connection.

3. Check the accessibility menu. It has full remapping, hold toggles, automatic climbing and vaulting, and subtitle size, color and background options, per Can I Play That?. Details on Accessibility and Controls.

Stealth and Spycraft

3:03 4. Scan with the Q-Lens constantly. It is always available and costs nothing, and it marks hostiles, resources and points of interest, plus pickpocket targets and anything the Q-Watch can hack (Game Rant).

5:03 5. Eavesdrop before you act. Overheard conversations become Opportunities, and you choose which leads to follow. Most objectives have several routes.

6. Pickpocket keycards instead of fighting. Spycraft is built on lifting keycards and badges from guards to open new areas, and COGconnected found NPCs ignore nearby pickpocketing.

4:37 7. Keep Instinct topped up. Instinct pays for luring guards, bluffing and slow-motion aim, and it refills through takedowns and mission tasks, so take out a guard or finish an objective before you walk into a bluff.

6:09 8. Bluff when caught, but not everyone. A button press improvises an excuse; bluffs are limited, and headstrong enemies cannot be talked down.

9. Do not try to hide bodies. Guard bodies cannot be moved, so pick takedown spots away from patrol routes.

10. Getting caught is not failure. Game Rant found being spotted "rarely a death sentence", and full stealth is never required; when it falls apart, fight your way through.

Gadgets and resources

6:49 11. Ration batteries and chemicals. One gadget use can spend half a reserve or more, and refills are spread around each level. Pick up every battery and chemical you see.

2:37 12. Choose your loadout at the Q-Lab table. You carry only a few gadgets, and the choice changes how a situation plays. You cannot swap mid-mission until New Game Plus adds Gadget On Demand.

13. Keep the Laser Strap equipped once you have it. PowerPyx's advice from its Chapter 9 onward, since several collectibles sit behind padlocks only the Laser can open.

14. Hold L1 (LB) to find collectibles. With the Q-Watch, holding it highlights nearby collectibles in yellow, per PowerPyx.

Combat

15. Parry on the icon. Enemies show a red or yellow icon before they strike; answer with a parry, side-step or counter.

16. Use the room. Slam enemies into walls and tables, throw mugs and empty guns, shoot explosive barrels and steam pipes. Ammunition runs low in long shootouts, so do not rely on the gun.

17. Avoid big brawls. One on one is easy; groups of about six enemies get claustrophobic, and GamingBolt found crowds hard "even on Normal".

Collectibles, challenges and replays

5:29 18. Play the story first; nothing is missable. All 92 collectibles and every trophy can be had later: Chapter Select opens after the story and jumps to any checkpoint, and collectibles save the moment you pick them up. Only real collectibles show a gray bookmark icon and "New Collectible", so ignore look-alikes. See Collectibles and Trophies and Achievements.

19. Mind the single autosave. The game keeps 1 autosave and 5 profile slots for new playthroughs. PowerPyx suggests backing up your save before the last collectible of each type.

8:56 20. Start TacSim after Chapter 6. Escalations open after PowerPyx's Chapter 6 and Operations after the story, and the first Escalation is a one-minute tutorial. TacSim challenges are online only and pay the Intel that buys weapons, outfits and gadget upgrades. PowerPyx's trophy tip: finish TacSim's other three trophies before grinding Clearance Level 3 with quick challenges. See TacSim.

After the credits

Finishing the story unlocks New Game Plus and the 00 Difficulty (both since update 1.3.0, Oct 1, 2026), which keep your unlocked outfits and gadgets. Story missions also carry challenges tied to how you get past each obstacle, a reason to replay a chapter another way. The free TacSim additions, Valhalla Protocol and Jungle Heist, are covered on Extended Operations.

Frequently asked questions

What should I know before playing 007 First Light? Nothing in 007 First Light is missable, the Q-Lens shows everything worth finding, Instinct refills through takedowns, and gadget resources run out fast. Play on Intended for a first run.

Can you miss collectibles in 007 First Light? No. Every collectible and trophy in 007 First Light can be collected later through Chapter Select, which opens after the story, and collectibles save on pickup.

When does TacSim unlock in 007 First Light? TacSim's Escalations open after PowerPyx's Chapter 6 and its Operations after the story. 007 First Light's TacSim challenges need an online connection.

Can you play 007 First Light offline? Yes, the 007 First Light campaign plays offline after the first online patch download. TacSim challenges, leaderboards and some cosmetics need a connection.

Does 007 First Light have manual saves? No source describes manual saves: 007 First Light keeps one autosave and five profile slots for new playthroughs, per PowerPyx.

Sources

• Watch over 30 minutes of 007 First Light gameplay, launching March 27, 2026, PlayStation Blog (Yann Roskell, IO Interactive), Sep 3, 2025
• 007 First Light, 15 More Things to Know Before Launch, GamingBolt, May 26, 2026
• 007 First Light Review, Game Rant, May 26, 2026
• 007 First Light review: Tomorrow Never Dies, Shacknews, May 26, 2026
• All 007 First Light Difficulty Settings Explained, Beebom, May 26, 2026
• 007 First Light Trophy Guide & Roadmap, PowerPyx, May 26, 2026
• 007 First Light All Collectible Locations Guide, PowerPyx, May 26, 2026
• 007 First Light Review, PlayStation LifeStyle, May 27, 2026
• 007 First Light Review, Target Mostly Acquired, COGconnected, Jun 2, 2026
• 007 First Light Review, TheSixthAxis, Jun 4, 2026
• 007 First Light accessibility review, Can I Play That?, Jun 9, 2026
• Prove Your 00 agent Skills!, IO Interactive on Steam, Oct 8, 2026
• 007 First Light: 6 Ways to Master Stealth, IGN, May 27, 2026 (video)
• 007 First Light - 007 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting, IGN, May 27, 2026 (video)
• 007 FIRST LIGHT - Every Tip I Wish I Knew From The Start!, Boomstick Gaming, May 26, 2026 (video)