Hitman 2

IO deserves praise for knowing their series so well and bringing the types of changes to this sequel that longtime fans will appreciate most of all. It's the most accessible Hitman to date thanks to improved information sharing, but it also runs deeper than anything before it, making it a game truly built for the fans that know Agent 47 best. No other stealth game plays like Hitman, and Hitman 2 is the best this unique series has ever been.

Though some elements are clearly still being developed and will evolve in the future, HITMAN 2 is a great example of games-as-a-service done right. Specifically, the base game is a an already strong offering that will no doubt grow into something even better as time goes by. Eclipsing the previous game in practically every way, HITMAN 2 successfully leverages strong level design, creative kills and absurdist situations to offer the best Hitman experience to date.

It might not propel the series forward by leaps and bounds, but it takes small meaningful steps that improve the formula nonetheless.

The lingering black humor relieves the dark subject matter (Agent 47’s deadpan delivery in disguises is so tip-top!) and no matter what, you can’t help but summon that sadistic smile you’ve been trying to hide. Granted, Hitman 2 doesn’t do much differently than the first season but it doesn’t even need to - it’s just so cool.

It’s a cliche to say one game or another is a love letter to … whatever. But after a period of time where the future of the Hitman series seemed uncertain, where its most recent predecessor felt compromised and broken apart due to the dire financial realities and constraints of the modern games industry, Hitman 2 is hard to read as anything other than a fierce love letter to fans of the series. It’s not a perfect relationship — none ever will be. But at its heart, “Hitman 2” succeeds at being the most well-realized articulation of all of the things that the series has ever done well.

Hitman 2 is possibly the best version of this darkly comic murder simulator we’ve seen in quite some time.

Although it suffers from some framerate hiccups, Hitman 2 delivers a solid, enjoyable experience that's stacked with tons of content designed to keep you entertained for hours on end.

It’s a strange thing to find yourself smiling so much while playing a game that has you carrying out a series of grisly murders, but that’s exactly what Hitman 2 does. Whether you’re disguising yourself as a cupcake salesman to get close to a target, or spending an hour to make someone’s death look like an accident, Hitman 2 is the best stealth action game of the year.

The new game of IO Interactive, this time partnering with warner is a great game, with superb stealth mechanics that rewards planning over direct action, and in a refreshing way.

Hitman 2 is surgical – it’s a focused experience that knows what it wants to achieve and exactly how to do it, much like its protagonist. All six maps are wonderfully replayable, and in reshuffling older content, IO seems to be on the cusp of the “games as a service” wave in a way not attempted by other developers. More locations would have been welcome, and Hitman 2 feels like somewhat of a supplementary package to its episodic brother at times, but there is nothing else out there like it.

Despite IO’s assertion that Hitman 2 has improved AI, I don’t see it – this simply feels like new content for Hitman — and as I said, I’m very okay with that.

With Hitman 2, IO Interactive didn’t take much risk. The team simply and smartly refined its formula, rubbing away some of the first game’s flaws. And it works: Hitman 2 is a generous and fun game.

Hitman 2 is a solid follow-up to our 2016 Game of Year, delivering five huge killer sandboxes to explore to your heart’s content. Yes, the maps might not be as unique as iterations gone-by and there is seemingly fewer than normal, but boy, are they great maps. Factor in Contracts mode and the excellent Ghost Mode, and Hitman 2 is very much worth your time. Where else can you dress up as a mascot or get involved in a poisonous drinking game to take down a target? Answer: no-bloody-where!

Hitman 2 might just be one of the best games I’ve played this year, and it was a pleasant surprise given I did not know what I was getting myself into going into this review! While it’s not without its faults, as the narrative cutscenes were disappointing, it can be a bit overwhelming to those new to the series, and some of the controls need improvement, the overall experience is fantastic. With great stealth gameplay, amazingly creative ways to eliminate your target, incredibly immersive environments, and high replay value, these elements make this a must play for both newcomers to the series and for longtime fans of the elusive Agent 47.

Hitman 2 complies with what is expected of a sequel: greater and better content. IO Interactive does not try to revolutionize its formula, simply presents more killing opportunities on each map.

This sequel offers plenty of reasons to revisit the world of assassination, whether you're an experienced hitman or just trying out the fiber wire for the first time.

The sandbox elements, the amazing level design, and variety of gameplay options on offer are all superbly crafted and highly addictive, but I do think that fans of the previous game may well look at this more like a Version 1.5 of the previous title.

Hitman 2 feels like a slightly improved content pack over the previous game, with new missions and locations but not enough innovation or meaningful changes in gameplay. If you liked the previous game, though, it won't disappoint you providing many hours in its quality stealth sandbox experience.

Hitman 2 walks familiar ground and provides the type of delightful moments you expect in the maps on offer, as well as a multiplayer mode with bundles of potential.

IO Interactive set out to perfect the assassination sandbox with Hitman 2. Though the studio fell short, Hitman 2 is a commendable stealth experience that fans of the series shouldn't miss out on. Its future now rests in whether or not its Ghost Mode and celebrity elusive targets can hold people's attention.

Hitman 2 is a familiar experience, but in the Hitman world, familiarity is an incredible strength.

Hitman 2 may seem like more of a second season than a full sequel, but there’s still nothing like a Hitman game. It might not represent a massive leap forward for the series, and it might be missing some of the bells and whistles that the last game had, but it should still satiate fans of Agent 47, thanks to its more satisfying stealth and its complex, lively mission areas.

Hitman 2 repeats the successful first chapter formula, but in this case, with some improvements and all the content at once. However, the feeling of being the same game, with more content, is here. New scenarios, more options, the same approach to challenging missions, multiplayer mode and more doesn’t seem to be enough to define it as a sequel. You can even play the first game directly, and also, you can buy it from the game itself. Maybe Hitman 2 seems to be an expansion more than a complete game.