“Hitman,” released this year, is the sixth entry in the Hitman series of games. Developer IO Interactive has succeeded in creating an ever-evolving world of assassination in this new game. The game is being released episodically, with a new level being released each month.
In “Hitman,” you play as the titular hitman known as Agent 47. 47 is a clone engineered to be the perfect soldier, but instead found independence by becoming a professional hired killer. Receiving contracts from the ICA, 47 is tasked in each level to eliminate his targets by any means necessary, but as 47’s contracts continue the ICA notices a pattern in the hits, a pattern that breaks the rules of ICA conduct. 47 finds himself part of a larger conspiracy, and the ICA is none too pleased with being manipulated.
The latest episode “Club 47” takes 47 to a luxury hotel in Bangkok. He is contracted by the family of Hannah Highmore to eliminate indie rock singer Jordan Cross, whom they believe to have murdered their daughter Hannah, and Ken Morgan, the attorney who got Cross acquitted on the murder chargers. Being such a large hotel, 47 has many means at his disposal to complete the contract.
Each level is a large, open-world environment with NPCs each having their own role. Before starting the level, the player may choose how 47 will enter the map, and what gear he will carry. The game is stealth based, with each hit preferably going unnoticed. 47 has many different ways to bypass security, the most iconic of which is his ability to take the clothing of other NPC’s and disguise himself. One such instance could see 47 disguising himself as a waiter to poison a drink, or a guard so he may bypass security and carry weapons openly. Some people will recognize that 47 doesn’t belong, however, and must be avoided.
IO Interactive has succeeded in making a world that seems to be genuinely alive, with players that act and react according to what 47 does in the stage. Security tightens the more his presence is noticed; if he leaves too many bodies, they will be aware someone is killing people and will evacuate the building, usually taking the target to a safe location. 47 has many tools that he may use, ranging from sniper rifles, to poison, to explosives, or his signature strangulation wire. The possibilities to get close to your target for an assassination are numerous.
Unfortunately, the game does have some minor bugs, such as a character’s movement animation freezing, causing them to stand in one spot. The game has crashed on a few rare occasions as well. However, none of these bugs are numerous enough to ruin the game and more are fixed with each coming patch.
Hitman is indeed a great game and any player who is interested in the stealth genre should definitely buy it. The game is $9.99 for each episode, or you can buy all six plus the bonus episodes for a full $60.
