Hitman: Absolution

Polished in every aspect Hitman: Absolution is a perfect example of a complex game without compromises. Great successor of the popular series. [Dec 2012]

Hitman: Absolution brings the stealth-fun back into the shooter-infested games universe. Of course you can shoot your way through the levels, but that's nothing compared to sneaking, knocking out guards, dressing yourself as the enemy and slowly walking through the level. The gameplay allows you to let your creativity flow and end the contract as you want it to end. That is the reason why the Hitman franchise is so successful.

A follow-up that doesn't disappoint. What's more - it's simply a great game that should appeal to the veterans of the series (they can stop worrying about their favorite bald-headed assassin), as well to those players about to meet Agent 47 for the first time. The finished product is not only very complex, but extremely playable thanks to great freedom and rich content that provide high quality fun for hours.

Competitors, pack away your tomahawks and rats and magic mumbo-jumbo. Hitman is still the king of sneaky assassins.

It's complex, can be played as many times as we want and there are so many possibilities we couldn't ask for something better. Some may say there's little evolution compared to the previous episodes, but one way or another, we think it's one of the best games we've played this year.

Even with its imperfections, Hitman: Absolution is a magnificent achievement that goes well beyond expectations and will lead future stealth action titles into a better tomorrow.

Above everything, Absolution is a game that wants you to experiment with it. It refuses to be rushed through, rewarding brains over brawn.

While Absolution doesn't provide any original or groundbreaking new features with its debut in the high-definition era of gaming, it does succeed at becoming a solid entry in the Hitman series of games.

Hitman: Absolution is Disneyland for adults: it throws you into a world that is as bizarre as it is dark. You have the option to choose between a huge number of activities all whilst the game’s atmosphere always manages to keep you invested. In comparison to prior installments of the franchise, the controls have vastly improved. Doesn’t matter if instinct-mode or cover-system – everything works very smooth. What bugs me though, are the weirdly placed checkpoints. Also: the story might feature a plethora of oddball characters but fails to really engage the player in its events.

Quotation forthcoming.

Hitman Absolution sure isn't the classic free-range Hitman, but in its limited way is a pretty entertaining, very pretty sneak'n'shoot. The worst problems are the plot and non-working disguises. [Dec 2012]

It's the multiple approaches to a problem and numerous ways to reach your target that define this experience. This fifth Hitman is the antihero's best adventure yet.

Despite the deviations and minor shortcomings, it remains true to its roots. It just brushes them aside for a while, just long enough for it to tell its story- a story where the traditional contracts and other usual components just wouldn’t fit. [January 2013]

Hitman: Absolution falls short of the mark because it's trying too hard to be something it isn't. Hopefully next time IO Interactive lets Agent 47 get back to what he does best. And that's not saving damsels in distress, running from the cops, or fighting "sexy nuns". Instead, it's killing people - cleanly, quietly, and without any unnecessary fuss.

The new Hitman delivers what he promised. He's a worthy opponent to Corvo from Dishonored. There is no other stealth action game with such a fantastic presentation and a cinematographic approach. The gameplay is almost as good as in the previous instalments; however, it's a pity the story is weak, the ending is rushed, and the AI is not compelling.

A change towards a more action-oriented genre, but that's a good thing.

In theory, every new idea introduced in Hitman: Absolution is a good one and, technically, should make a Hitman game more enjoyable. But the reality is that when combined, Absolution's overbearing story, "Instinct", over-reliance on scripted events and a weird checkpoint system take a lot of fun away.

It's not a bad game by any means, and it does fix some problems with the controls that plagued previous games, but having the story that essentially makes Agent 47 less of a hitman and more of an espionage hero, makes Absolution a decent stealth game but not a fantastic Hitman game.

The campaign has some weaknesses pertaining to the story and the maps, which are a bit too small for their own good. Also, I would have liked a few more clever kills and more options to follow through on my insidious plans. All in all, though, this is a typical Hitman game with quite some technical chops and solid gameplay.

Hitman: Absolution's insistence on putting Agent 47 on the run can often get in the way of what made the series so fun in the past, and the lack of a manual save system undermines the kind of goofing around and experimentation that made past games so enjoyable.

A series entry that puts pure stealth above silent slaying; afflicted by segmented levels and weak cinematic aspirations, but buoyed by an impressive Contracts mode.

Still, there's a huge gulf between disappointment and betrayal, and I did ultimately enjoy Absolution for what it is -- a game that still carries the torch of the Hitman series, but chooses to carry it down much less interesting roads.

I desperately hope the reaction to it is strong enough to convince the developers to change direction, because I couldn't stand to watch the series die like this.

Hitman: Absolution does stand out from the ocean of gray and brown shooters that populate the market, but not in enough good ways to warrant a recommendation.