9.12.2012

I love the Hitman series. My personal favourites are Hitman : Silent Assassin and Blood Money. But Absolution is really getting close.You have to admit this game is indeed a lot different than the previous games. There are more lineair levels, which Agent 47 has to go drom point A to point B. Sometimes he hasn't got to kill of a target, but at other times, while he tends his way to the exit, he has to kill a couple of targets (for the Hitman fans, think about levels the last mission in Contracts and the two Japanese snowlevels in Hitman Silent Assassin, but then less frustrating off course) Like in the other ones, there are many ways to kill a target. You can burn him, shock him, wire him,push him, shoot him, poisen him, explode him.... the choises are great.The whole Hitman franchise is actually a really cold series with not so many cutscenes and straight to the top gameplay. This game however tells a story with many cutscenes and you see Agent 47 doing things you'll never noticed in the previous games. He's driving cars, he eats an apple, the look in his eyes is really human this time, yes you heard me, agent 47 is more human in this game than he is in the others.The story is okay. Hitman must protect a girl named Victoria. The Agency is after the girl and when she's been missed, Agent 47 takes revenge on every man who has something to do with the case Victoria. Another difference, the targets are not targets by clients but there are your own targets. Absolution is more like a personal trip. Absolution counts 20 missions with two-three very short missions. Some missions are less good and other missions (like Run For Your Life, The King Of Chinatown, Shaving Lenny, Attact Of The Saints, Blackwater) are really top notch.Agent 47 moves a little better than in the previous games. He can now climb ledges, switch from cover, grabbing targets and pull them over rails etc... His technique has been improved, it's like he was taking lessons from Sam Fisher. This makes shooting a lot more realistich (and more difficult) in this one. Agent 47 can also mark targets (like in Red Dead Redemption or Conviction) and shoot the targets one by one (it's up to the player if you are going to do this or not, it's not my cup of tea dough). It's a pitty that in the story 47 gives away his guns, so in the earlier missions you actually don't have your silverballs, but the tools for killing enemies are endless... Knives, screwdrivers, axes, statue heads, wires, scissors... Really you can make a big mess out of there. I hear you saying; 'but isn't that going to affect your score on the end?' Well.. Let me talk later about the rating system in the game...Istead of a map of the area, you have your instinct (Compare it with Detective Mode in the Batman games) where you can see point of interests (those are the exclamation marks in the previous games). These could be; Credit cards, a way to kill off a target, an entrance through a building, a disguise etc... I loved the map in the other Hitman games, but i'm happy with instinct. If you don't wanna use it, than don't do it or play the game at the purist-difficulty without HUD and instinct.What I really don't like about the game is what the creators have done with the disguises. In the earlier years, agent 47 could grab a disguise and he can go everywhere he want (except the places where you are not allowed with that particulary disguise off course...), now people can SEE THROUGH your disguises. That means, if you are wearing a police officer disguise, other police officers will notice you and find you very suspicious because they don't know you. On the other hand, okay that's realistic but the fact how you can solve this problem is really childish. You have to turn your instinct on , and agent 47 than covers his face of hide his barcode when he's nearing a guy wearing the same outfit. I think when you do that in real life it makes you even more suspicious, but that's just me.The rating system is different than in the other games. Sometimes there are missions you can't play with a Silent Assassin rating. That's because you have to pay attention to the points you're making. The points are displayed in the left upper corner. Each mission you start out with 0 points. You can make point by stealing evidence, and off course reaching an objective or killing off a target. Sometimes there are just levels where you have to go from point A to point B, so you only gonna have points for reaching the exit and taking the evidence. That's not enough for Silent Assassin even dough you have zero ratings and you've done it with the Agent 47 outfit. Each point limit has a rating. For example, if you reach 20.000 points, you have professional, but if the level does only have 10.000 points , you will be specialist and is this the best rating for the mission.You can lose points by being spotted, kill off innocent people, bodies that has been found etc... Now I did tell you there were many tools to kill just persons for plain fun. The thing is; it doesn't affect your rating at all. If you are killing a guard (NOTE A GUARD NOG AN INNOCENT MAN) with an axe, you lose like 180 points. In the upper left corner you have now ; -180 points. But if you hide the body , you get your 180 points back and you have again 0 points. You get what I'm saying? This time the rating doesn't count the zero's on your list , but just counts the points. So when you really want to be a mad hitman, you can kill off guard in many ways you want... if you hide the body off course.One modus that makes the game even more fun is the Contracts Mode. Here you can take a mission from the story, you can mark to three targets and choose an exit. Off course you have to do the Contract by yourself before you it is created. If you've marked a policeman and you kill him with a vase and no disguise , the other players who wants to play your contract has to do it with exact the same tool and the disguise, otherwise they will loose points. When you've created your contract you see the extra conditions the players have to do. These conditions contains; Hide all bodies (so if you've hide all the bodies in your contract you've got this condition) , don't be spotted, no disguise changes, kill only targets, do not miss any shots etc... After that you can choose a title for your contract and you can write a little bit of background what your contract is about.Hitman Absolution is a fun game. I'm playing my second playthrough and that's the power of any Hitmangame... that you want to play it again and play your favourite missions multiple times. It's different... but if you can live with the difference, it is a great game. In the beginning i too was sceptical and i found it a little weird that it's not like the other games. But I've learned to live with it and I enjoy it each time I play it. And if you have enough of the story, there is always a Contract Mode where you can to tons of missions, created by other gamers.As last I'm going to put a top 5 Hitman list below , just to see where absolution stands.1) Hitman Blood Money2) Hitman Silent Assassin3) Hitman Absolution4) Hitman Contracts5) Hitman Codename 47But all of them really are good games and it's my favourite game franchise ever.

