- PS2 ››
- Action ››
- Hitman: Contracts
Hitman: Contracts
- August 21, 2008 10:27 AM PST
- Email this!
The third time?s the charm as Hitman irons out the flaws of his past contracts in this riveting game.
- GamePro Score
- User Score
- Write your review!
Bald & Beautiful
It helps to know the setup of Hitman: Contracts before you sit down to play because the game doesn't make it as ringingly clear as it should. After returning to the assassin's life at the conclusion of Hitman 2, 47 was injured on his latest hit in Paris. Now he deliriously recovers in a hotel room, and he flashes back to some of his past jobs, which take on a mildly nightmarish hue. While that kind of slant could have easily been overdone, developer Io Interactive nails the high-wire balancing act of the whole nightmare angle. The first two missions are downright unnerving, and after that, only the hazy, dreamy lighting and a few subtle touches remind you of the nightmare thing.
From a gameplay perspective, Hitman: Contracts adds up to 12 long missions, only four of which are brand new--the others are retreads from the first PC-only Hitman game that virtually no one played. The first few hits are linear and straightforward, kind of a warm-up. After that, Contracts returns to what earned this series its reputation: wide-open levels with a vast number of solutions but little handholding along the way. The joy comes from uncovering your own path to the target--you can mow down anything that moves, sure, but Contracts will be most fulfilling for those who play within the spirit of the law.
As always, disguises play a huge role in the infiltrations--almost too huge. A quick change of clothes can get you through almost any scrap, but at least Contracts' disguises actually make more sense than they did in Silent Assassin, covering 47's shiny dome with a hat or hood. The A.I. is wiser than it was in the previous game, too, but not so much so that the game becomes too realistic and too hard.
Mmm...Fibre Wire...
Probably the biggest complaint about Hitman has been the wonky controls, and Contracts should finally put that muttering to rest. 47 is now far easier to maneuver through the levels, and new buttons for instant access to the map and inventory are hugely helpful. But 47 does move with a skating, gliding sort of walk that never manages to look right.
The PS2 and Xbox versions are identical, which is a compliment to the high quality of the PS2 graphics. With Hitman 4 already in the works for 2005, it's great to see this series establish the kind of benchmark of excellence that Contracts represents.
