Here I am again with another old school game review. Given we have Hitman 3 to look forward to on 20 January, it felt appropriate to revisit where IO Interactive’s World of Assassination series started. But before I do that, a very brief history of the Hitman game series…
We first met the now iconic Agent 47 way back in 2000, and since then, he has appeared in ten games and two films. The Hitman games have tended to vary over the years, depending on the developers and publishers handling the title. As is typical of most game series’, graphics and richness of storytelling have only grown stronger with each new release. But one element has remained key: stealth.
Square Enix and IO Interactive gave us Hitman in 2016, the first in what was to become the World of Assassination trilogy. Followed by Hitman 2 in 2018, the third entry, Hitman 3 will land in January 2021 and complete the series. The series follows Agent 47 around the globe, doing what he does best. Underlying each assassination is a story, spanning the entire three games, slowly revealing more and more to us about the mysterious hired killer. Fret not, as always, you will find no spoilers here…
Hitman 1 and 2 took the basis of the Hitman idea and turned it into a deep, layered, tactical stealth adventure. With varied targets, stunning maps and almost limitless strategies to explore, these games will assure you hours and hours of entertainment. No two missions feel alike, with developers really going the extra mile to make each one visually and emotively unique.
The controls are simple and logical (reminder that I’m a PC gamer, who uses a laptop for everything; so, if you are using a console, they’ll likely be even easier). The game also has this masterful way of guiding you, whilst also encouraging you to experiment and explore without assistance, via an in-game challenge system, rewarding you for successfully completing certain actions and tasks.
Throw in some tongue in cheek black humour, loathsome targets that are a joy to dispatch, and fun Easter Eggs to unlock, and you’re in for one hell of a good time. Another gem of these games is the escalations, which will have you needing to rethink your entire practiced strategy by pitting you against new targets on the map, and adding special restrictions to give you even more of a challenge.
I cannot recommend Hitman 1 & 2 highly enough. These games have truly set the standard for what stealth gaming should be. Strategic, clever, and never boring. If you haven’t played them yet, do yourself a favour and check them out. You will be glad you did.
Harley's Madhouse 