3.1.2013

I've been a pretty big fan of the Hitman series since the second instalment. I have many good memories from the series' illustrious and detailed environments, infiltrating a comprehensive assortment of locales with deadly precision. Codename 47 is a 'legendary' assassin whose clinical efficiency has enabled players to feel like the ultimate badass. Until Absolution.I will come straight out and say this is not a bad game. It has high production values, competent gameplay, a fairly long campaign and an intelligent multiplayer mode that should provide plenty of replay value. For Hitman newbies especially this is something different and it's worth checking out. But Hitman purists are going to be divided on this one,because it makes some uncomfortable changes.First of all, it's important to note that the series has always been popular due to it's open worlds that allow plenty of user freedom in approach. It's a stark contrast then for Absolution to contain many levels in which the objective is a linear path between point A and B. Granted, these often work somewhat within the confines of the story, but they're boring in comparison to the trademark Hitman levels we've all come for. The slightly more open environments that are included in the game aren't the series' best either. The truth is, they just aren't that good or diverse.My biggest gripe though is just how plain dumb the game occasionally becomes. Magically changing into someone's clothes withstanding, the Hitman franchise has always been a smart action game.. one that makes the player feel cunning and resourceful. But there are some key issues here that really detract from that formula. The biggest of which is the developed disguise system, which at times feels outright broken. To my memory, wearing a disguise has never been full-proof, but provided you acted accordingly and didn't get *too close* to other NPC's, you could slip by important areas unnoticed. Now a detection meter appears whenever you are in eyesight of a character (and sometimes even when you're not). This meter shoots up so substantially that sometimes wearing a disguise alone doesn't even make much of a difference than to your trademark suit. What's more irritating is that crouching around behind tables directly next to an enemy is apparently less conspicuous than walking around with a covered face 20+ meters away. This is all especially annoying in levels that seem to force you to take disguises in order to access vital areas.There are other issues too. Upon taking a human shield I've seen police just continue to shoot me regardless (and the 'shield' doesn't seem to even take any of the bullets) and on other occasions seen them open fire automatic weapons into crowds of civilians. Little things like this pull you out of the experience and make the game feel clumsy - Which is a real shame, because every now and then you'll come across a level that really wants you to explore and immerse yourself in the situation.What's more, the game now contains a tightly followed story. Honestly, I can't hand any credit to it whatsoever because it not only hits plenty of cliches, but generally doesn't make any sense nor fit the Hitman universe whatsoever. 47, a biologically created assassin generally devoid of emotion, takes out a contact on his long time employer only to carry out her dying wishes in sentimental fashion only minutes after killing her. He is tasked with protecting a young girl that has obviously been through some scientific experimentation, but actually does a pretty bad job of it. Not to mention the fact that very little is ever really explained about this girl until late on in the game. It's just not a very compelling motivation in my opinion and doesn't give enough reason to fuel such linearity. What's more, there are several instances in which 47 literally gets bonked on the head in Hollywood fashion, knocking him unconscious like some kind of chump, completely out of the players control.. even after single handedly sieging an entire building full of armed guards. This from a man who has personally executed Mafia bosses, military leaders and has even glided his way through the white house, gathering international acclaim as a ghost-assassin. It's lazy storytelling.The contracts mode however is a very good addition to the series. It enables players to go through the single player missions with entirely different targets and objectives, based on other players requirements. Every action is scored and therefore players and friends can compete a contract for who can be the best assassin. Creating contracts is just as fun as completing others and the whole mode adds a large amount of replay-ability to levels which you may think you had completely sussed out. The mode isn't perfect, but it's a great addition that I hope to see expanded in future entires....Back to the big picture, Hitman Absolution is still a good game. It still has classic Hitman moments and it's definitely still worth playing. However, it's not the game it could or should have been and it's not the best game in the series by a fair margin. Out of 10 I'd give it a 7-8, when really I expected and wanted a 9. As such, I'm way more excited for the Hitman HD Trilogy coming soon.

