There's not much to say about Hitman 2 Silent Assassin, other than the fact that it's a Hitman game, plain and simple.
Part of a review 'triology' encompassing the 3 Hitman titles within the recently released Hitman Trilogy package.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be honest, there's not much to say about Hitman 2 Silent Assassin, other than the fact that it's a Hitman game. That fact in itself is a boon to
gamers, but also a curse. You see, like the Hitman game before it, Silent Assassin is full of heart-pounding moments, cool assassinations, and a sense of satisfaction upon completing the missions. However, beyond these welcome traits, its also chalk full of poor AI reactions, strange lapses in logic (they don't notice blood smeared all over the walls?) potentially awkward controls, and repetition.
As said, it's a Hitman game, and although it does MANY things better and more smoothly than the first in the series, and is in all ways a better title, (and a good one at that)…It's still a Hitman game. You've got fibre wire, pistols, some poison, a machine gun, a lot more, and a contract to kill. And kill you will.
The story isn't particularly astounding though it did keep my interest for a respectable while. Regardless, for me, I return to the Hitman games for their hilarity, satisfaction, and intellectually challenging makeup. After all, Hitman 2 is no exception to the rule of difficulty usually present in the Hitman series. Having said that, again, it's also no exception to repetition. Sure, each of the missions requires a different way to kill, but in the end, you've got a target and you need a plan. It's a slow paced game, that stays true to its roots. And for fans of the series like me (the unblinded fan that I am) it's always a satisfying experience, even if the ending of this particular title doesn't really satisfy at all…and even if you wish they took this title further than they did.
All in all, it's a solid entry to a solid (if somewhat shaky) series that shows its faults for all to see, but never fails to stimulate. Fans will love it, so will thinkers and maybe some thrill seekers, but don't expect an incredible amount of sense to come out of this. Once you take 30 bullets to the chest you'll know what I mean.
7.5/10 on Gamespot (opting to round down)
With an anrounded score of 7.8 on IGN