2012’s Hitman Absolution may have been a critical and commercial success, but long-time fans of the series did not like its linear approach to missions. Previous instalments had open sandbox environments which featured multiple ways to approach and kill targets. Other criticisms of Absolution included the tweaked disguise system and the overarching story that was predictable and seemed out of place. With this in mind, it’s easy to understand why fans were sceptical of 2016’s Hitman. Thankfully, the recent beta on PS4 demonstrates the game is a return to form.
The beta begins with a few cut scenes showing the first meeting between Agent 47 and his handler, Diana Burnwood. Agent 47 is brought to an ICA training facility and undergoes tests to see if he’s suitable to be a field agent. It was unclear if the final game will be a complete origins story (excluding the original Hitman: Codename 47) or if the sequence was a flashback.
In total the beta featured three tutorial style levels. The first two levels were set on a luxury yacht, with the owner playing host to a crowded cocktail party. Agent 47 is tasked with killing the owner, but first you have to sneak aboard. The tutorial gave a hands on approach and talked me through the situation. I was told to locate a lone crew member and knock them out, then take their outfit as a disguise. In Absolution, any NPC that wore the same outfit would instantly recognise Agent 47, but in Hitman this has been dubbed down. This time only pre-determined NPCs will spot you, allowing for more fluid gameplay while still retaining a sense of caution. Absolution’s Instinct ability also returns, highlighting the NPCs that can spot you and where your target is located. It feels like the perfect fusion between Absolution and Blood Money – something that adds to the experience but also stays true to past entries.
The second tutorial demonstrated more of how the final game will play by giving complete freedom and allowing me to plot my own path. For those that want a few hints in how to approach a mission, there are challenges which reveal special objects and killing methods. For example, one challenge was to find rat poison on the lower deck, and then use it to poison the target’s beverage. Other assassination methods included staging an “accident” by dropping a life boat on the target and, humorously, drowning them in a toilet. There were dozens of ways to approach the mission and plenty of hidden secrets and killing methods to uncover, making the level feel like a giant playground and offering high replay value.
The third and final tutorial was set in an air force hanger. I was alerted to a unique kill opportunity by eavesdropping on a conversation between maintenance crew. Apparently the target was required to undergo a safety demonstration in a jet. I found a disguise and secretly sabotaged the jet before finding the target. I noted I could have easily pushed the target over the side of a handrail, once again highlighting that there were multiple assassination methods. My inner child got the better of me though as I wanted to see the unique kill come to fruition. Once I escorted the target back to the jet, I gleefully watched as Agent 47 tricked them into pressing the eject seat button. The target shot into the air with a fiery explosion, and I snuck away while overhearing the NPCs make comments about the freak “accident”. Hitman definitely pulls a lot of inspiration and core gameplay mechanics from Blood Money, which will undoubtedly please fans.
Unfortunately the game does fall a bit short in some areas. The frame rate dips considerably whenever there are a lot of NPCs on screen at once. Reports have shown these dips jump from 50-55 frames per second to 20 frames per second. Also the character models of NPC aren’t very detailed and look a little weird, presumably to assist the frame rate drop issue. Additionally, during cut scenes the audio seemed to be out of sync with the characters’ lips. Hopefully IO Interactive will be able to address some of these issues before Hitman‘s March launch.
Thankfully, Hitman appears to succeed where it counts the most. The open sandbox environments and multiple kill opportunities stay true to the series’ roots, while more modern elements such as challenges and Agent 47’s Instinct ability don’t drastically change the core experience. Hitman is one to keep an eye on and we’re looking forward to playing the final release.
