007 First Light: How to Get & Use Compound Basement Keys

TL;DR

• The Compound Basement Keys are found in the “Search the Compound” mission in Chapter 2: A New Home.
• Look inside a broken structure where soldiers are watching TV — the key is on the left wall.
• You can sneak in quietly or take out the soldiers first.
• The basement door is down a corridor, to your left after going down the steps.
• Inside, three soldiers guard the room. Use the Q-Watch to distract them.
• The “7 of Roses” playing card collectible is sitting on a pallet inside the basement.

007 First Light: How to Get & Use Compound Basement Keys is something many players get stuck on during Chapter 2. The game gives you a lot of freedom in how you approach missions, and some paths are locked off unless you find specific keys. The Compound Basement is one of those areas. It is optional — but it hides a collectible and gives you an alternate route through the training facility. Here is everything you need to know.

Where Are the Compound Basement Keys in 007 First Light?

The Compound Basement Keys are found at the start of the “Search the Compound” mission in the “A New Home” chapter. As soon as James enters the large compound area of the training facility, he spots a group of soldiers watching a game on TV inside a broken structure.

This happens early in the section. It is hard to miss if you are looking around as you enter the compound. The structure is open and sits right in your path.

How to Get the Compound Basement Keys

You have two options here. You can either sneak around the structure to grab the key without alerting anyone, or take out the soldiers first — depending on which challenge you are trying to complete. Either way, the Compound Basement Keys are found on the left wall of the structure. Simply pick them up, and you will be able to open a locked section of the compound.

Option 1: Sneak In Quietly

If you are going for a stealth or pacifist challenge, do not engage the soldiers. Use the tall grass nearby for cover, stay crouched, and work your way around the edge of the broken structure. Grab the key off the left wall without triggering anyone. This keeps your run clean and avoids any unwanted attention.

Option 2: Take Out the Soldiers First

If you are working on a combat challenge, take down the soldiers watching TV first. Once the area is clear, grab the key from the left wall of the structure. The Q-Lens is useful here for detecting enemies, and you will want to move fast to avoid reinforcements.

How to Use the Compound Basement Keys in 007 First Light

Once you have the key, you need to find the basement door. The path is not entirely obvious the first time, so here is a step-by-step walkthrough.

Step 1: Head Right from the Structure

After picking up the key, take a right from the structure and head across the steps. You will arrive on a balcony where two soldiers are having a conversation.

Step 2: Wait for the Soldiers to Separate

You will need to wait for one soldier to go away before carefully sneaking past behind their backs and crossing the area. Do not rush this part. Patience here keeps your stealth run intact and avoids triggering an alert.

Step 3: Find the Locked Basement Door

At the end of the corridor, go down the steps. You will find the locked door to the basement on your left. This is where the Compound Basement Key comes in. Interact with the door and use the key to unlock it.

Step 4: Enter the Basement and Handle the Guards

Inside, there is a large room with three soldiers. Make use of the various functions of the Q-Watch to distract the guards before heading in to take them down.

The Q-Watch has several tools at your disposal by this point in the game. Use sound-based distractions to pull guards away from their positions, then deal with them one at a time. Going in loud is an option too, but the basement has limited cover, so stealth is the safer route.

What Is in the Compound Basement?

The basement is not just a shortcut. It contains something worth grabbing. On top of a pallet inside the basement, you will find the “7 of Roses” playing card collectible.

Playing cards are one of several collectible types in 007 First Light. The game contains 92 collectibles in total, including 36 Cards, 23 Intel, 14 Mementos, 10 Postcards, and 9 Legacy Items. Finding all collectibles unlocks the “A Collector’s Habit” trophy and achievement.

So if you are going for 100% completion, the Compound Basement is not optional at all. You need that “7 of Roses” card, and this is the only way to get it.

Do You Need the Key to Enter the Basement?

Technically, no — but there is a cost. You can either kick the basement door in or get the key from a nearby enemy on the stairs. Kicking the door in will alert nearby enemies, so if you are trying to stay quiet or complete a stealth challenge, grabbing the key first is the better move. The key also means you do not take a hit to your stealth score for that mission.

Is the Compound Basement Part of a Challenge?

Yes. There are 30 enemies in the Compound that you need to take down for one of the challenges, and the basement counts — there are enemies inside there too. So visiting the basement is doubly useful: you grab the collectible and tick off enemies toward that challenge target at the same time.

The “A New Home” chapter has 11 challenges in total, with the final one being a Completionist reward. You earn the Malta Training Outfit for completing all 10 other challenges in the chapter. Clearing the basement helps push you toward that goal.

Quick Summary: Compound Basement Keys at a Glance

• Chapter: A New Home
• Mission: Search the Compound
• Key Location: Left wall of the broken structure where soldiers watch TV
• Basement Door Location: End of corridor, down the steps, on your left
• Enemies Inside: Three soldiers
• Collectible Inside: “7 of Roses” playing card
• Best Approach: Sneak around to grab the key, then use Q-Watch to distract basement guards

If you are still early in the game and want to know what preorder bonuses and cosmetics you can bring into Tactical Simulations, check out our full guide on 007 First Light preorder and Deluxe Edition items.

007 First Light is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Steam, and Epic Games Store. For more on the game, visit the official 007 First Light page.