20.11.2012

Over the last few weeks we've met a variety of characters including Connor (Assassins Creed 3), the Master Chief (Halo 4) and David Mason (Black Ops 2). Now its time to meet Codename 47 (or Agent 47 if you prefer).Codename 47 is back and he's never felt so deadly. I found myself quite surprised as this is definitely the first Hitman game that I've played with a clear narrative, I won't spoil the story but I'll just say that much as we see in Halo 4, we see a much more human side to the bald headed death dealer. I really enjoyed the story even though at times it can be a bit cringe worthy and found myself somewhat surprised by the insane tutorial mission and genuinely gripped by the following levels.I've had the game on Xbox since Saturday, I ordered it from Shopto.net and the single player campaign took me 13 hours to complete, the game is frustratingly satisfying and has more in common with a puzzler than most third person shooters.The gameplay in Hitman Absolution is every bit as brutal, refined and deadly and is just what the doctor ordered. It offers both the novice and experienced Hitman players numerous ways to dispose of their target. This time around the IO have given us multiple opportunities to use a variety of accident kills, whether its a disco ball falling on a target or a giant skeleton you find literally thousands of ways to dispose of your targets littered round levels. And just in case all hell breaks loose there is a full cover system so you don't have to run around shooting people you can pick enemies off from cover. The new additions the addition of instinct meter which allows you too mark and execute targets using a similar system to what we saw in splinter cell conviction, I found that although the premise of this was exciting, I preferred the suitably named Precision Shot addition. If I'm honest I miss the traditional Hitman map and didn't really take to the X-ray vision but this wasn't a deal breaker. The controls are well implemented and the games engine feels cutting edge, you won't find yourself blocked by immovable boxes or restricted by lame game mechanics and I can honestly say that IO interactive have succeeded in creating a living breathing world filled with believable NPC's and deserving targets.I remember playing through Blood Money and being blown away by the graphics when I first got a 360 and I feel exactly the same about Hitman Absolution. The newly crafted Glacier 2 system is awesome, the graphics are brilliant and remind me more of a glossy comic book. You will find yourself viewing the games world as somewhat twisted caricatured alternate reality with the remorseless 47 serving as your vehicle of exploration. On the 360 you'll see that textures are smooth, animations are beautifully organic and lighting is just right. I I am aware that IO have made comments about the game needing a next gen console to be at it best but i found that my Xbox coped with Hitman brilliantly. The game is truly an achievement and the solid frame rate will put other stealth em-ups to shame.So you've finished Hitman what's next? Welcome, Contracts mode. This is the games multiplayer offering and when I say multiplayer I mean you challenge your friend to finish levels with a higher score. In this mode, you can create contracts for your gamer account friend list and challenge them to assassinate targets that you have specified in the way you specify. Contracts is great and I am sure will be a real hit with the Xbox Live community. A few people on my friend list have set what they are referring to as impossible contract and evidently there is a lot of fun to be had with this mode.Hitman is a stealth game which rewards experimentation over following a strict route the open ended levels and immense scale of the game make this a must play for all gamers. Is Hitman Absolution better than Hitman Blood Money, the answer is yes and no. If you play on normal if definitely much more forgiving but ramp it up to Purist and you'll find yourself playing levels at a cautious pace. I loved every minute of Hitman and intend to replay it once more using much more aggressive tactics. The campaign is massive but it isn't without its faults, the disguise system took a bit of getting used to and the sharp A.I. took me by surprise but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Hitman as worthwhile purchase.Score: 8/10Summary+ Playing as Codename 47 will make you feel like the Jackal.+ The open ended approach to sandbox levels and missions.+ Contracts mode adds almost unlimited replay value.- Strange Disguise system overhaul.- There are some small object interaction bugs.- Odd Checkpoint System.

