Excellent assassination sim
This follow-up to the original Hitman takes what was great and innovative about the earlier game, fixes the few problems which prevented it from being a true classic but retains everything that made it so good. The story once again revolves around Agent 47 but the start of the game sees him in retirement, working as a gardener at a Sicilian church. Now, this obviously wouldn't make for much of a game, so it is not long before 47 picks up his guns again, seeking to track down the kidnapped Father Vittorio. However, he soon discovers that the kidnapping is part of a bigger plot involving the Russian Mafia, nuclear weapons and one of 47's clone brothers. The game follows the original's mission-based gameplay where 47 must find and assassinate specific characters, and retains the open-ended approach which allows players to make inventive use of their environment to carry out the hit. Improvements over the original include better AI and smaller, more focussed levels while new additions like the suspicion meter make keeping track of NPC status easier. The game's graphics are also much better, with excellent character models and fully realised and atmospheric environments that encourage exploration and experimentation. Sound too is generally good, with solid voice acting, a great score and some nice effects. While the campaign is fairly short, the multiple ways to complete levels offer plenty of replay value, and overall this is a great game for fans of the series and newcomers alike.
