Though abandoning the episodic format, Hitman 2 continues the incredible promise of the 2016 reboot by giving players the exquisite task of cleverly eliminating targets in densely creative sandboxes on the quest to become the world's premiere bald assassin.
Since 2000’s Hitman: Codename 47, the core premise of Agent 47’s covert undertakings have undergone little change. The bald and barcode-tattooed assassin is one of gaming’s signature killers, instantly noteworthy in his black suit and red tie. The trail of expired corpses left by 47 has been paved by bloody headshots, clumsy explosions, lethal injections, and countless fatalities in between. A target is assigned and the player must execute. 47 is a grim reaper, a kill artist. A mission can go south quickly and bullets will fly. Or, humorously disguised as one of countless NPCs, 47 can poison a target’s drink over illicit deals.
The episodic undertaking of the 2016 Hitman reboot refreshed the aging but sturdy conceit. Freeing players from the traditional through line of a single player campaign, IO Interactive created a handful of complex sandboxes that were doled out periodically. Players breathed in each level, picked them apart like vultures after a carcass.
Season’s End
It’s an expert formula and one that sees little change in this year’s Hitman 2. However, now there are no episodes and outside of future DLC and live events, the main levels are presented in a single package. For players needing their fix as soon as possible, it’s a blessing. For those who love to soak up each level and climb the leaderboards knocking out challenges over the weeks, well… it can still technically be done.
Though the game encourages you to play out each level sequentially, it isn’t forced. Like the Hitman series, Hitman 2 is all about putting the decision in players’ hands. The main menu is a clean presentation packed with easily navigable squares and tabs. Story missions, online events, challenges, and extra modes are clearly identifiable to make access as quick as possible.
Hitman 2 continues the plot thread of its predecessor, as Agent 47 and his handler Diana Burnwood side with their former opposition, the shadowy criminal organization known as Providence. 47 is sent around the world by Providence in hopes of snuffing out the shadowy “Shadow Client” who definitely has information on 47’s shadowy past.
The cloak and dagger workings of Hitman 2 are going to be most appreciated by players who have been following the game’s story for several entries. Told mostly through still image cutscenes after main missions, uninitiated players will get the broad strokes of 47 and Diana acting as pawns in a much larger game.
Thankfully, environmental storytelling is a more lucrative reward this time around. Mission Stories is a new feature that guides the player through multi-staged assassination attempts that require certain conditions to be met. Indicated by a blue icon when an opportunity presents itself, 47 can move in closely to overhear a conversation that presents a new possibility for offing a target. Completing a Mission Story not only nets additional XP and a challenge completion at the end of a level, it unravels more of the story at large. Players will learn more about their targets and why they should cease to be.
Opportunities like blending in crowds and hiding bushes or tall grass allows 47 to listen in on the various NPCs around the world. Crowds have been enhanced to not only look better but feel more alive. Multiple times throughout a level, 47 will stumble across any number of people engaging with the environment and living out their life. Listening to their conversations or watching their actions rarely has an impact on the mission at large, yet it shows how dynamic the AI can be, especially when things get loud.
More than the main story, these little touches broaden the scope of Hitman 2‘s world and engages players better than before. To further round out a more believable sense of location, IO incorporated the native accents and languages of the places 47 visits. Immersion is also increased by improved lighting, pop-up notifications for events like being recorded by a camera or a body being discovered, and mirrors acting as they would in the real world. Yes, players can use mirrors to spot around unseen corners but your opposition can also do the same.
A Bloodied Sandbox
Veterans of Hitman only need to ask themselves, “Do I want more of the same?” when questioning their intent to dive into Hitman 2. To expect drastic change from such a well-tuned engine isn’t necessarily foolish but the proposition of diving back into Agent 47’s life for more of the same is hardly an excruciating choice.
The current formula of selecting a location, stalking targets, and executing a plan is a simple root that blossoms into a staggering number of possibilities. On my first two romps through Miami where I had to take out the CEO of a massive tech corporation and his race car-driving daughter, I soaked up the surroundings. As the engine sounds of a championship race cascaded throughout the streets, I walked through a parking garage, a VIP area, a robotics laboratory, and food truck area near the water. Each new location awarded me with XP in the hopes of discovering the 40-plus areas in this one level.
Dozens of NPCs were ripe for the picking as their disguises could be used to infiltrate some places unnoticed and others more suspiciously (the game helpfully indicates who will see through your ruse with a white circle above their head). When I picked up some objects or stole someone’s identity, I was notified of completing a challenge. Hitman 2‘s feedback loop is constantly rewarding players by notifying them of whatever good or bad deeds they accomplish, making the end of mission results much more tantalizing to see.
I spent over an hour in Miami those first two times, each time assassinating my prey in new ways. The second time I learned more about the story, more about the location, and unlocked more benefits – I’m sure the third, fourth, and fifth will be equally rewarding. Like its predecessor, Hitman 2 never truly makes you feel bad for screwing up. Sure, falling into combat around a bunch of armed guards is going to result in a death but each insertion into a mission is a learning experience. A missed opportunity is just that and can be unmissed on the next go.
What has truly defined the current path of Hitman is how it incentivizes and engages the player to be excessively creative and ballsy. Each level has its own set of challenges and feats to be completed. These range from killing a target in a specific way to silly distractions, like slapping a person into the ocean with a fish. Bundled with a three-tiered difficulty system, these optional challenges express the duality of the Hitman core: fun. The business of killing people can be incredibly goofy but also incredibly satisfying when taken seriously.
Side Jobs
Players are not forced into any specific style of play and can even invent challenges for themselves within Hitman 2. Player- and IO Interactive-created Contracts increase the playground nature of the game by asking players to complete insanely difficult challenges or completely random ones. This mode has evolved over the years and the current format makes it even more accessible and brilliant.
The simplistic but engaging Sniper Assassin mode grants the same challenge-based system as the main game but all done through the scope of a sniper rifle. With 15 minutes on the clock, players can go alone or in co-op on the same map that has been available for those who pre-ordered the game. The chateau of Himmelstein, Austria is awesome but I really hope new maps aren’t too far away.
Currently in Beta form, Ghost Mode is a first for the series and pits one player against another. Both start right next to each other and race to take out the most targets in a round. Right now, only the Miami location is available for Ghost Mode but it is unquestionably tense, silly, and immensely enjoyable. Seeing the “ghost” of another Agent 47 running around a map strangling NPCs is a sight to behold.
As a reward to those who have some form of 2016’s Hitman, IO Interactive makes a Legacy Pack available which uses many of the new and improved features of Hitman 2 in the first game’s map at no additional charge. It’s a testament to the series’ flexibility and provides yet another reason why this series should not be passed up.
Overall
Hitman 2 is, plainly, a sequel to Hitman. The back of the box quote could simply be “IT’S MORE HITMAN” and a devoted group would flock to store shelves to buy it. For many games, that would be a dismissive simplification that doesn’t take into account any improvements made, no matter how minor. But 2016’s Hitman came out of the gate so strong that it begged for more content. The only trade off here is that episodes are out the window and everything can be played in one package all at once.
When a game rewards players for having fun and being creative, there’s little to be unhappy about. Hitman 2 offers that in spades and promises further additions and events down the line. And even after all those targets have been pushed off this mortal coil, I dare you to dive back in and complete every challenge the game has, you won’t be bored.