24.11.2012

Having played all of the older Hitman games (Blood Money - has got to be my favourite for the level of customisation on offer), I can honestly say I'm not disappointed with this game.I'll try to keep this review as spoiler free as I can...The gameplay has plenty of stealth aspects to it and I haven't had any trouble with disguises and being spotted too quickly. Agent 47 is "the" hitman from the previous games, and you definetly feel as though you're playing this character. I particularly like how you can mould yourself to a wall or a furniture unit using the B button and this gives you breathing space whilst you decide how best to take out the enemy(s)in front of you.This would be a good place to mention that in previous games I always had difficulty with using knives and such on targets, instead of using a silenced silverballer from a distance), however the game mechanic is really cool when you throw a knife or other object - you'll really enjoy this!The weapons are varied and initially I was disappointed that I had to make do with only specific weapons for some missions (but online reviews which are numerous explain better why this is so, and you do understand why you can't always use your favourite silenced weapon for some missions).The environments are stunning and beautifully textured (this is one of the first Xbox games I have come across where the frame rate does not drop or there is texture ripping); I think the developers have created some truly breathtaking living/breathing levels. Some of the missions you do, you will be like OMG for the level of detail involved and how beautiful the environments look.I'm not too concerned with going back to a previous part of the level, which I've already been through (we can always replay missions after all).The people around you adapt well to you and the game. I remember one particular mission where I was hiding in a crowd, and I was stood next to a man with a mobile who was telling someone on the other end that an entire area has been cordoned off, and the police (armed with automatic weapons) are not letting anyone leave the area, but the man doesn't know why the police are there, only that several people have been killed nearby. I stood for a few minutes just listening to the conversation which was so surreal, it really added a further level of realism to the game, and was a brilliant touch.It's really good also how everyone is all nice and calm until you grab someone and use them as a human shield (then the nearby police turn up, asking you to take things nice and easy) - mind you this doesn't stop some trigger happy cops from starting a fire fight right there and then in a busy area (If I didn't put a bullet in him, he would have been stripped of his job and pension anyway for starting a bloodbath).There are lots and lots of ways to complete your mission and use specific items around you.One thing I really like about this game is that there is not constant respawning of cops or bad guys (if you give them chance to call backup), then they will do so and another unit will turn up a few minutes later (plenty of time to allow you to change your direction of attack); but after awhile this stops and you can clear an area and move on.I also really liked how the the AI used does not automatically find you (when a new wave of enemies appears they use searchlights to try and find you, but more often than not they come across a body you deliberately left lying around as a distraction). Taking out the lights in enclosed buildings is a really good idea for cover.I think Hitman Absolution has immense replay value (I won't comment on Contract missions part as I do not have Xbox Live Silver/Gold, and have not played it).I would have liked to have picked my own weapons for missions (as in previous games) but this is only a minor niggle, and does not detract for being immersed in such a fantastic game.Definetly a 5* game!

