- Publisher: Eidos Interactive
- Release Date: Apr 20, 2004
- Also On: PlayStation 2
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Elaborate levels and the multiple paths you can take to solve them go a long way in making you forget about the lack of narrative element.
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For many, HC will be a disappointment, but its inventive storyline and intricate level design will entertain lounge-room assassins.
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It’s best to think of Hitman: Contracts as a mini game to keep fans of the series satisfied until a true sequel is released.
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It wasn’t landmark on any level, but it can compete with the current PC action big boys.
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This is more of the exact same Hitman you played with Hitman 2. It's good, it's deep, but it's not really all that new.
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But between the overly tight scripting and the split-second timing required to pull it all off, I thought it was a little difficult to play the missions out the way they wanted you to, finding Hitman: Contracts instead played like an average first person shooter with excessive stealth elements.
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From the story angle alone Hitman: Contracts is a worthy addition to the series, and will particularly entertain fans of the franchise who’ve played both the predecessors. That said it’s certainly time for some innovation.
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I found it annoying that there was no mission briefing. There was no introduction information on your target or why you were there that came up prior to the mission starting.
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AceGamezHits the target despite not moving the concept on much.
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In some ways the game feels like an expansion, or maybe a half-sequel. It doesn’t have as many levels as Hitman 2, but they’re longer, and usually more interesting.
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Gritty movie atmosphere and clever storyline fail to outshine the unforgiving gameplay. It's got some great ideas but could've been so much better.
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Rather too over-familiar, but still a very entertaining stealth experience.
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Given that "Hitman 2" was such a huge improvement on the original, it's inherently somewhat disappointing that the new Hitman: Contracts is really just a rehash. It's more of the same, replete with everything that was good and everything that wasn't so good about the 2002 game.
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If you're looking for some stealth gameplay in a sandbox environment, this is a great beginner's course into the world of Agent 47. If, however, you're expecting something as revolutionary as the multiplayer in "Pandora Tomorrow," or the high polish of "Snake Eater," this isn't for you.
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PC GamerThe intricate level construction and enhanced AI are appreciated, but I still felt like I was playing nothing more than a glorified expansion pack. [July 2004, p.66]
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The level of freedom offered may be a dream come true for some but will simply be far too much for others, thusly alienating this title from a majority of gamers.
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Missions are short, but the trial-and-error of finding out how to accomplish each one compensates for it.
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The new Hitman game does bring a lot of moodiness and great cinematic value, in addition to some of that customary gameplay that drew me to the franchise in the first place. Ultimately, however, because of some rather silly design mistakes, it fails to deliver the kind of experience I was hoping for.
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Though there’s not a ton of replay value to this one, if you play it on the medium (or highest, if you’re totally insane) difficulty setting, you’ll have enough of a challenge to get a big dose of the sick and twisted Hitman-style gaming all us psycho-killers have grown used to over the years.
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Edge MagazineThe picaresque form allows the levels to function as discreet puzzles rather than as parts of a story arc: the objective remains pure and always the same. The obstacles and methods open to you are what change, and it's in these areas that Contracts has both expanded and improved. [June 2004, p.103]
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A handful of glaring errors and nagging problems hamstring the title, preventing it from garnering overly high acclaim.
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games(TM)The whole thing smacks of laziness - of the 12 missions, we count a total of four completely new ones...the annoying thing is that Contracts is an enjoyable game; that IQ had the cheek to crib from its previous work almost doesn't matter when the result is still worth playing. [June 2004, p.98]
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More of the same? Absolutely, but whether this is a good or a bad thing depends on your enjoyment of the previous games in the series.
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Play MagazineIt's a shame he's such a one-dimensional character, wasting an exceptional opportunity for a compelling psychological backdrop to join the pervasively strong imagery. [June 2004, p.56]
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Computer Gaming WorldDespite the patient sneaking this game encourages, Contracts seems a little rushed. [Aug 2004, p.73]
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Computer Games MagazineBy the end, even if you've blasted your way through the entire game in under ten hours, you get a strange sense of years having elapsed not far removed from an absinthe hangover. [Aug 2004, p.54]
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Typical sneak/shoot-'em-up action that relies too heavily on remade content and brittle gameplay. Although it was novel four years ago, games have come much farther than this.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 178 out of 283
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Mixed: 94 out of 283
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Negative: 11 out of 283
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Feb 2, 2020
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Feb 11, 2019
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Nov 30, 2016