The Hitman thread

[magicjoef]

So, despite the marketing team trying to self-destruct this title through awful media work (that insulting trailer and the weird early gameplay videos), it seems this will actually be a proper Hitman title. The style seems to follow on from Blood Money, with each mission being a self contained small sandbox with dozens of ways to execute your plan.



I am going to replay a few Blood Money missions in the build up, for me it is one of the best stealth/puzzle games ever, and playing Dishonored and Deus Ex:HR over the past few weeks has really got me excited for Absolution (at last).

[NokkonWud]

I am looking forward to this a lot, but do feel people got far too hung up on the advertising. Not for the first time this year people seem to have made a mountain out of a molehill. I have enjoyed all advertising towards this game for different reasons.

I do completely agree with you on Blood Money, it's a phenomenal example of how to do stealth and be clever with it. Only problem with that game was really the controls, which were dreadful.

[magicjoef]

I've only ever played Hitman with a keyboard and mouse, I was hoping there would be good 360 pad support for PC though.

[DarthCuddles]

Advertising is not what Hitman is to me. I was down on it because of that, but playing the demo at EuroGamer relieved me, it is a proper hitman game, took my time and provided an "accidental" death for my target then walked out without anyone realising I was there. really hyped for it despite every advert being the complete opposite of how I will play the game

[magicjoef]

I think it is a big problem for it, as the marketing folk seem to think they can only sell an action game. Hopefully this year is helping to change that and Dishonored, X-Com and Hitman can be a financial and critical success.

[catbhoy]

Advertising is not what Hitman is to me. I was down on it because of that, but playing the demo at EuroGamer relieved me, it is a proper hitman game, took my time and provided an "accidental" death for my target then walked out without anyone realising I was there. really hyped for it despite every advert being the complete opposite of how I will play the game

that's great to hear, looking forward to this

[Roy42]

In spite of never having played a Hitman game (more my fault than the universe's after having gotten a copy of Blood Money earlier in the year [PS2 though, so I don't know if it'd be that great]), I'm looking forward to this a lot. And people need to just settle down about the advertising.

[magicjoef]

And people need to just settle down about the advertising.

I don't think we should get hysterical, swaddle our young and run to the hills, but I do think there were things to talk about

There is a potential case for mis-selling a game, representing it something that it isn't. I think Hitman's core is more about crouching behind a bin watching guards for 15 minutes than ripping through levels of enemies.
Also, I don't think sexualising violence is cool. Particularly in marketing material where there is no context or critical exploration.

[Roy42]

So show me the piece of marketing that misrepresented the game that is NOT the sexy nuns. All I've seen of the game's advertising since that trailer were gameplay videos and developer diaries that all showcase the game as a stealth experience, which makes that one trailer an isolated experience that is the fault of Square and no one else.

[DarthCuddles]

this one plays before most 12+ rated films in the UK, it makes it look more like an action game than stealth, and if it runs nation wide I imagine it got a larger viewing than any of the dev diaries or gameplay (by the uninformed at least) because it runs before films like Skyfall

[Roy42]

Then that's an intelligent move on the part of the marketing team.

[NokkonWud]

I thought it was quite smart opening the advertising out with an action twist, after all, you *can* play it action if you like and that's a much bigger marketable genre than pure stealth (something game sales will show and something Metal Gear Solid has sold itself on).

Perhaps the team thought they'd got the message across that it was still a full stealth Hitman experience better than they thought they had. They have been very open on all the developer diaries and interviews and perhaps even more importantly figured that the fans of the series would maintain faith that the game wouldn't change it's core values.

Trying to sell the game to more people who aren't interested in playing a stealth game is smart business whilst also offering all the things that have made the series popular with its fans (but even better).

[DarthCuddles]

I agree it's probably a better way to market to non fans. I personally just don't like it because to me it's not what Hitman is it's advertising the least fun aspect of Hitman. It's entirely personal but I'd like for them to show non fans why I like this franchise

[AndyKurosaki]

I've reached Part Two of this so far, and it's fair to say it's pretty disapointing. The disguise system feels like a step back to the second game, several times I've been in disguise, and guards have gotten instantly suspicious for fuck knows what reason. Two missions ended up in a massive shoot out because I couldn't figure out how the fuck to get past people with my useless disguises.

It's not a terrible game. But it's nowhere near as fun as the previous games. And now IO have left the series, Christ knows what state it'll get into.

[mik]

Yeah, I finished it this past weekend and thought it was... not very good. But it looked pretty. Mostly. Except for Agent 47, who continues to be one of the least-interesting, worst-looking, and worst-voiced protagonists in video games.

[NokkonWud]

Yeah, I finished it this past weekend and thought it was... not very good. But it looked pretty. Mostly. Except for Agent 47, who continues to be one of the least-interesting, worst-looking, and worst-voiced protagonists in video games.

Funnily enough I find Agent 47 fascinating, interesting by design and love his voice!

[ratsoalbion]

I'm 100% with mik on the Agent 47 front.

[James]

I've always liked Agent 47. This could be a case of Stockholm Syndrome a la David Hayter's Solid Snake, but David Bateson's voice is synonymous with 47 in my eyes, and I enjoy his performances. As for Absolution, I can count on one hand the number of missions that reached the heady heights of Silent Assassin or Blood Money. Out of 20 missions in total, that is just not good enough.

I'm currently re-installing Silent Assassin to check that I'm not a crazy person (at least, not in respect to fond memories of Hitman).

[NokkonWud]

Blood Money has some of the greatest levels in any game ever made, I'm kind of surprised that *any* levels in Absolution got to be thought of as being on that level for you James!

[James]

Both Chinatown levels, the Terminus Hotel and the Streets of Hope are pretty good in terms of exploration, freedom of movement and the largest number of hit options. But, yeah, Blood Money is a masterclass in level design for sandbox environments. Silent Assassin too, but that's quite tough to go back to after Blood Money.