2.4.2013

Finally, after six years Agent 47 makes his triumphant return. Does this latest adventure achieve success or has it been marked for failure?Hitman Absolution picks up not long after Blood Money's conclusion where Agent 47 is betrayed by his handler at the ultra secretive agency, the story begins with the assassin in a difficult position that will outline the entire context of the story that proceeds. The story is well written and even manages to inject a little humour into its somber backdrop to its credit. The voice acting is of good quality and thankfully Dave Bateson returns as 47 which was for a time uncertain, purists become attached and rightly so.The disdain with the decision of Ubisoft in axing the voice of Michael Ironside as Sam Fisher has drawn widespread criticism for changing a winning formula.Anyway, perhaps the biggest difference that you will notice with Absolution are the graphics. Blood Money was not a bad looking game but this takes it to the next level. The Glacier 2 engine looks fantastic and the crowds come to life even more than they did in Blood Money which were already impressive.Now, to some drawbacks. The hideout of old is gone and as a result you're stuck with whatever weapons 47 can find in a given level. On the other hand, the contracts mode allows you to stipulate all those formalities, provided that you have found the weapons in game. Alternatively, they can be bought with credits which can be obtained through playing the campaign and contracts, but more on contracts later.Purists may find Hitman too forgiving when compared to previous versions. Once again the "holding hands" approach of Square Enix titles does appear. The argument is a little stretched in that all the hints can be turned off and the gluttons for punishment can always opt to play on expert if they do desire.The layout of levels is also perhaps too guided for some. Although it is entirely the player's choice, the challenges within the game give hints of how certain things can be done within a level. This allows experimentation but also erodes the uncertainty and trial by error of previous versions.There are few negatives though overall and one of the biggest positives of Absolution would be the contracts mode. Instead of bolting on some lifeless multiplayer expansion, IO Interactive have created something unique and this should be applauded. The premise of contracts mode is to go through a level in the campaign but you choose the targets and the conditions of which the contract must be completed. Not only does it add replay value to the game but it also allows the player to be creative, akin to say the Forge in the Halo Universe. It's not that deep but is a start and at least IO Interactive have chosen to do something different when they could have gone in a different direction.---Summary---Graphics 9 Some of the best graphics on the system the engine looks great and melds with the graphics really well with some occasional hiccups.Sound 9 Top notch voice acting throughout with all the right sound effects to match. Conversations within the game world add further to a great orchestral score.Gameplay 8 Simplified it is but the player can still set the difficulty, therefore any challenge can be accounted for.Lifespan 8 Solid campaign clocking in at around 10-15 hours. The contracts mode adds replay value in addition to replaying the campaign.Hitman Absolution was worth waiting for. It is perhaps the most accomplished Hitman title to date and whilst things are signposted more than they were previously, this can still all be changed by the player which is crucial. Hitman is as fun as ever, here's hoping this is built upon as opposed to turning the series into a yearly "churned out" update. 9/10.

22.12.2012

I didn't like this game to be honest, mind saying that it's all I've played since I got it. I finally, not very convincingly, completed all the levels in the game, which is quite an achievement for me, especially as I found it hard in places (even on Easy mode - there are others, namely Normal, Hard, Expert and Purist) There are a couple of boring levels in the game too, namely end of the road, where you can kill your victim or drive away and leave him, and a level based in a tailor shop where the aim of the level is to get a suit. The addition of checkpoints, only up to hard level, saves you from having to start the level again, however, weirdly, if you kill a character in the game,

27.5.2013

Hitman, a game of patience, tactics, adaptability and survival. However if you have never been a fan of the hitman series because of there difficulty fear not this latest game caters for the call of duty, splinter cell conviction players out there. As agent 47 you're a man who has no name just a number and has spent all his life learning to kill with guns, knifes (and in this game) plungers, that's right PLUNGERS. You start the game by taking out the woman who all ways gave you your assignment in the previous games Diana as she has turned against the agency, in a well scripted plot agent 47 unravels the true and is fighting 'the organisation' (the people who trained him)

27.11.2012

So it's been 6 years since Blood Money was released. I've been waiting for this game for a long time and it was worth the wait I can say. The graphics have improved A LOT compared to previous Hitman games. There is also online game play called "Contracts" as well which I'm still getting used to.The good points:Graphics - major improvement compared to last gamesCampaign - the story actually makes clear sense this time. You know what the game is about. I remember playing Hitman: Contracts on PS2 in 2005 I think and I never actually figured out the plot until like a year after completing the game (unless I'm just thick!)It's more realistic in some situations, for example in Blood Money,

