Hitman - Episode 2: Sapienza

Hitman Episode 2: Sapienza showcases all of what Hitman can be. It makes the first episode feel tepid in comparison as its open map and brilliant level design offer up a lot more opportunities and ways to execute them.

Agent 47's chrome dome has been polished until it positively squeaks. [July 2016, p.88]

IO's strong start is becoming a hot streak, and all eyes will be on the third episode, set to be released in May.

While the Paris episode is fun, it still feels like it's holding your hand a bit; Sapienza and especially the "World of Tomorrow" mission feel like they're really dropping you into the world and seeing how you react to its challenges, while being much more playful with the game's ecosystem.

World of Tomorrow is the best slice of Hitman for a decade. Sapienza holds so many deliciously dark secrets within its Mediterranean walls, and it’s worth exploring every single one of them.

Even better than the terrific first episode, the Sapienza mission might be a series high point. While there are still some technical issues, and the lengthy load times hamper things in a game where reloading to give things another shot is such a big part of it, the overall experience has been incredible so far. I can't wait to see what comes next.

In some ways it's a shame that Sapienza wasn't Hitman's first mission. With its excellent world-building, well-worked atmosphere, and beautiful setting, the sleepy coastal town is one of the best Hitman missions in recent memory, and it's quality – and quantity – of content should convince most to quit waiting and spaghett(i) this title already.

IO Interactive doesn't disappoint with this second installment of the Hitman reboot, which features a big, beautiful, and dense level full of possibilities—one you'll revisit again and again to for the sake of creative murder.

Hitman Episode 2: Sapienza distills the entire Hitman experience down to one homicidal happy level, resulting in some fatal fun in the sun.

Hitman's second mission in Sapienza is a great example of fantastic gameplay, with plenty of replayability and one of the most stunning environments I've ever seen.

Hitman's second Sapienza level is a beautiful continuation for the episodic murder sim.

An excellent second episode, with the larger and more diverse map allowing for some truly inspired hits.

A superb second instalment, and one which shows off Hitman's greatest strengths.

Once more the newest iteration of Hitman presents an especially detailed environment filled with diverse assassination opportunities that fans will surely enjoy. However, even though Sapienza is an improved episode over the first one, we still can’t shake the feeling that the newest iteration of Hitman would benefit much more if it was offered in one complete package instead of following the episodic approach.

So far so good. Episode 2 is a nice contrast to the Paris mission and shows more of what this 2016 iteration of Hitman has up it's sleeve.

Much like the previous episode, Tomorrow feels like a mashup of everything that made older Hitman games great.

Hitman Episode 2: Sapienza is a fantastic follow-up to the promising first episode; huge, bursting with deadly promise, and begging for many, many playthroughs.

This second chapter is even more enjoyable than the first one. The map is bigger and way more interesting to explore, and some refinements to the IA clearly improves the gameplay. The number of contracts created by the community is still impressive.

Hitman Episode 2 brigs to a new level ideas like variation and amplitude. There are many fun opportunities to catch and a lot of replayability, but there’s also something more to do on technical side.

The Episode 2 of this new Hitman is a great return to the game. All the gameplay possibilities that Sapienza offers are a wonderful addition and the level design is a brilliant element. Exploring this Italian town is a great experience.

Sapienza is better than the first episode and corrects some of the issues (poor technical execution and a buggy interface) that afflicted the previous appearance of Agent 47. Can't wait for the next one.

Sapienza proves that environment and variety are key to Hitman’s new style, and it’ll be worth following so long as that lasts.

A brilliant atmosphere, a packed level and more options than any Hitman fan can wish for, yet the episodic nature of the game remains annoying, while the problems concerning connection are downright irritating at this point.

So far, Hitman has shown that it can produce on the grandest stage. The transition from the last generation to this generation has allowed Hitman to showcase that it can produce expansive environments as seen in Paris and stylish atmospherics like in Sapienza.

With a solid gameplay framework already in place, Hitman just needed the destination to match. Sapienza may be a glamorous port city that photographers slap on postcards, but its boutiques, apartments, and inhabitants also tolerate hours of murderous fun (and guns) in the sun.

Hitman episode two is even better than the first one. Sapienza gives you more room and toys to play with, which results in a satisfying playing experience. There are a few hiccups here and there, but overall this is a strong second adventure.

The main place Hitman continues to struggle is on a technical level. On the PlayStation 4 I'd need two hands to count the crashes I've experienced all week (plus one freeze necessitating a hard reset) and while the long load times aren't as much of a problem this time given the extra slack I found the lax coastal town to offer, it still does put a ding in a game that otherwise encourages you to try new things at the risk of failure. On the whole, though, Sapienza feels more robust than Paris.

The second episode of Hitman is a satisfying adventure that’s once again dragged down by technical issues. Looking past the extensive load times and online connectivity issues, there’s a fantastic episode here, with even more options than ever before.

Taking a step back and looking at the entire experience of Sapienza and Episode 2, this location is absolutely brilliant and beautiful. From the level design to the amount of depth found in each section of Sapienza, Hitman has yet another fine episode, even despite its once again thin narrative.

By offering a gigantic and gorgeous map full of life and secrets, the second installment of this new Hitman gives players exactly what they need: a great setting to experiment with a large amount of possibilities given to fulfill 47's contracts.

This second chapter of Hitman features a labyrinthine setting full of possibilities. It offers remarkable game mechanics and has improved both technically and visually.

Even without massively crowded areas, the sheer scale of Sapienza is well worth the entry price for Agent 47's second episodic outing. It is a welcome improvement over the first episode, although still far from greatness we expect from Hitman games.

In the end, though, Hitman‘s second episode and the limited Elusive Target mode simply confirm my original impression of the franchise’s new episodic format: It hinders rather than helps the experience.

Hitman -Sapienza doesn’t live up to the free-form assassination sandbox that the previous episode set up. The frustrating lack of freedom and save issues really hurt the experience however. Despite it being a better looking and ultimately more immersive setting than any of the first three missions, Sapienza falls flat in its mission structure.

The mediocre AI and animations return, as does the need to repeat the same old spy tricks, but they take a backseat this time around as Sapienza and its colorful denizens take center stage. Episode two doesn't fill your plate, but it's a satisfying experience nonetheless.