The Past Never Dies, the latest chapter in 007 First Light, sees James Bond and Maya Bond regrouping in Mauritania following recent catastrophic events. Their mission: to pick up the trail of 009 in the pirate city of Aleph, a location that offers a significant degree of player freedom. This guide details the paths through Aleph, outlining every Black Market Opportunity and collectible location.
Beginning the Mission
The chapter opens with a briefing from M, dispatching Bond and Maya to Mauritania. Bond then proceeds to Q-Lab to receive a new watch and earpiece, along with instruction on using the Laser Strap and Flash Mine gadgets. The Laser Strap is particularly noteworthy for its ability to blast open padlocks, revealing secret routes. Players are advised to equip both the Laser Strap and the Phone Dart for optimal progression through the chapter.
After obtaining the necessary gear, Bond heads to Operations for a briefing with Moneypenny before proceeding to the mission.
Arriving in Aleph
Bond drives a Land Rover through the desert to reach the gates of Aleph, a city built around a vast Black Market. Upon entering, Bond becomes separated from Maya. The immediate objective is to reunite with her. A collectible, the 6 Of Bells Card, can be found in a dilapidated bathroom shortly after entering the market. After navigating through the market and a brief brawl that begins when Bond interrupts a group of pirates, Bond finds Maya. Guards reveal that access to Bawma requires raising $100,000 for a private auction, a sum Moneypenny cannot provide.
Aleph Black Market Opportunities
The Black Market in Aleph presents several opportunities to earn the necessary funds. These include:
The Jewel of Jahari
A vendor named Nemala offers $30,000 for the return of her lost ruby. This requires paying $3,500 to Jahar to play his cup game. Using the Q Lens to track the ruby, players can win the game and retrieve the gem.
Shooting Range
Basim's Bullseye Bonanza offers a $30,000 prize for successfully completing the shooting range challenge, which costs $3,000 to enter. The Bawma Intel collectible can be found near Basim's stall.
The Crypto Wallet
This opportunity involves eavesdropping on a conversation about a crypto wallet, performing a proximity hack, and following the individual to a guarded stall. The guard can be distracted by a fan, allowing Bond to hack the wallet. This leads to a larger objective requiring Bond to infiltrate an enemy compound to boost the wallet's signal via an antenna, culminating in a confrontation with a Brute enemy. The ATAC Legacy collectible is found during the parkour segment of this objective.
Fight Pit
Located in the east section of the Black Market, this involves participating in a series of fights. After speaking with organizers and Yasin, Bond must defeat Yasin's trainee to gain entry. The fight pit itself features a gauntlet of opponents, including Specialists and a Brute known as 'The Hammer.' Successfully winning all four fights yields $60,000.
The Ace Of Roses Card collectible can be found in the rooftop gym associated with this opportunity.
Scorpius
This opportunity begins by eavesdropping on soldiers discussing the militia Scorpius. Bond must infiltrate their base near the Black Market entrance. A generator can be used to lure away a guard. Inside, Bond can obtain the 9 Of Acorns Card from a fish tank. The objective continues through a shipping yard to find Container 76. The Mauritania Postcard and Ober Of Acorns Card collectibles are found within this area. After securing the container and dealing with Scorpius agents, Bond earns $52,000.
Pickpocketing Soldiers
Bond can pickpocket soldiers identified by the Q Lens as carrying cash. This provides a quick way to earn funds, particularly useful for meeting the buy-in fees for other opportunities.
Entering the Auction
Once $100,000 is raised, players can proceed to the auction. A Memento collectible, Pirate Grillz, can be acquired just before departing for the auction. At the auction house, Bond must help a DJ with a technical issue by fixing a generator and speaker, which involves finding a fuse and inserting it into a green box. Following this, Bond attends the auction, where a story-driven segment involves sabotaging a polygraph test using the Q Lens.
Aleph's Port
After the auction, Bond must infiltrate Aleph's Port to reach 009's boat. The section involves stealthily navigating through the port, using distractions like the fuse box to take down guards. A sequence on a freighter requires careful movement past guards and disabling a security camera. The route includes ziplines and platforming sections, with a fan used to dispatch multiple enemies at one point. The final approach involves bluffing a guard to exit the port.
Finding 009
Upon reaching 009's boat, Bond must disarm several tripwires rigged with grenades. The chapter then introduces laser tripwires, visible only when illuminated by environmental factors like sprinklers or dust. Players must carefully navigate these traps, using taps to activate sprinklers and crouching or vaulting to avoid the lasers. The Banner Of Shields Card collectible is found near the start of this section. After navigating the laser grid, Bond enters a cabin to examine a crime scene, discovering a conspiracy board and a crucial shipping logo.
Leaving Aleph and the Shipwreck
Bond departs Aleph via his Land Rover, with a challenge available for performing a jump while driving through a freighter. Bond and Maya must also lower a bridge by activating two mechanisms. Later, they encounter a shipwreck. Using the Q Lens to identify symbols, Bond enters the vessel and must lower a raised bridge. This involves disarming traps and navigating through the ship. The 6 Of Shields Card collectible is found near the raised bridge. With Greenway's assistance, Bond accesses 009's secret stash before armed soldiers raid the boat.
Escaping the Wreck
The final segment involves intense combat within the shipwreck. Players must fight through multiple rooms filled with enemies, utilizing cover and explosives. A sniper perch offers a vantage point to eliminate enemies below with a powerful rifle. The escape culminates in a narrow channel with flimsy cover, followed by a final scripted ambush where Bond must hold off an endless swarm of soldiers. This concludes the chapter, revealing a significant conspiracy and setting the stage for future events.