Hitman Blood Money
In the newest installment of the Hitman series, the game takes the daily ins and outs of our favorite assassin and returns them in all their glory. The open-ended kill them how you want to kill them gameplay concept comes back in force and makes you realize how long it's been since you truly calculated the best way of murdering someone. Do you want to do it with a silenced pistol? Maybe you want to choke them with the garrotte? How about syringe full of poison? Whatever method you choose to kill with is (mostly) entirely up to you.
Being the fourth installment into the franchise in six years hasn't really slowed things down for 47. He's just as mean now as he was when he first hit the scene, but have enough things changed for this release to keep the series fresh?
Gameplay:
While it's not entirely like the revitalization of Eidos' other popular franchise (Tomb Raider) the latest Hitman game offers enough things to bring fans back and garner new ones. The concept here is open-ended gameplay revolving around a killing machine. Not unlike the GTA franchise, the world of Agent 47 is your oyster and you can do, or not do, whatever you want for the most part. It's not quite the most interactive sandbox in existence but the degree in which you can partake of your surroundings is pretty immersive. Unfortunately games with this style of play are a double-edged sword.
You have to be extremely devoted to the cause and seeing the mission through in order to derive any pleasure out of the experience. Having the freedom to completing objectives anyway you seem fit can be a daunting task, especially if you screw things up. Unlike other games Hitman doesn't end the mission once you take a misstep. Instead it forces you to deal with your actions and figure out how to set right all of the wrongs that you have done.
You see, the way the game is laid out is that at the start of the mission you are given your target (or targets). From there, what happens is basically up to you. Using your environment, and selected equipment, you have to make your way through the stage from the drop point. The trick and beauty of this game is figuring out the best way to do it.
In that regard the game doesn't really give you many clues once you're past the training stage. Who you dispose of, what clothes you steal, and how you hide the bodies are entirely up to you. If you want to go in guns blazing you certainly can do that, but there are repercussions awaiting you if you take that path. I'll get into those in a little bit, but all you really need to know is that the best, most useful tool in your kit is silence.
Agent 47's goal is to not only execute the mark but to slip in and out unnoticed. Because of this you have to be extra careful with weapon selection and looking before you leap. Getting spotted by a guard or being discovered by a passer by can have devastating results to your mission. A single misstep (or miss-press of a button in this case) doesn't end things right then and there, like I said. Instead every enemy within earshot will descend upon your location and try to kill you. As you'd imagine that's not necessarily the best way to go about being a stealthy killing machine.
By screwing up you not only make things difficult on yourself but you also affect your rating at the end of a mission. As more people see you and are privy to your presence your notoriety will increase; and trust me that is not a good thing. As your face continues to be seen and people know more about you the game will get more difficult later on. So as you can see in more ways than one skulking around in the dark, killing without being heard, and discarding evidence are the best ways to play through. Of course, playing the game like this also makes Hitman a slower experience instead of a fast paced action. That's the beauty of the gameplay here though; you can play it either way you want.
Unfortunately everything isn't smooth sailing in terms of the gameplay. While having objects to hide yourself and bodies into is great and the near-unlimited ways to kill people is wonderful, I hit a few bumps in the road while I was playing. The AI is a little spotty so most guards are often seemingly blind while other times out of the blue they become super-aware of their surroundings. This means it's really hard to predict the pattern and manner in which you should sneak your way past. One time I was even wearing a costume in an unrestricted zone and for absolutely no reason guards started to shoot at me. My cover was blown completely and it didn't even have anything to do with my actions.
My cover was also blown when I hit a few snags in the control department. Agent 47 was often slow to respond to some of my commands and because of that I inadvertently struck a guard sooner (or later) than I was prepared for. Combat has improved some and is arguably more intuitive now. If you find yourself in a scuffle ripping weapons from the hands of nearby enemies and using their friends as shields is a great way to ensure that you escape with your head still on your shoulders.
Despite how frustrating the gameplay can be at times I have always loved the Hitman series. There's just something so surreal about being forced to execute people in this manner. Well, I say "this manner" when I really mean "any manner." That's the attraction for me and the reason why I keep coming back to Agent 47. The latest sequel offers us more choices, more locations, and improved control in just about every regard. If you haven't checked out this series yet you owe it to yourself to and there's no better game to start with.
Graphics:
Blood Money is easily the best looking addition to the Hitman franchise since its inception back in 2000. The textures are smoother, the lighting effects are more impressive, and the animations are slightly more realistic. A few funky bugs happened along the way while I was playing like some clipping and odd bad guy physics in response to taking one of my bullets. Overall though the quality here is great and it really drags you in thanks to the rich atmosphere each stage presents.
Audio:
Equally impressive in the presentation category is the audio for Blood Money which helps complete the package. The soundtrack is great with moody tunes that fit the atmosphere and attitude well. The voice acting may be a little over the top at times but it is otherwise spot on in quality and the sound effects are equally immersive with authentic sounds. In more ways than one the sound draws you into the game and helps complete the experience.
Conclusion:
Blood Money is arguably the best game to hit the Hitman series. The presentation merits are through the roof with outstanding atmosphere that really sucks you into the world of Agent 47. The open-ended gameplay is just as good, if not better, than ever and the inclusion of notoriety really adds something to each mission. How you approach each situation really depends on how risky you want to be and in the end you'll get a great sense of reward no matter what you do. In fact, even if you don't like the way something went you can go back into the mission and try again and again until you get it right. The funny part is that the experience is fresh each and every time.
The only problems here come with some lack of polish that is present in enemy AI and control. While both remain strong for the majority of the game don't be surprised when an enemy miraculously spots you or completely ignores you. The gameplay is solid, the graphics are beautiful, and the audio is immersive. Check this game out now!