The gameplay is similar to the previous games in the series but that doesn't mean it's not enjoyable to play.
+ If you've played Hitman 2 then this game will feel really similar. Hitman: Blood Money really doesn't add much to the core mechanics of the series, but it does make a few changes that are worth noting. The game pits you as Agent 47, and you receive contracts to kill certain targets. The game encourages a stealthy approach but it still allows you to pump up the shooting action if need be.
Your primary means of being stealthy is to put on a disguise. These disguises can be found throughout the level, or you can kill someone and take their disguise. You have to be careful to hide the bodies of people you kill, though, or else guards will discover them and become suspicious. While this disguise tactic has been used already in the series, it did seem that this game exploited it too much. There tended to be one disguise which allowed you unrestricted access to the entire level. So each level basically became a game of trying to find the special disguise and then everything else became a cakewalk.
The weapons available to you are pretty much the same as in the previous games. You have pistols and handguns, automatic weapons, shotguns, and sniper rifles. And of course you have your silent melee weapons like your fiber wire and a collection of knives. This game does add two syringes, though. One allows you to incapacitate people without killing them, and the other is a poison which allows you to kill targets that have been incapacitated. This proves to be useful because the game allows you to punch people in close combat if you are discovered. This will knock out enemies but leave them alive. If this happens, you can whip out your poison syringe and finish the deed. This game does introduce an upgrade system where every few levels you are able to spend money and purchase upgrades for your weapons. It didn't really add much strategy to the game, though, because you pretty much always have enough money to buy all the available upgrades. I do have to criticize the weapons, though, because even though you are able to select which ones to start the mission with, you often have to forfeit them to security guards in order to gain access to the level. Also, there are a number of different guns to choose from but it really seemed pointless because of the emphasis on stealth. I think I may have only used two guns in the entire game (the silenced Ballers when I couldn't get close enough to perform a melee kill, and a sniper rifle when it seemed the best available option to kill the enemy without being seen).
This game does introduce one key element that really is its strongest point, though. Each level there is a way to kill your target by making it look like an accident. It's not always obvious, but when you discover the combination of items that is required to pull it off then it is entirely rewarding. It allows you to set up a trap which will eliminate your target and most of the time prevent you from gaining attention. Of course you can kill your targets any way you like, but this adds an additional challenge and makes the player feel more like a clever hitman.
One thing that still doesn't feel right is the trial and error tendency the game has. Your map and your mission objectives do a better job than the previous games at directing you where to go, but there is still some parts of the game that don't give you enough information. You are able to see what must be done but you don't know if you will be caught in the act, or if your disguise has enough clearance, or which order you should kill people. And so I did a LOT of reloading previous saves just so I could get a reasonably clean hit each level, rather than making one tiny mistake which causes all guards to attack you and pretty much cornering you in a dead end.
This game features a really awkward save game structure, too. Like Hitman 2, when you play on Normal you are allowed 7 saves per level. The first awkward thing to notice is that while you are allowed 7 saves, you are only given 3 save game slots. Which means you are going to have to overwrite some older saves at some point, but it's hard to tell which save game slot is which because all you are able to see is the time which you saved. But the real culprit here is that you are forced to play through an entire level in one sitting. You can save throughout the level, but if you exit the game then these saves are completely deleted from your computer. It's really inconvenient if you don't have the time to play through an entire level, and I really don't see any benefit at all of having this save game structure in. So as a warning: make sure you don't quit in the middle of a level or else you'll lose all your progress.
So in the end the game gave me mixed reactions, much like Hitman 2. It has some strong moments when everything is working together in harmony, which could be a lot of fun. But there are still a lot of things that seem clumsy or useless which really took away from the experience. Overall I think it's possible to overlook the shortcomings of the game and it's still a worthy game to play through.
Story/Presentation: 3.5/5
+ The story has always been a problem with the Hitman series. On one hand, how can you really make the story detailed when your job is just to kill targets without asking questions? On the other hand, you have to have something to thread the entire game together so it doesn't become "kill this guy, kill this guy, kill this guy." And I do have to say that Blood Money does a good job at stringing a story together before each mission. You are shown cutscenes of a journalist interviewing a handicapped man who is explaining the downfall and capture of Agent 47. And then each mission is supposed to be a flashback where the handicapped man is explaining what Agent 47 did and how he tracked him down. The ending was actually pretty satisfying and the short sequence after the final mission was clever, too. I wouldn't say that the story was bad, but I do think that there is still room to improve and grow. This game has plenty of potential to really draw in the gamer and make him feel like he's Agent 47 but so far it doesn't really capture the storytelling to its fullest potential.
Graphics: 4.5/5
+ The graphics are clearly the best in the series. If you've played the first Hitman games then this is an exciting development to see everything in a much better realized world. There really aren't many things to complain about either. Sure some textures and models may look inferior at times, but for a five year old game it still holds up very nicely.
One thing in particular that I would like to point out here is the diversity in the environments. Each level is very different, unique, and ornately decorated. The colors, the design, the feeling...they are all special and characteristic for each level. You'll go from an opera house to a Christmas party at a mansion to a Mardi Gras parade to a wedding at a southern plantation to the White House. And each of these feel authentic and it's a lot of fun to just walk around and look at the set design in the levels.
Value: 4.5/5
+ The game took me about 13 hours to beat. But like I said earlier, I did a LOT of saving and reloading especially in the earlier missions. I really wanted to play through each level with the fewest mistakes possible, so I tended to play through parts over again. If you tend to just want to play through and live with your actions then you can easily breeze through this game in shorter time. But if you take your time and try to plan out the best hit then each level will take you at least an hour to explore.
The game does offer plenty of replay value, too, since each level leaves you plenty of options. Rarely will you be able to play through a level twice and get the same response. Also, you are rated after each level, giving you motivation to go back and try and get the highest rating (Silent Assassin) in each level.
For $10 it's an incredible deal and definitely worth the purchase. It's arguably the best Hitman game and really has some shining moments.