Choose between stealth and shoot-out in the latest classy instalment to the long-running Hitman franchise, writes John Walshe.
The work of a hired assassin is never done. Complete one contract and you’d think you can take off the sharp suit, lose the silencers and put the feet up for some R&R, but there’s always another bad guy to be rubbed out. When you go rogue, the prospect of taking time off becomes even more remote. There’s no recession in the world of the Hitman.
Agent 47, the balding anti-hero from previous Hitman titles, is in something of a quandary. When he’s issued with a ‘kill order’ for Diana Burnwood, his former handler at the mysterious Agency that provides him with work, he has what is, for him, a moral dilemma.
It doesn’t stop him from murdering his former ally, however, but something prevents him from delivering the teenage girl she has been protecting to his boss. Instead, he hides the mysterious Victoria in an orphanage while he sets about finding out why she is so special. Just why our suited-and-booted assassin-for-hire develops a soft spot for this teenage prodigy isn’t immediately clear, but his momentary lapse of cruelty leads him into a murky world of murder and misanthropy.
The result is a series of missions, where the goal is generally to remove another bad guy, en route to the big bad boss man himself, a Stetson-sporting slimy southerner called Blake Dexter (superbly voiced by Keith Carradine), who makes JR Ewing look squeaky clean by comparison. The way you complete your missions is up to you: stealth or shoot-out. The stealthy option is generally the more fun, however, even for committed shooter fanatics like yours truly.
Stick to the shadows, utilising a wealth of disguises, from gardeners to police officers, while placing bodies in the plethora of empty cupboards and closets dotted around the playing area (or hiding in them yourself). If you’re spotted, it’s usually easy enough to shoot your way clear anyway, at least on the easier difficulty settings. The ability to tag and target enemies in slo-mo (like Max Payne’s bullet time) is hugely beneficial, particularly when faced with multiple bad guys.
Graphically, this is lovely, whether you’re traversing the back alleys of Chinatown or crawling through the corn fields of South Dakota, and the sound is superb, with a fine cast of voice actors lending their talents to proceedings. The gameplay is hugely addictive, with a wealth of memorable scenes, like becoming embroiled in a police raid on a pot-house, a full-on UFC cage fight or a bizarre encounter with an all-female assassination team, who dress like stripper/nun hybrids.
Be warned, however, this game carries an 18's cert for a reason, and is definitely not suitable for younger players, as there are some distinctly adult themes. Gritty and grimy in all the right places, Hitman Absolution is a stealth adventure for those shooter fans who don’t think they like stealth.
Platform: PS3, X360
Publisher: Square Enix
Age Rating: 18
Score: 4/5
John Walshe
