007 First Light: Beginner's Guide — License to Kill System, Mission Ratings, and Stealth Tips
The License to Kill System
License to Kill is 007 First Light's meta-progression. Every completed mission awards points that unlock higher-level access, new gadgets, and narrative branches. The more precisely you operate, the closer Bond gets to official double-0 status.
The system isn't linear: aggressive play can still earn the License via alternate branches — but some options will remain locked.
Mission Ratings
Each mission is graded on stealth, accuracy, and speed. The top rating — '00 Approved' — unlocks exclusive dialogues and extra objectives in subsequent missions. Full completion requires replaying individual missions.
Stealth or Combat?
IO Interactive doesn't force stealth, but rewards it. Open combat drops your rating and changes how characters perceive Bond. On higher difficulties, direct confrontation is significantly more dangerous.
Practical Tips
- Explore Tokyo before each mission — thorough scouting reveals alternate routes
- Prioritize alarm neutralizers with Gadget points — they open silent paths
- Don't skip optional objectives — they award the highest rating bonuses
- Save before major dialogue choices — they affect the next mission
- For '00 Approved' ratings, memorize enemy layouts on a first pass, then execute cleanly