Over the years, we have lived vicariously through spy movies that give us glimpses into the world of a trained, professional assassin. And it’s the perfect subject matter for a game, one that the Hitman series has captured and improved upon with every release. The latest instalment of the title came out early in 2016 with a new episodic format. Over the course of the year, five games were released to complete the first season.
What’s it about?
You assume the role of Agent 47, a highly trained professional assassin with a face you will forget in a crowd, a bald head, and tattoo of a barcode on his back. The game starts with a training mission and then moves forward 20 years, circa the events of the last five games in the series. Agent 47 has been travelling across the globe, fulfilling several contracts for a company called the International Contracts Agency. These contracts may seem random, but there is a much darker and sinister connection between them.
The story is told through cutscenes at the beginning and the end of each contract, and for the most part, is a largely forgettable experience. The tone of the story is very European, much like the James Bond films or The Man from U.N.C.L.E. , including the music, styling as well as the environment. Hitman does a fantastic job of transporting you to exotic locations. What it does best, though, is to put you in the shoes of an assassin.
How does it play?
Think of Hitman as a murder simulator where killing your target is not the most important task. It’s all about the approach and the getaway. Each episode plays like a sandbox game in itself. You can go anywhere, do anything and approach the kill from any angle. To help you along, there are various kill opportunities you can use to your advantage. The key to Hitman is the planning. But it also has an uncanny way of letting you improvise along the way. To make things even better, the IO interactive has time-based events and special missions within each sandbox for you to take up. These ‘Elusive Targets’ have to be destroyed within the specified time. For instance, the super-fun Christmas mission has you hunt down robbers Harry and Marv from Home Alone .
Agent 47 will go down in a few shots in a fight, though he can soak up a lot more damage when it comes to fisticuffs. As a result, the stealth and disguise system is extremely fun. The thought and realism put into this is like a puzzle game in itself. For instance, if you choose a labcoat as a disguise, it doesn’t mean you can waltz into a dangerous lab. The other scientists will instantly recognise someone who does not belong. But in a labcoat, guards won’t stop you, so you can roam around freely. Hitman makes you think about your approach and disguise when going about your objectives.
The episodic format has helped a lot in making the game so good, as the developers have taken the feedback and applied it to the design of their subsequent creations. As a result, the game has a lovingly handcrafted feel. The graphics are amazingly detailed, from the richness of Bangkok and Paris to the laidback beauty of Sapienza.
Should you get it?
Hitman is one of the best games you will play this year. With the staggering amount of events that get released, you will keep coming back to it for more. A game that is flawless in every way, it should be on your must-play list.
