Hitman [Review of the game]

Some time ago, no one could have thought that the games-series would gain such popularity. It would seem that in such games special … these are quests that were divided into pieces. But it is more strange to see how such a scheme for the presentation and distribution begins to penetrate into other genres and, moreover, into class projects IN And AAA. The first such project was Hitman 2016.

In March, I already made an overview of the first episode of this game and it came out quite excellent. Now it’s time to look at the rest of the episodes that have been released and finally figure out whether the “episodic” model of the spread of this game is needed and whether it benefited it to her.

I have already mentioned in the March review that a new part is a continuation of the series. The actions of the game take place 20 years after the adoption of the 47th to the agency. All the events of past games have already occurred, but if you were waiting for the continuation Absolution, then these events remained behind the scenes.

Yes, Hitman (2016) tells a new story, which, oddly enough, is partially connected with the past of the 47th. A certain mysterious person begins to hunt people with the same mysterious organization, using the agency and the 47th to clean the tails and eliminate those whom he can not get. In general, this is all that can be said about the plot of the first season without special spoilers. The developers somehow said before the release of the last episodes, they say “this is only the beginning”. Indeed, in the end everything is just beginning to develop, as if you watched the first act of a full -fledged film. Not that it was critical, all the same in Hitman They play not for the sake of the plot, but for 7 months of waiting I would like something more completed.

The plot of the game is mainly served using short CGI videos. The production and dialogs are quite good, but the quality of the animation leaves much to be desired.
In the gameplay plan, nothing has changed since March. The masking system works, all gameplay mechanics Absolution They took root like a glove. During this time, the developers only corrected some shortcomings in AI and improved the interface so that it was clear that it is forbidden to wear this weapon, but this is possible, and that the interaction with that subject will not cause suspicion if you, say, the waiter.
The only thing you can find fault with is the absence of other familiar elements from past games, for example, a case or the ability to hide items in transferred things, such as a grocery basket. Otherwise, the gameplay of the new part is the best in the series.

Sometimes the game throws up opportunities requiring direct contact with the aim. And sometimes you will have to play for this very non -standard roles, which not every killer can cope with which.
AI (artificial intelligence) corrected as they could. At first, especially in the first episode, he was very amused (for example, he saw the committing of the murder while in another part of the card) and he possessed obvious weaknesses (for example, we could carry weapons through a search by simply choosing it near this process). Now AI behaves more strictly and got rid of the bugs (at least in the future I did not notice any bugs of AI).

“No one is visible from this window”
Locations in the game are one of its most important advantages. The first season offers to visit 6 locations, not counting the training levels: the mansion in Paris, A small town Sapienza, Bazaar Marrakesh, Hotel in Bangkok, Farm in Colorado and a healing complex in Hokkaido. Each of them has a very good design, structure and all of them are well worked out in detail. Where do not go, there will be something of your own and, most importantly, useful.

On my screenshots you can not see the entire beauty of locations. Unfortunately, optimization on the PC remained at the same mediocre level, if it did not even become worse. You have to sacrifice the image for the sake of a larger frame rate.

In the game there was a place for various kinds of Easter. This can be either obvious references to the past projects of the Io Interactive studio, and more complex, requiring a certain sequence of actions. For this “miracle”, for example, you need to expel all the “invaders” of the upper floor of the hotel, and then play there on the synthesizer.

Or, for example, you can arrange a disco in Marrakesh

And for fans there is this

Nevertheless, if the mansion is something of its own for the game and partially not seen in the series, then starting with Sapiens locations began to resemble a collection of the best levels that were in other parts. In the same healing complex, a private medical center from Blood Money (even agent Smith is his own person), and one of the ways to kill the goal is a direct reference to the legendary level Codename 47 “Trade traditions”. And so with all other locations of the game. I’m not saying that this is bad, I personally lack nostalgia at that time. They could just give the levels more individuality.

Each location has its own initial costume. An interesting solution that adds a share of realism to the game. If you have to mix with the crowd, then obviously not in a suit for a funeral.
And now I would like to talk about the episodic system. I did not specifically talk about how many ways of murders on locations, about how much they are and how many NPSs are on them. All this, and some other things, are greatly connected with how the game came out.

The episodic system personally showed me one important detail: Hitman (2016) – This is a very budget project. With the release of each new episode, this became more visible ..

Let’s start with the most important thing – with the size of the locations. Paris, Sapienza, Marrakesh – The largest locations in the game. Question: Why? Perhaps because they were created before the release of the game in March, and then only complemented by details. This is evidenced at least that the same Sapienets Players were demonstrated in a trailer long before the game. But as for the rest, their development apparently began immediately after the release of the first episode. Of course, each of the episodes of a small size can be explained by the location itself. The same farm, which has most of the field, is difficult to score with something interesting, scattering it in a large area. However, this does not cancel the fact that the developers initially stated that they would make large locations with about 300 NPCs, but the episodic model said differently ..

