Firmly in the pantheon along side games like DOOM and Bloodborne that meld intricate level design and god-tier art direction into narrative and thematic cohesion. Just beautiful.
Agent 47 is simultaneously no one and everyone. He can assume many disguises and remain and undetectable even if he is a rather noticeably tall, pale bald man with a barcode tattooed on his neck who would stand in any function. He is both a player avatar and distinct character himself. He is a paradox and an example of having your cake and eating it too. He has no real personality within the game but he definitely has a soul. He doesn't merely exist to serve as a player fantasy. His lack of distinction is a product of narrative necessity. He is an assassin, the titular hitman - why would he be a guy you want to get to know more. He is his profession, and his profession is the game. It's beautiful.
Part of me wishes the plot of these games held more depth but I am not totally sure every espionage story needs that. Even the work of John LeCarre is purposefully dense until it comes out the end leaving you as puzzled and bewildered as the characters. To me what's important in Hitman is that the story is told with earnestness. Not necessarily seriousness. You can dress up as a clown and throw fruit at people. But no one is cracking quips and the characters themselves communicate seriously. Tonally it's just right and kind of rare for a modern AAA video game. It's also a game that takes place in the real world. In a lot of ways it's everything I've been looking for for years now. There are secret labs and stuff bit no space mines or sci-fi/fantasy bullshit. Grounded in reality is another rare quality I really admire.
As an individual game I just want to say Hitman III is a slight step above what I played in 2. To open the game with an Agatha Christie inspired murder mystery is stunning. As is the refreshing idea to give Agent 47 the option to assume an identity fully and be able to interact with people for a change. That kind of deviation is amazing to me even if it's just a simple point and click murder adventure it's a cool twist on a formula. To follow that level up with a bare bones thrown into the wolves den Berghain inspired level is otherworldly. Just that back to back sensation of those two levels rocked my world.
Hitman III felt like a spectacular culmination of all the Bond inspired levels IOI wanted to make. More than any Bond film actually, Hitman III really opens your eyes to diverse and cool as fuck staging areas all espionage cinema from True Lies to Mission Impossible to even John Wick aspire to. I want an old mansion on the Moors; a Berlin nightclub; a train; neon-lit streets; and a vineyard that simultaneously feels like a wedding. Pump this shit into my veins.
This one will live with me for a while. I'm glad I still have Hitman 1 to play; disappointed no new Hitman/or OI game for a while. I'm sure their Bond will be dope. Hopefully they keep it as streamlined and non-microtransactionary as this series.
Agent 47 is simultaneously no one and everyone. He can assume many disguises and remain and undetectable even if he is a rather noticeably tall, pale bald man with a barcode tattooed on his neck who would stand in any function. He is both a player avatar and distinct character himself. He is a paradox and an example of having your cake and eating it too. He has no real personality within the game but he definitely has a soul. He doesn't merely exist to serve as a player fantasy. His lack of distinction is a product of narrative necessity. He is an assassin, the titular hitman - why would he be a guy you want to get to know more. He is his profession, and his profession is the game. It's beautiful.
Part of me wishes the plot of these games held more depth but I am not totally sure every espionage story needs that. Even the work of John LeCarre is purposefully dense until it comes out the end leaving you as puzzled and bewildered as the characters. To me what's important in Hitman is that the story is told with earnestness. Not necessarily seriousness. You can dress up as a clown and throw fruit at people. But no one is cracking quips and the characters themselves communicate seriously. Tonally it's just right and kind of rare for a modern AAA video game. It's also a game that takes place in the real world. In a lot of ways it's everything I've been looking for for years now. There are secret labs and stuff bit no space mines or sci-fi/fantasy bullshit. Grounded in reality is another rare quality I really admire.
As an individual game I just want to say Hitman III is a slight step above what I played in 2. To open the game with an Agatha Christie inspired murder mystery is stunning. As is the refreshing idea to give Agent 47 the option to assume an identity fully and be able to interact with people for a change. That kind of deviation is amazing to me even if it's just a simple point and click murder adventure it's a cool twist on a formula. To follow that level up with a bare bones thrown into the wolves den Berghain inspired level is otherworldly. Just that back to back sensation of those two levels rocked my world.
Hitman III felt like a spectacular culmination of all the Bond inspired levels IOI wanted to make. More than any Bond film actually, Hitman III really opens your eyes to diverse and cool as fuck staging areas all espionage cinema from True Lies to Mission Impossible to even John Wick aspire to. I want an old mansion on the Moors; a Berlin nightclub; a train; neon-lit streets; and a vineyard that simultaneously feels like a wedding. Pump this shit into my veins.
This one will live with me for a while. I'm glad I still have Hitman 1 to play; disappointed no new Hitman/or OI game for a while. I'm sure their Bond will be dope. Hopefully they keep it as streamlined and non-microtransactionary as this series.