[This review was written in 2018, and its low rating is based on its state in 2018]

As a Hitman fan, it's a relief to see the series return to form in terms of exploration. There are a few things keeping me from recommending it at its current price.

The price point at $60 is common for games with strong multiplayer function and blockbuster titles, like GTA V, CoD, and Battlefield (for some) but not Hitman. Many will be quick to rationalize the larger levels necessitate the minimum amount of levels (8), which is indeed the least in the Hitman series. However, the amount of opportunities in each level makes up for this shortcoming.

The always online aspect will also neuter your gaming experience if you so much as decide to play offline. No mastery starting locations, no freebie unlocks, no rewards. It's such a shame considering Contracts and Leaderboards are the only two reasons why one should need an internet connection, and Absolution found the perfect compromise in implementing this.

The current version of the game will crash if you play using DirectX 12 at random intervals. It doesn't just CTD, it's crash and I must reboot, since my keyboard and mouse somehow get disabled.

The story is weak, but it tries once again (like Blood Money, like Contracts, like Codename 47) to fill in the blanks of the prior games. The series achieves this by time skipping; first forward, then back, and forward again. Each cutscene occurs "weeks earlier" or "weeks later" and it happens so often that you begin to question the purpose of framing the storyline like this.

Now, let's discuss the good things, and why you should still try the game out.

Despite the episodic and online-only approach, which was probably pushed by Square Enix, you gotta give credit where its due for IO Interactive's response to series-long complaints.

The AI, for the first time in the series, isn't telepathic. No longer will guards on the other side of the map know exactly what you look like in the span of two seconds. In other words, the civilians and guards alike act like humans and generally won't try to kill you unless you try to kill them. If you get caught doing a no-no, the person who saw you will identify you based on what you were wearing and what you did.

47's magical pockets from Absolution (letting you fit sniper rifles, and shotguns, and submachine guns, oh my) become just... deep pockets. If you play on normal difficulty, most objects you wield are no longer considered suspicious. This is very good, considering a carpenter using a nail gun shouldn't be considered a killable offense, just because you are bald.

Combat has vastly improved as well. Enemies will flank you with remarkable efficiency (also best in the series) and 47 will die in about 10 pistol shots. Earlier versions of the game give him even less health, forcing you to go stealth most of the time. While crowd cover, point shooting, and human shield abilities have been removed, evading enemy fire using cover remains effective, and you can easily elude danger by just running away. If they saw you, they'll remember what you look like, though.