Hitman - Episode 1: Paris Reviews
Hitman's Intro Pack is a confident start to what I hope to be a fantastic season. With a fantastic Paris level showcasing how Hitman should be done, the game really takes you back to the roots of the franchise. I'm looking forward to playing the rest of the season, and seeing what else developer IO Interactive has to offer.
After playing Hitman: Episode 1 - Paris, it's easy to reach the following conclusions. #1: instead of any new innovations and ideas, this new addition to the franchise just takes what made it great in the first place, and improves upon it. #2: although this is just the first step of many, it somehow feels that the complete package will be the best yet, and, #3: exactly because of this, IO Interactive must surely smooth out the many rough edges of its, otherwise, great product, especially the - currently - lukewarm plot, and, even more importantly, the many flaws of its online content.
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.
Yeah, Hitman is back with a more stealth-balanced system, but this being an episodic experience seems to have IO Interactive stuck now without a real story or reason for players to come back. Still, there is fun to be had in the various killing approaches and Agent 47's slightly different approach to acquiring said opportunities.
Square-Enix are off to an excellent start with the first episode of Hitman, the gameplay is challenging while remaining fun and creative. Occasional performance issues do little to spoil the experience, as the level of detail more than makes up for the framerate problems. The game is accessible to both hardcore fans and newcomers alike, allowing players to choose their own play style. Not only is baldy Hitman back, he's back in style.
At its core, Hitman is a worthy entry in a series that's been consistent. However it's hamstrung by way one glaring problem. The game's need to push you online and punish you for playing without an Internet connection is appalling. Coupled with frequent server disconnections, there's no way we can recommend Hitman at this point in time. Hopefully IO Interactive and Square Enix get the message from the slew of negative customer reviews on Steam and public forums and fix things. Until then though, you're better off waiting.
Still, there's plenty here for a certain type of person to sink their teeth into, it just might not be a method of delivery that appeals to everyone. The only doubt could be that Io Interactive doesn't deliver this level of quality every month, at which point there's only patience separating you from the retail release in 2017. Should Io maintain these heady heights though, then this will be a stellar return to form for Agent 47.
Many believed Hitman would fail as an episodic release. As it turns out, a single massive map full of opportunity more than makes up for the staggered release schedule. Still, it stumbles with unexpected online requirements for a single player game and other technical issues.
Intentionally or not, the new Hitman is hilarious
Solid opening chapter, but we're left wanting more
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.
Stop, infiltrate, and listen. 47's back with a great new invention
IO Interactive has setup something potentially more impressive for future releases, with gameplay we've come to love and a taste of what feels like infinite possibilities spread throughout a single scenario.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Plenty of promise, but this game is going to require some decent updates over the coming months.
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.