Hitman: Blood Money (Xbox 360 and PC)
It has been six years since we first were introduced to Agent 47, the world’s most infamous genetically engineered assassin. Stylishly bald and forever bearing his trademark barcode, 47 has led players through countless hostile locales to…let’s leave it at “fulfill contractual obligations.†Exactly how this is accomplished - either with precision and cunning or through mindless slaughter - has always been left to the player.
Previous games in the series were always recognized for their unique gameplay and story styling, but often overlooked simply because they were rather unapproachable. In addition, a myriad of bugs made some titles near unplayable. For these reasons, the games were mostly heralded as flawed gems, only to be enjoyed by the most devout and adventurous of gamers.
With a new streamlined interface and several difficulty levels (which can be changed between missions), Blood Money looks to change all this, whilst maintaining everything the series does right and without alienating the die-hard fans of the genre.
If there was ever a game so fitting of Jack Thompson’s absurd catchphrase “murder simulator,†Hitman is assuredly it. Death is your business, and business is good. Aside from the rather traditional means of execution – garrote wire, or a double-tap with a silenced Silverballer, for example - the team at IO Interactive has scattered various hazards in each level so as to allow the player to make a hit appear as an unfortunate accident, as opposed to a violent murder. Men will stumble to their deaths, chandeliers will fall upon unsuspecting victims, and tragic equipment complications will ensue as a direct result of your influence, adding an entirely new aspect to the genre. Suffice to say, you may never stand near a railing the same way again.
It’s somewhat ironic that, for a game focused on pure bloodshed, the violence in Blood Money never becomes particularly gratuitous. That is, if you play it the right way. You could blow through the game in an hour or so, by arming Agent 47 to the teeth and pumping lead into anything with legs. But that’s never been the modus operandi of 47, especially in the case of Blood Money. The player is rewarded for stealthy kills, by earning a title at the end of each mission (from Silent Assassin and The Eraser up to Sushi Chef or Russian Hare). In the case of the XBOX 360 version, earning Silent Assassin ratings will earn Achievements.
For the first time, however, the player will actually be punished for unprofessional behavior. The sloppier your kill, the higher the chance you will glance upon your mug in the morning newspaper – increasing your chances of being recognized in subsequent missions. This, as you can well imagine, is rather detrimental to performing a professional hit. Your notoriety is raised through such actions as getting spotted on surveillance cameras, having bodies discovered, or leaving weapons or equipment behind. You would do well to keep this as low as possible.
I should mention, without spoiling too much, toward the game’s finale, those frustrated at restraining themselves in the name of professionalism will be able to alleviate their aggravation with a guns-blazing spectacular. The unbridled carnage that ensues makes up for the subdued aggression of all previous missions.
Graphically, the game is quite attractive, with particular emphasis placed on its settings. From the eerie silence of an abandoned amusement park to the utter chaos of a Mardi Gras parade (with legions of people flooding the streets in a scene that is sure to impress), the settings of the games various assassinations are often quite stunning. Utilizing an effective engine that handles soft lighting, shadows, and detail quite well, the Glacier engine – though not revolutionary by any stretch save for the sheer number of entities it can create – is nevertheless quite polished and more than adequate.
The extremely talented Jesper Kyd returns once more to score the game, as he has scored all the previous games in the series. Skillfully utilizing an electronic arsenal in addition to the sheer force of the Budapest Orchestra, he has crafted an immersive score for this game that covers a wide spectrum, with the capacity for power, subtlety, and everything in between. In addition, it’s quite dynamic, as it adjusts to your various actions in-game accordingly. It’s not obtrusive by any stretch and it is a significant strength of this game, complimenting the environment beautifully. Kyd is quickly becoming the Howard Shore of the videogame world and we recommend purchasing the soundtrack on its own, as well.
While some may claim that the game’s open-endedness lends itself to replayability, I’d disagree. Again, there’s usually only one or two correct means of taking your target out without raising suspicion. And again, while you can rush through the game guns blazing after you’ve played it the right way, you’ll earn nothing more than a few moments of personal excitement. Thus, I find the $60 asking price for the XBOX 360 version rather steep for what’s being provided, and have to make the recommendation to rent this one over a weekend, rather than purchase it.
Of course, IO could very easily change all this with the franchise’s next installment. While it would be a departure from the norm, an addition of a multiplayer cooperative or competitive gameplay mode would surely give the series some much needed zest. Imagine playing alongside a friend, luring a mark into a dark alley while the other person lays in wait. Or, both gamers play as rival assassins, the winner being whoever takes out the target first. Of course, this is all hypothetical ramblings by yours truly, but nonetheless an honest and feasible suggestion to the development team.
The game in its near-entirety is played out through flashback, as the setting is noted by a date at the bottom of the screen at the start of each mission. Think of this as Agent 47’s greatest…hits! Oh, I went there. Players of previous installments in the series are rewarded with clever, inside references throughout.
The gameplay within each level isn’t linear, but the story arc taken as a whole surely is. And while the story is intriguing, it isn’t played out in the best manner possible. Of the game’s dozen levels, only a handful actually serve to advance the plot. It’s never as if IO said “let’s keep the story moving by revealing what’s really going on here during this level,†but instead “let’s have the player go kill some people, and then we’ll somehow tie it all together in the cut-scene that follows.†Sadly, if you cut out the “filler†missions, the game would be a string of cinematics with two or three playable levels dispersed at random intervals.
All in all, Blood Money is the epitome of a Hitman title. It exudes a certain cool style, makes marginal improvements upon its predecessors, and never quite manages to fully capitalize on its potential. It’s undoubtedly the best Hitman game to date, but not without its issues. Nonetheless, another step in the right direction for IO, and we can only hope that this game is enough to revive this previously floundering franchise and bring the gaming world one step closer to the perfect murder simulator.
