Playing the very first game in a series like Hitman feels like marking the rings in a tree. This game plays a bit clunky, with guard detection states not feeling consistent and stealth tools feeling lacking, but it's a total charm to play. It feels like a spitball of an idea of what Hitman should be.

You really are encouraged to meet the game at its terms, with levels playing out more puzzle-like than later entries. You aren't quite encouraged to roam around looking for the best disguise, rather you follow the steps and procedures of a hitman in the way the game sees most efficient. What those steps are is up to you to figure out.

It's an interesting approach to level design that's satisfying to figure out, but one that left me saying "damn okay what DO you want me to do" more than once. This combined with the bizarre "continue" system that spawns you back at a checkpoint with the exact same alert state you died with makes for a frequently frustrating experience.

It's worth a shot if you're stubborn enough to play through it!