PAX 2018 has begun, and with it comes the opportunity to try out all the latest games, some of which are yet to be released. We headed to the Hitman 2 booth before the public to get our very own Hitman tattoos and try out the Formula 1 mission behind closed doors. This year, the Hitman 2 booth had a barber set up where people could get a clean shave in preparation for the tattoo on the back of their head. There was also a carnival game where you got five toy cupcakes to throw at ducks for the chance to win a white rubber duck (different to the one you get in the Collector’s Edition). The staff were keeping fans occupied as they lined up, and before we knew it we were inside getting our very own Hitman 2 preview.

The Miami F1 mission has been shown off a few times online so we had a good idea of what to do and how to get in that silly mascot costume. There were two assassination targets in this mission and we decided to head for the one away from the Formula 1 “Global Innovation Race” first. Hitman 2 is pushing the boundaries of the current generation of consoles and this became clear to see as we approached a massive harbour with city skylines in the distance. There were fountains, gardens, and interactive items everywhere. It was 100% a Hitman level, and definitely felt like the second season of the reboot. Whether it was the unfinished build or the unfortunate use of Kogan TV screens, we did experience some muddy colours and saturated contrast, but we’re pretty sure the final version and a good screen should fix any issues we saw today.

Heading in to a convention centre that looked very similar to the one next door to where we were at PAX 2018, we worked our way to the first assassination target. As always there were many ways to take out the target but we went for the obvious most dramatic way. While not spoiling anything, we can say that the F1 race isn’t called the “Global Innovation Race” for no reason, and it’s always fun to perform an assassination in the way IO Interactive want you to, and not a boring way like sticking a screwdriver in their neck. Speaking of which, on we went to the F1 pits and we found ourselves cornered with security guards coming from all angles, armed only with a screwdriver. Many-a-security-guards (and mechanics) succumbed to the screwdriver before we were taken out. Dying caused the level to restart, which we assume is just a difficulty setting.

All up, the F1 mission is looking fantastic, and speaks wonders for the rest of the locations that were announced just the other day. While some types of assassinations are going to require swift movement, others involved careful orchestration and Hitman 2 is looking like it will appeal to both long-time fans of the Hitman franchise as well as newcomers. Working your way through the huge crowds in the F1 mission felt very familiar to what we were experiencing at PAX on Friday, and make sure you stay tuned to Rocket Chainsaw over the weekend as we have an interview lined up tomorrow where we plan to ask the tough questions about what’s in store for Hitman 2 post-launch as well as what players can expect on day 1.