Hitman has come a long long way. Just look at this new game. It's nothing like we have experienced before. I like it. There is a distinct plot, which keeps you curious till the end ... and yes it has definitely kept me hooked, even anxious for the next episodes. Vast variety of cool Disguises ads to the stunning visuals along with the drop dead gorgeous, breath taking, stunningly exotic locations (Sapienza, Marrakesh, Bangkok, Colorado, especially Hokkaido). I absolutely LOVE the fact that the plot is hiding a lot of magnificent pieces of Intel. Exposing targets with their '
secrets' and then killing them ... now that's cold. In every mission, you can waste like, an hour, or more, just to hear the complete stuff targets have to say. Like, you don't want to miss those details. And i didn't.
So this is the 'all new' Hitman. I understand the massive work developers have put in it, but apparently they failed to put any
soul in it.
I feel there is far too much missing, to actually be able to relate to Agent 47. So, oncoming is a barrage of complaints, nostalgia, and opinions.
Agent 47's
Character itself has improved too much, except for the
physical appearance of
Agent 47, which has become nothing but awry. Agent 47 is now presented like a God of Death, unbeatable, relentless cold blooded killer. He 'looks' all those things now, but he barely 'feels' like one. There is no class, no flashy expensive looking suit, no stylish walk and above all ... no "
Ave Maria (by
Daniel Perret)" to support the killing nature. Just go back to
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, and you will see a character, visually stunning to look at. With a walk to die for, a suit to kill for; someone with a hi-tech hide out, a wall for Weapon Collections, and a Shooting Arena to mess around and test different weapons ... like in
Contracts. (There
is a training
mission in Hitman Season 1, but that's not what i am talking about.)
Now,
Missions are becoming more attractive,
Maps are becoming much larger with mind boggling detail and content rich,
Targets are becoming more high profile, and there are too many options available to assassinate a target ... Except for the iconic
Sniper Rifle. Where is our W2000? Where is the bombastic 50 Cal? Heck, where the f*** are the iconic Silver Ballers? At least give the ability to do akimbo weapons with ANY one handed weapon. Fiber Wire kills are not satisfactory. Have a look at previous games. Silent Assassin, Contracts, Blood Money ... ranging from tame, to most aggressive, Fiber Wire had so many different '
satisfactory' moves. Drowning people in their own piss & sh*t in their toilets have been fun, though
Anyone noticed how i didn't mention
Hitman: Absolution? Well, this 2016 game, makes
Absolution feel like a much better game
overall, but even that wasn't the best iteration. In my play through, this game forces you to do '
accidental kills', which seem to be more rewarding as well. You just can't do a run and gun even if you wanted to, because the game isn't designed that way. Entering a crowded area isn't as fun as it was in
Hitman: Absolution, because you can no longer push people away, but it's still an experience, nonetheless automated.
Diana Burnwood now looks even more sexy, now that we had seen her bosoms ... in Absolution
Plus, i absolutely LOVE the fact that she is
much more involved and in-touch than ever before. Unlike Sam Fisher (
Michael Ironside) from
Splinter Cell, i really REALLY respect that they kept the same voice actor (
David Bateson) for Hitman.
Bottom Line, well, here is the thing. Anyone who has read my previous posts regarding Hitman, knows that all my complaints have been the same since ... well,
Blood Money or
Absolution. But no matter how evolved this franchise becomes, this
won't mean anything if we can't feel a connection with Agent 47. I deeply respect the level of detail, dedication and effort put into Hitman 2016, BUT ... one reason i will never buy this game. "
Online Only" feature. The single f*cking thing ruining the PC Gaming for ALL of us. I did the worst mistake purchasing the
Need For Speed (2016), and i will not buy this game for exactly this reason. Bottom line, I
like this game, but i don't
Love it. To me, this is just another
Hitman: Absolution, with some improvements and a bit of wow factor. But it can never match a true Hitman game, like the older games.
7/10