Hitman - Episode 1: Paris Reviews
Hitman looks very promising so far even as an episodic release title, but the always-online DRM hampers it and may prove a serious black mark if it remains this unstable.
Destination one in Agent 47's now-episodic global travelogue shows IO Interactive know how to get Hitman back in fashion. A strong, stylish opening to the new game.
Hitman tries an interesting balance of stuffing a lot into a little, but doesn't exactly pull it off with elegance. While levels are large sandboxes containing numerous death-fulfilling opportunities, they come with the extra baggage of lackluster technical performance. Without the option of going to different locations of an equal size, Hitman currently feels like a product that lacks in its offering once enemy patterns and building layouts have been memorized.
Hitman lives up to the legacy of the original games, and redeems the series from the lows of Hitman: Absolution by taking the series to new heights.
Hitman: Episode One represents a magnificent return to form for the franchise
Hitman's season premiere is a nice opening act that's centers around a luxurious world that feels authentic. If you can overlook the stagnant, often useless AI and enjoy the real fun of figuring out how to get to the kill, you'll have a great time.
Playing by the rules can still be fun, and despite my misgivings I'm interested in seeing more Hitman in the coming months. Its lavish environments allow for enough outcomes and stories that I can't dismiss its decision to trade real freedom for bespoke scenarios out of hand. And most importantly, the illusion it offers of getting in and out without being seen and on your own terms lingers just long enough to be worthwhile. I'm just disappointed it was an illusion in the first place.
Hitman's improved world, which includes smarter NPCs and versatile ways to complete goals, has brought the series onto a higher level of entertainment. Definitely worth a go.
It's understandable that the release of Hitman in episodes may cause concern as it's not something that the gaming community will likely want for its triple-A titles. Though, with this particular game, I consider it paramount that IO interactive get it right, especially after the disappointing Hitman: Absolution, which felt incomplete.
Plenty of promise, but this game is going to require some decent updates over the coming months.
Hitman has refined its gameplay, while having options that help newcomers, but should not upset existing fans, and as such, is a solid start that hopefully keeps getting better and upping the variety with each mission added.
When you're playing and engaged, Hitman is a thoughtful, well-paced, and beautiful introduction to what should be an incredible multi-part adventure. It's hard to imagine how Square Enix and IO could possibly screw up something this good. If nothing else, for $15 The Prologue and Paris Showstopper missions are absolutely worth your time and money. The stages were so lovingly pieced together and offer you seemingly endless possibilities for creative, violent expression. Even after you execute every hit every way you possibly can, you can create your own contracts or take on those of your peers for an extra challenge. It's an incredible bang for the buck, and I can't wait to to head to Italy next month.
While we've generally strayed from reviewing individual episodes of games here at GameZone, Hitman's approach to the episodic format is quite different. Since there is very little story to tell, and rather a whole lot of experimental gameplay that rewards multiple playthroughs, Hitman gets a pass on this.
IO's built the bones of a fantastic Hitman game—certainly the best since Blood Money (though that bar is practically nonexistent) and possibly one of the best in the whole series. Skip it for now if you're just looking to one-and-done each level, but if you were hoping for a sandbox experience? You've got one.
Stop, infiltrate, and listen. 47's back with a great new invention
It's clear that a great deal of effort has gone into making the Paris map a living, breathing world for you to play around in. The mission itself feels absolutely brimming with nuance and possibility, although it's a shame the same cannot be said for the extra modes being offered to as a distraction until episode two comes out.
Solid opening chapter, but we're left wanting more
Considering how much fun I'm having just playing these handful of missions available in the first episode, I suspect this new approach will work well, if they can keep up the high quality in future episodes.
If the game's server issues are truly eradicated… and each of the upcoming episodes proves to be as good as Paris, then the full Hitman experience could prove to be essential
Intentionally or not, the new Hitman is hilarious