23.11.2012

As a massive fan of the Hitman series I was first in line to pre-order my copy of Absolution when it was announced. After what seemed like years of waiting, delays and put-backs it finally landed and in my opinion it does not disappoint. The next gen graphics are brilliant minus a glitch here or there, but these aren't regular and don't do enough to be considered a flaw of the game. The sound effects and voice acting are also top shelf. One criticism I do have of this though, is the amount of talking 47 does do! The character I love shoots first and well... doesn't bother to ask questions. It does seem like the developers have tried a bit too hard with the back story,

6.12.2013

As a fan of the previous Hitman game collection this game was a must buy (and a bargain!)It does differ in regard to the newly added "Instinct Mode" whereby you can slow down time/more effectively blend into your surroundings with your disguise which I believe is a positive for the game.There's also the new feature of 'create a contract' where you can choose a level and choose the weapons/criteria/targets for the level making the game endless in terms of the possible missions and playing styles. Adding to this is the online function of taking part in competitions either created by yourself or by others online where you are ranked on a national/global table with the score you achieved.

26.11.2012

Its been ages since the last Hitman game and I was really looking forward to this instalment in the Hitman series.This game is very different to the previous games by adding a half decent plot into the mix rather then in the previous games where the plot was paper thin. The storyline involves 47, Diana his handler and Victoria. I dont want to spoil the storyline for anyone but it isnt a ground breaking plot but it is enjoyable.Gameplay wise there has been alot of improvements the Loading Times are excellent, the new stealth kill animations are fantastic and it has another awesome soundtrack. The only down side is that they have broken up most levels into several areas.

4.12.2012

Its been a long wait but Agent 47 is back and is better then ever. Absolution is different from previous games and feels more like a movie and there are more cut scenes then previous games. I like the direction IO Interactive have taken and it really helps bring the story alive.Absolution still remains true to its roots, stealth gameplay is back and there is even more sneaking then ever. As with other hitman games you can play this how you want. You can go in all guns blazing or remain hidden its up to you. I personally like to play as a Silent Assassin and try to make things look like an accident. There is a scoring system now so depending on your actions will depend on your score.You now have a mini map in your HUD,

25.12.2012

With this being Christmas day (lord knows why i'm reviewing!)I received Hitman Absolution this morning. after a day of playing I'm both entertained and amazed. Let me list all the benefits of Agent 47's latest encounters:-Graphics, the graphics in the game are unbelievably incredible, 47 looks like a really man, and he is walking round a real cave, a real city, or a real china town. With genius engines and design, the world is immersible and very very entertaining!-Tools, 47 does not only use his silverback pistols (duel wielded of course) he uses everything around him, bottles, cans, scissors, knives, bomb chambers? to defeat his contracts.

20.11.2012

I'm gonna keep this short as I've yet to play a lot of the game (only had it a few hours) but rejoice! Fellow Hitman fans can rest assured that after six years, Hitman: Absolution has finally arrived and it lives up to the Hitman name. For me, Blood Money and perhaps Silent Assassin stand as the best Hitman games and though it is incredibly late to the party, Absolution is a great introduction of the Hitman franchise to the 360/PS3 (not including Blood Money on 360 as it was basically a port with better graphics). It's just a shame that by the time Hitman 6 is out we'll have the third Xbox and fourth PlayStation on sale so yet again we'll have to wait a while,

2.3.2013

I am new to the hitman series and this the first hitman title i have played and i can say i was very satisfied with the game and enjoyed something different from your all out attack shooters. This stealth game was exactly what i needed to experience something different and i loved the fact that there so many ways in which you can kill your targets, for example you could just go straight forward rambo style killing (not recommended) or you could use your brain and wait for the right moment and you can also find things in the environment which will kill a target and make it look like an accident than a murder and in my opinion this is the most satisfying way of playing the game.Graphically the game is decent but nothing breath taking,

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