A great starting point for newcomers to the series, this chapter in Agent 47's story is a fun, albeit unique Hitman game
Hitman: Absolution takes a much more story oriented theme this time around in comparison to past Hitman games, with cut-scenes book-ending each mission and a heavy emphasis on the relationship between 47 and his old handler, Diana. Their relationship is put to the ultimate test in the very first mission of the game, when the experienced killer is sent to eliminate her for knowing too much about a secret Agency project. Things of course don't go exactly as expected in this personal contract, and Agent 47 is soon tasked with the care of a mysterious girl named Victoria who originally lay under the protection of Diana.
While the story is competently put together, with strong performances from each of the cast and thankfully not a completely outlandish plot, there is little reason for the player to actually worry or care about any of the goings-on throughout this 6-8 hour campaign. Agent 47 himself is hardly a relatable character (trained by the Agency to only kill from a young age); while Victoria (who harbors all the personality of a loaf of bread) does offer an interesting spin on things, we don't really connect with her either unfortunately because of the fact that she is immediately and somewhat randomly holed off in an orphanage for the major part of the game. One could understand this from a realistic perspective as an effective way to keep her safe from the Agency by locking her away, but from the narrative side makes little sense if in fact we are really meant to care for or be concerned about a character's safety who appears for all of less than 10 minutes total screen-time.
Of course, I hear you say, the Hitman games have never been known for their award winning story's but rather their open-ended gameplay and kill-how-you-will mentality for each target across every level.
Well that is still here thankfully, although to a lesser degree thanks to following the story restrictions. As a new enemy of the Agency, 47 is completely stripped of all weapons and gadgets (that were of course supplied fully by them) other than his trusty Fiber-Wire, and much later in the game his Silver Ballers. This means that at the beginning of every new level players begin with nothing but one or both of these things and their signature suit. Some might say that this adds to the overall tension and true "on-the-run" feel of the game, however having to constantly search for supplies to use and lesser instruments to dispatch enemies with feels awkward coming from the smooth load-out system of the original games. Such a take on gear also means that replayability of the main story is lessened considerably, as you can't take whatever you want to handle the mission however you may see fit.
Add into this inconvenience is the fact that most levels are very linear, meaning they funnel you a certain way or encourage you to only take a certain approach to any encounter. Levels are corridor-like in their efforts to make you follow a single path, with only the first level of the town of Hope and the last level of a factory really presenting an open sandbox area to act as you see fit. Kills on important targets are only achievable with two or three different methods and a number only need you to get into a specific room before a cut-scene plays out in which a player watches a pre-determined kill or a pre-determined target escape.
Hitman used to be all about a playground of possibilities and opportunities scattered across a large map whereas now there is considerably less room to breathe.
One particularly disappointing aspect of the game is the revamped realistic disguise system. Previously if you donned a disguise of say a Janitor, then you were allowed into any area they were and they wouldn't mind themselves. Now however, if you wear a Janitor outfit you will still gain access to these otherwise restricted areas but suffer from the new realistic recognition system, where anyone wearing the same outfit will recognise you as an outsider. This makes perfect sense in real life (of course you would notice a random Janitor you have never seen before) but in the game it leaves a slightly bitter taste. Sacrificing fun for realism that no fans actually asked for is a little strange, and not even the Professional "Purist" mode can save you from this new feature.
Another new mechanic unique to Hitman: Absolution is the Instinct Bar, which fills up as you make kills, hide bodies and complete objectives. By using the power of their Instinct, players can view enemy locations whenever it is active (think the Batman Arkham detective mode) as well as gaining the ability to spot extra clues and points of interest, or blend with those wearing the same clothing (yay!) for a very limited amount of time (aw).
Moving out of those few negatives however, we find a well-polished and enjoyable third-person stealth game, where using your wits and cunning can more often than not get you out of any tight jams better than a messy shootout could.
Of course it wouldn't be a Hitman game if Agent 47 couldn't change clothes to pass checkpoints and elude detection, dump bodies in random holes and kill targets in hilarious ways. Add in what is undoubtedly the most interactive environment of the series to date with buttery smooth controls and easy-to-use gameplay mechanics, players will find little to complain about in regards to operating within their heavily detailed, albeit small worlds.
Enemies will react intelligently to your presence, noticing if you are acting suspiciously or trespassing, and when acting innocently in their presence they too remain docile and simply continue to go about their daily lives. If attacked or attacking, they will find cover, call for reinforcements and even attempt to flank 47 if opportunity allows. Of course, no matter the situation, 47 (being the chameleon that he is) can always slip away from a fight by throwing objects to distract enemies, changing clothes while hidden or utilizing a Splinter Cell style "last-known location" mechanic.
Dress up as a barber and give your target a "close shave", accidentally reactivate mines being checked, poison sushi or even pretend to be a scarecrow and give enemies something to really fear in the cornfields. One of Hitman: Absolution's big strengths is the variety of each mission and the great level design inherent to each one. You'll still be funneled down a set path or through a pre-determined door but you'll rarely even notice until you think back at the end of the level.
Hitman: Absolution is a great game with only a few issues that really hold it back in the story and gameplay departments; but that ultimately doesn't change the fact that it is so tightly executed in it's presentation and smoothness of play. While many old school Hitman fans (like myself) may dislike the change from open-ended levels to smaller linear chapters, it is undeniable how much fun this reboot of the old formula actually is.