THE ULTIMATE assassin is back. Hitman: Absolutionsees a betrayed Agent 47 on the run from the police and in the centre of a dark conspiracy against the very people he used to work for.
It’s a triumphant return for a much-loved series with impressive visuals and cinematic story, but it still features the same type of gameplay that made the series so popular. Each mission sees Agent 47 needing to eliminate a new target without alerting anyone. Of course, Absolutionoffers the more ‘run and gun’ gamer the opportunity to make a little noise but traditional Hitman fans will be pleased to see that their stealthy approach will be greatly rewarded.
Players can disguise themselves in costumes to blend in with their surroundings as they dispose of their targets with an assortment of deadly weapons.
BLOOD MONEY
Publisher Square Enix are calling Hitman: Absolutionthe ‘last big game of the year’. Leading up to release, the game will be promoted via cinema trailers, plus pre-roll ads on leading Video-on-Demand services. “We believe we are someone to fear this Christmas,” said senior product manager Grant Tasker. “We are the last big release of 2012, spending heavily on media with a first-rate product offering something unique and fresh to the stale market of sequels.” The publisher is also running a high-impact TV campaign and outdoor ads across the UK, which will continue into December. Pre-order customers also got a free game download (see Sniper Challenge), which, according to developer IO Interactive, has been a ‘crazy’ success. “People are playing it a lot,” said game director Tore Bylstad. “The No.1 player in the world has clocked up hundreds of hours so far which is crazy. We’re very happy because that’s the essence of Hitman; it is made to be replayed.” After a six year gap, Hitmanis sure to please hardcore fans and new comers alike when it released on 360, PS3 and PC this November.
40 November 2nd 2012
Hitman: Absolution
Lauren Wainwright learns the art of dressing up and assassination