The Needle's Eye

The Needle's Eye is Chapter 1 of 007 First Light. Set in Malta, it covers Bond's arrival at the 00 Programme training facility and his formal introduction to MI6 leadership. The chapter introduces social stealth, the bluff dialogue system, the gadget loadout terminal, and the Tactical Simulation Mode terminal.

Quick Facts

Story Beats

After the Iceland prologue, Bond is fast-tracked to the Malta training facility. The chapter walks Bond through introductions with M, Q, Moneypenny, and senior field agent John Greenway. The training facility hosts other 00 Programme candidates whose relationships will recur across the campaign. Bond also meets Selina Tan, who designs the TacSim scenarios.

Gameplay Introduces

• Social stealth in a permissive training environment

• Bluff dialogue system through scripted role-play sequences

• Gadget loadout selection (three slots) at the Q Branch terminal

• Tactical Simulation Mode terminal (Operations and Escalations locked behind story progression)

• Q-Lens activation introduction

Trophies

Chapter 1 holds 1 collectible (the Malta Postcard); the bulk of the early collectibles fall in the later training segment A New Home. The full per-type lists are in the Collectibles articles.

Related Articles

• Chapters

• Malta

• M

• Q

• Moneypenny

• John Greenway

• Selina Tan

• Tactical Simulation Mode

Walkthrough

The Needle's Eye is divided into several named sequences: a brief visit to MI6 headquarters, a car ride to the Malta training camp, a rapid-fire series of training drills, and a climactic brawl against Monroe. The chapter is largely linear and introduces the core movement, driving, shooting, and hand-to-hand mechanics one at a time.

In His Majesty's Secret Service

After the opening cutscene, follow Moneypenny through MI6 headquarters' reception area and into an elevator. You will be brought up to M's office. While waiting outside, you can speak to Miss Ponsonby, though she has little to say. Once she grants access, step inside to meet M and receive your assignment to travel to Malta.

Basic Training

The chapter transitions to Malta with a car ride alongside John Greenway. After stepping out, follow Greenway around the corner to the fighting ring, triggering a cutscene. During the car ride, a Malta Postcard collectible is available (see the Collectibles table below).

Meet the Recruits

After the cutscene at the fighting ring, you face a trainee agent in a brief sparring bout. Use a basic strike (X / Square / LMB). Regardless of how you fight, Greenway will intervene after a short exchange, and another cutscene introduces Bond's new bunkmates.

First Lesson

Follow Monroe down a ramp and onto the dirt track, where trainer Cressida arrives in an Aston Martin. When dialogue ends, approach the car and take the driver's seat. Cressida instructs Bond to complete a lap of the track as quickly as possible. Controls: accelerate with RT / R2 / W; brake with LT / L2 / S; handbrake with X / Square / Space. The driving is arcadey but requires braking or handbraking for tight corners. Complete the lap following Cressida's instructions.

First Drill

The chapter shifts into a rapid training montage. Each drill is presented in sequence; regain control and complete each before the scene cuts to the next.

1. Flag sprint: Vault the wall ahead, hop the gap, turn left and climb the stone steps, boost up the steps, hop the gap in their centre, then grab the flag.

2. Shooting range: Aim with LT / L2 / RMB and fire with RT / R2 / LMB to hit three stationary targets.

3. Dodge training: When a red glint appears over an enemy, press a direction plus A / X / Space to sidestep the incoming grab attack.

4. Parry training: When a yellow glint appears, press B / Circle / Q to parry. Follow each parry with a punch for extra damage.

5. Push-ups: Spam the on-screen prompt to complete the set.

6. Timed obstacle course (30 seconds): Drop left, sprint under the arch, vault the wall, move left through the hole in the wall, vault through the window, and grab the flag.

7. Charge attack: Combine sprint with punch (RB + X / R1 + Square / Shift + LMB) to shoulder-barge your opponent.

8. Moving targets: Shoot all moving targets at the range.

9. Driving segment: Navigate tight turns until reaching the finish line.

10. More push-ups: Complete the prompt sequence again.

11. Shooting-range obstacle course: Drop from the starting platform, approach the crack in the wall, shoot the target between the walls, and squeeze through. When a soldier with a paintball gun opens fire, throw your empty gun at him by aiming and pressing Y / Triangle / G, then chain a disarming takedown with X + A / Square + X / X key. Pick up the soldier's gun and shoot the final target to his left.

12. Grapple training: Hold RT / R2 / E to grapple. From a grapple, throw the opponent (pick a direction and release), deliver a knee strike with the melee button, or charge them into obstacles.

13. Final obstacle course: Hop to the platform ahead, then to the stone pillar. Shoot the target on the platform above, then jump to the platform it rose from. Burst through the blue doors, shoot the first soldier in the leg to stagger him and chain a disarming takedown, then shoot the second soldier in the hand to disarm him. Throw your gun at a third soldier, take down the second, run up the stairs, climb the stone platform, and cross to the flag to finish basic training.

Fight It Out

A cutscene shows Monroe launching Bond into the bunkroom. A QTE sequence begins; hit all prompts to get back on your feet. The full brawl then moves through several rooms: bunkroom, dining room, shooting range, and a scaffolding tower, before ending on a stone wall overlooking the sea.

Monroe cannot be staggered by a single parry. Chain three consecutive parries to break his defence and open him up. Use the environment to your advantage: throw Monroe into bunkbeds and other obstacles, and land grapples to knee-strike him. When Monroe grabs Bond, hit the QTE prompts to continue the fight into the dining room. Apply the same combination of parries, charges, and grapples through each arena. When Bond has dealt enough damage, a final QTE sequence ends the fight and triggers the closing cutscene.

Collectibles in This Chapter