Hitman 2: Silent Assassin announced

Eidos Interactive has officially announced its upcoming action game Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. The game is the sequel to Hitman: Codename 47, and it features a number of new features and missions. Players will assume the role of a retired assassin tricked into going back to work, only to find himself the target of another assassin.

Hitman 2 will include a number of improvements on the previous game, including a choice of first- and third-person perspectives, mid-mission save options, a revised inventory system, and a new ranking system. In addition, the game's missions will allow for a variety of play styles, ranging from carefully eliminating only the primary target to blasting through the level destroying everything. Hitman 2 will also let players explore open levels with no set path. In addition to a selection of weapons such as knives, handguns, rifles, and explosives, players will have access to new nonlethal weapons including chloroform, poison darts, and stun guns, as well as equipment such as laser scopes, night-vision goggles, lock picks, and remote cameras.

Hitman 2 is in development at IO Interactive, and it is scheduled for release in spring 2002. For more information, take a look at our previous coverage of the game.