Hitman - Episode 1: Paris Reviews
At the end of the day, Hitman's buzzword is freedom. There are so many things to do – and so many ways to do them – that you'll never have to persevere to find something fun to do. It's all in front of you: a bloody, disturbing playground rife with opportunity. The trial and error gameplay brings back memories of older Hitman titles, while new ideas such as the excellent Escalation mode keep things fresh. Simply put, the Intro Pack is a great buy for old fans and new blood alike – there aren't many stealth games of this calibre.
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.
If the rest of the episodes match the quality on offer in Hitman's Paris debut, this could end up being the definitive Hitman game, its first big level already cementing itself as one of our favourite Hitman missions of all time. We can't wait for our next hit.
This first episode strikes a fine balance between accessibility and pleasing long term fans to make this the finest slice of Hitman since Blood Money. Some technical issues do sadly mar an otherwise superb start to Agent 47's latest.
Whether or not you're a fan of the series, the game will have the piano wire around your neck before you know it.
What Hitman is now won't necessarily be what it is when the game's seven episodes have all been released, but a strong foundation is there. This game is the most authentic Hitman experience and it will ask you to become intimately familiar with each level. It is something that will test your patience, intelligence and skills, and when you put it all together will reward you greatly for it.
After a decade of uncertainty for the Hitman series, and one sizeable misstep, Hitman 2016 is nothing short of a triumph in terms of being a course correction. Purely in terms of gameplay it is perhaps the best the series has ever been, so what will define this latest Hitman is how IOI handle the remaining episodes, and smooth out the glaring problems with server connectivity and load times.
We're only one episode in, but Hitman already excels as an episodic game.
A strong start for Agent 47 that will have old-school fans in their element as they experiment with murder, although a few technical challenges still need to be taken out back and introduced to some piano wires around the throat.
Hitman manages to live up to its own reputation and may very well get even better as more content is rolled out. A fine stealth game.
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.
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.
Hitman: Episode One represents a magnificent return to form for the franchise
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.
For $10 Hitman offers you a lot of quality content to go through. On the other hand for 60$ you will be left feeling bitter because of the lack of content currently. I’d say give it a go at the $10 price point and if you like it buy the season pass for the rest of the missions.
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
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.
Hitman: Episode 1 – Paris is a brilliant reintroduction to the world of Agent 47 and being a contracted killer. It's also the best feeling Hitman game to date, with the amount of possibilities present and the sense that the world is truly living. If Episodes 2, 3, and 4 (which as of present time are already available) are half as good as Episode 1 was, we're all in for an amazing experience.
Hitman is being released episode by episode, and I will reviewing each episode as they come out over the next months. Doing so, my overall rating for the game may change in the long run. I get the sense that IO Interactive is beginning to master the art of free-form assassination by providing players with the tools needed to devise a truly unique Hitman experience; thus creating depth in the shallows. One thing is certain: Hitman 2016 is fun and full of replay value.