Hitman 3 offers a ‘stunning’ end to World of Assassination trilogy

With a strong narrative and gorgeous graphics, the much anticipated Hitman 3 is a really strong game to come out the gates of 2021.

REVIEW: HITMAN 3

In a game where you play the apathetic gun-for-hire Agent 47, you sure can spend a lot of hours doing things completely unrelated to being a contract killer in the much-anticipated Hitman 3.

It’s the seemingly infinite ways in which you can complete each level that makes the finale to the World of Assassination trilogy a masterful opening to video games in 2021.

Hitman 3 not only challenges you to flex your creative murder muscle but offers replayability the likes of which you rarely see in games. There are just so many ways to break into compounds, take out your targets, and disguise yourself that no two playthroughs could ever be exactly the same. And that’s what makes this game so interesting.

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Hitman 3 is stunning to look at.

The second mission, Death in the Family, is a perfect example of this. My assignment is to eliminate the matriarch of the Carlisle family, Alexa Carlisle. She’s an executive head of Providence, a powerful, supposedly ancient (and fictional) secret society that pulls the world’s strings. But she and my superiors can wait because the mysterious death of Zachary Carlisle, which I learn of upon my arrival to Dartmoor Manor, is too intriguing to ignore.

A suicide note was found, and the door was locked from the inside, but Alexa suspects foul play. It’s the Detective she summons that gives me a chance to sneak past the guards at the gate and into the property. Then, while no one’s watching, I subdue the Detective, disguise myself in his clothes, stuff his naked, unconscious body into a hallway cupboard and the masquerade begins. Classic Hitman mechanics.

For the next hour and a half, I explore the mansion, examine the crime scene, question suspects, and hunt for clues, all the while my main quest objectives sit unattended to in the top left-hand part of the screen. This entirely optional, Nancy Drew-esque part is a masterfully composed distraction, and although lengthy, does eventually take you to the mission’s conclusion. But I could have just saved some time and drowned the old lady in the toilet.

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The second mission of Hitman 3 feels like a murder mystery.

This is, after all, a stealth game. Patience, planning, and the ability to hide in plain sight are virtues, while walking around to eavesdrop and observe are paramount. Then again, the often-hilarious naivety of the NPCs (non-player characters) is pretty easily exploited. They quickly forget if they catch you trespassing in a study to steal files off a laptop, and don’t seem to think twice when the person they were just talking to is suddenly a bald guy with a barcode tattooed into the back of his head.

But the game is very self-aware and never takes itself too seriously. As with all Hitman games, murder and espionage come with somewhat of a comedic undertone.

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The mansion in Hitman 3 offers a Nancy Drew-esque experience.

From a technical perspective, this game is stunning. The sunlight streaming into Dartmoor Manor’s mahogany hallways, the reflections in mirrors, and the shadows are gorgeous.

The bonus is that you can experience the two previous Hitman games in the same level of clarity and richness, as developers IO have upgraded the graphics on 1 and 2.

I would recommend finishing these before embarking on this latest release, as I can imagine for those who aren’t familiar with the story will feel like they’ve dropped in halfway through the movie.

All in all, the World of Assassination trilogy reaches a sensational crescendo in this final instalment. Hitman 3 is a fitting farewell to Agent 47, who makes way for IO Interactive’s next project: 007 himself.

I have no doubt James Bond is in very safe and capable hands.

Hitman 3

Platforms:

PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, and Nintendo Switch

RRP: $79

Publisher: IO Interactive

Originally published as Hitman 3 offers a ‘stunning’ end to World of Assassination trilogy