Content on locations (trials, opportunities, methods of murder of goals) is also not pleased with the number. Again, taking the farm as an example, the developers advertised it as the most difficult level of the game with 4 goals! Of course, with the words “4 goals”, you expect that there will be as many murders for each of them (meaning non -standard methods, excluding murder from weapons), as many as a target on other locations. As a result, for every victim from this four it accounts for 5-6, or even fewer non-standard methods, and these are just laughter … With other locations, no better … and at least all these ways not to occupy, I would like to have more. The richest of the content of the location is of course Paris And Sapienza.

Mission “House in the sand”, which is one of the two additional episodes that came out in July was better than a plot mission “Golden Cage” on the same location. However, variability is even less here. This suggests that it is important not quantity, but quality, but I would like more such quality.

The most difficult thing in the game is by no means the search and elimination of the goal, but the implementation of “secret” tests. In the screenshot above, for example, the test lies in the fact that the player should throw the coin into the fountain three times so that the coins fall “correctly”. For this you will receive gold coins in the preparation menu. And yes, I fulfilled. More than a dozen coins were thrown into this fountain … By the way, the rating “Silent Assassin” (He “Silent killer” In our translation) I migrated to these very tests, and in two types: ordinary, using a disguise, and “only costume”, where disguise cannot be used.

Now about smaller things that affect the atmosphere of what is happening and which more clearly show what the game the game had.

Owner NPS.
Wherever the 47th would be brought, the English-speaking residents will be waiting for him everywhere … In the 6th episode, of course, they got out, saying through the dialogue of one of the NPS, that there are many people from the West in the complex, but there is no such attitude towards other locations. In Marrakesh, wandering around the bazaar, absolutely everyone speaks English almost without an accent. Moreover, they say on him among themselves. The same situation in Sapience, Bangkok, Paris.

Lack of weapons license.
There is not a single licensed barrel in the new game. All weapons in the game are either invented by the developers and only partially resembles a real prototype, or looks like a real prototype, but is called differently. This partially beats the perception of the game, as parts of the series. Indeed, in all past games, all weapons were called and looked like in real life. MP5 was MP5, Mch was M4, WA2000 was WA2000. And what do we have in Hitman (2016)? WA2000 He became in the game Sieger 300.

In addition, developers are clearly few fantasy in relation to weapons. Most of the trunks opened are the same weapon, only having other properties. And how many explosives in the game, differing only in appearance, mmm … straighten and insert a quote from “Fear and hatred in Las Vegas”… but this is so, by the way of the equipment opened in general.

“There are definitely no three identical machine guns and sniper rifles here”
Music.
In March, I already mentioned that some nouns write music for the game and that they have completed their mandatory program. Nothing has changed! Moreover, the music on almost every location is the same that does not reflect the general atmosphere. Jesper Kyd, Where are you when you need it?

That feeling when a specially written song for the game was better than the soundtrack.
In general, all this is sad .. Square Enix It was clearly allocated to the project not large funds, and they put the developers in the framework – per month on the episode. Perhaps if the game came out as planned initially, releasing new locations as they were ready, while the game would already have in itself Paris And Sapienets The minimum (and they, believe me, is more than enough for long hours), everything would have turned out differently and before us would have appeared not just “the best Hitman“, And the new standard of the series.

And yes, I was not mistaken, this is really the best Hitman. This game took all the best of the past parts, bringing the masking system to mind and increasing the number of methods of killing the target (even the farm surpasses in the number of ways at least Absolution). Almost all of the listed denses fade against the backdrop of how all the locations are without exception in detail, how diverse some methods of murder are diverse and original and how the game, in fact, is played.

I’m looking forward to the next season. And while he is in development, it will still be what to do in the game. Pro “Exacerbations” And “Contracts” I already mentioned again in the March review and I will not repeat (there is nothing to talk about), but then the most delicious was not tested – “Elusive goals”. This is a special contract, accessible to a certain period of time, which allows you to eliminate a special purpose that has not appeared there on all the same locations. The trick is that if the player fails, having died or by missing the target, it will not be possible to return and repeat it. In addition, the goal itself will have to look for yourself, it is not marked either on the map or in the mode “Instinct”. All this adds a kind of excitement to the contract. Some players not only fulfill the contract, but also do it on “Silent Assassin”, What, as you understand, is difficult to do when you have almost one attempt (you can restart the contract, but until you are alive). For the elimination of a certain number of such goals, costumes from past parts are opened.

I am finishing my review on this.

My assessment to the game: “8/10″.
According to the Stopheim assessment system: “Amazing”.

If someone has not seen my review of the first episode, here it is.

“This is my subjective opinion and it can fundamentally differ from your”.