Hitman 2 Review (PS4)

Hitman is a game series that started in 2000 with Hitman: Codename 47 and has been a fan favorite ever since. The 2016 reboot managed to captivate a new generation of gamers by using the latest in gaming technology, and now Hitman 2 is here to further consolidate this idea.

The story continues where the 2016 title left off, and we continue to get glimpses and find out more details about agent 47's mysterious background, and even get the juicy details about the true relationship between him and some other crucial characters.

Nothing new is added to the core gameplay mechanics-wise, except for the new locations and the overall story, so this title would be better off being named "Hitman: Part 2". Further enforcing this idea is the fact that installing Hitman 2 will give you access to all the features, locations and campaign missions of the first installment within the same menu, albeit you still have to pay for them separately.

+2more

A million ways to die in the game

As always, the game is all about getting close to a target, eliminating it by whichever means necessary (while staying undetected) and getting out before anyone realizes what happened. While this brief description might make the game sound as it may be a bit too short, it does offer tons of replay value, since your targets can be eliminated in a wide variety of ways, and using each and every method will be rewarded through achievements and improved experience gained.

This feature increases the contrast between how much time you would normally spend during a speed run compared to the time spent if you were a completionist. For example, choosing the easiest route possible to get through a mission will allow you to steamroll through the entire campaign in less than 4 hours, but if you were to take on the challenges and find all possible story entries and killing methods, you would need at least 12 hours of your time.

They died by "accident"

Targets can be killed in pretty much any way imaginable, from being shot to snapping their neck and even setting up "accidents" that will allow you to kill them while having witnesses present. The game never actually specifies that you have to kill them yourself, so these last types of death are also the most rewarding experience-wise since they also require the most amount of preparation and patience.

You even have one mission where you discover that someone else is trying to kill your targets, and all you have to do is make them get out in the open and get into your "partner's" crosshairs.

Patience is a virtue

Those of you that didn't grow up with the first installments and have just started off with this game or the prequel, you should be warned that if you've never played stealth games before, you are going to die, a lot, and you'll feel the frustration building up, a lot of it.

Full disclosure, if you're the type that loves FPS games and you decide on playing Hitman 2, then you better throw everything you know about the FPS genre right out the window, because there is no room for guns blazing in this title. Most missions will even blatantly leave weapons lying around in easy to access areas, just to remind you that your target is right in front of you, but you can't do anything about it due to circumstances. In fact, following one simple rule will make going through the game as easy as pie: whenever you see a direct route towards your target, go the opposite way.

A few moments worth laughing at

Part of the waiting and recon process is getting certain disguises so that you may gain access to areas unnoticed. Some missions will even have you end up dressed as a pink flamingo mascot as you perform one of your kills, which gives the game a light-hearted feel to it.

I found it extremely amusing how NPC's are so oblivious to your so-called disguises, such as when you, a Caucasian blue-eyed bald man are mistaken for a Hispanic tattoo artist that normally has black curly locks. More so, number 47's snide remarks to some of the NPC's (sometimes the target themselves) made me laugh more than once since he was literally telling them that they were about to get killed, and they never suspected a thing.

Beautiful new locations from around the world

Since you're an international secret operative, its no wonder that you will get to visit plenty of real-life locations, such as sunny Miami, the lush forests of Columbia, the overcrowded slums of Mumbai or the quiet suburbs of Whittleton Creek. The locations look wonderful, and you'll be revisiting them with great pleasure whenever you are trying to replay any of the missions.

One thing you should know is that missions will have to be downloaded separately as add-ons after you install the game. More so, they can be played in whichever order you please, but for story purposes, it is recommended that you finish them one after the other.

+7more

Sniper Assassin mode

Apart from the main storyline is the new "Sniper Assassin" game mode, where you play as Number 47, only this time there is no more silent maneuvering through the premises. You finally play as an actual assassin wielding a sniper rifle at a safe distance.

You're probably wondering what is the challenge then, since sniping someone from afar seems like child's play. Well, the thing is that you have to eliminate three targets in quick succession and as many of their bodyguards as possible, while they are at a party, surrounded by tens of witnesses, and you have to kill all three of them without arousing any suspicion or causing any panic.

Ghost mode

The other game mode introduced is "Ghost Mode", where you face off another player, having to kill the same targets, and whoever scores five kills is declared the winner. This game mode is by far the most interesting since the competitive level is amped up since whenever you or your rival score a kill, the other one has to make another kill within a limited amount of time or lose the entire match.

The Good

The Bad

Conclusion