I dream of being a hired goon.
What can I say? As a red-blooded American man, the idea of money for violence appeals to me. Thanks to Hitman 2, I can live out my sick fantasies without actually having to go through the painful process of being prosecuted for ending the life of multiple targets... Some people are going to whine that the disturbing premise of a ‘Hitman’ game is a bad idea to unleash on the public. The popular neo-fascist theory is that (combined with red meat) games like this will eventually drive the populace into a chaotic homicidal mania. I’m not going to address these concerns, but instead quote Mr. Dennis Leary:
“…in the end, eggplant tastes like eggplant, but meat tastes like murder, and murder tastes pretty @#$% good!"
Mmmm... Murder…
A kinder, gentler, murderous clone
Allow me to tell you a story about a gentleman by the name of 47. Mr. 47 is a highly trained assassin; and also a big, bald, pale clone with a barcode tattoo on the back of his head. Lately Mr.47 has been feeling a little guilty about the many mass murders he has perpetrated, so he has decided to redeem himself the old fashioned way: By paying off the Catholic Church, seeking divine forgiveness. Not only has he given his fortune to the church, but also has committed himself to tend the church garden and live in a rickety tool shed.
Granted, tending the church garden would make for a pretty lame game. This point is taken care of, thanks to a couple of suspicious characters who treat 47’s priest buddy to a savage beating and kidnapping for ransom. It is at this point when 47 realizes that his redemption is doomed to failure, unless he takes up arms and commits many heinous acts of murder. So begins Hitman 2: The Silent Assassin, featuring the newly reformed anti-hero 47.
A slightly updated graphics engine
Hitman 2 looks good for a multi-platform release. Anyone who has played the first Hitman game will remember the detailed backgrounds, and the character models that were oddly blocky by comparison. In its newest incarnation, the graphics engine amplifies this quirk. The background architecture is generally very detailed. The dense, (mostly) near photo-realistic texture detail stands out as some of the best I’ve seen on a cross-platform release. In the foreground of this detailed world are merely adequate character models, generally lacking in detail and variety. As you encounter other combatants and characters, you will also notice that their animations are sometimes jerky and out of place.
Lighting effects are effectively done, but without being optimized for the powerful XBOX hardware, you’ll end up noticing 2D rays of light poking through windows and static ambient lighting indoors. While the lighting is merely adequate, the real-time shadows cast by characters in the game are well done. Environmental effects are used liberally throughout the outdoor portions of the levels in Hitman 2; the Snow, rain and fog are done well. Water effects are inconsistent: Small bodies of water are well animated and detailed, but lakes and oceans are only a solid texture. Sharply contrasting the frozen oceans is the blood splatter, which accurately coats the walls behind your victim and runs slowly downward.
The most visually pleasing effect in this game has nothing to do with high poly counts, sharp textures or environmental effects, but rather the physics engine that governs dead bodies. When a person is hit in the chest at close range with a shotgun, he or she will tumble head over heels (in a most hilarious fashion) and land in a random position. Each part of the body is allowed to move independently, and has its own weight. This means that bodies on stairs don’t ‘float’, but lie realistically in the position in which they land. Instead of clipping through walls, limbs get propped up against them. Dragging bodies is also sickly amusing, as heads and limbs get caught on obstacles and bend the wrong way. After playing this game for only a few minutes I began to wonder why all games didn’t have this type of body physics system. This is the feature that the Hitman series will go down in history for pioneering.
You’ll need the sub-titles
Characters in Hitman 2 speak the native language of whatever country you happen to be in. It’s kind of interesting to see a guard trying to stop you, spouting some foreign gibberish, while you try your best to get away without running or pulling out your weapon. The music chimes in at appropriate times, a very slick and classy mixture of orchestra and chorus. The weapon effects are accurate and surround-sound effects are subtle but audible. As far as I can tell the sound is perfect, it doesn’t annoy and fits perfectly with the Hitman ambience.
A bloodbath ensues
The gameplay in Hitman 2 is varied and somewhat open-ended. Most levels will provide more than one way to kill your target, but each option has a linear path that must be followed. Despite the obvious linear nature of your mission objectives, the gameplay never feels canned the first time through.
When first I played this game I had assumed that the main action would be a stealth game like MGS2 or Splinter Cell, and was horrified when the guards noticed me. I then proceeded to kill every single living thing that came onto my path and (much to my surprise) I beat the level.
“Well, this is too damn easy.” I thought to myself. While playing the first Hitman, you would fail the mission if you simply slaughtered everyone; Hitman 2 seemed to be dumbed-down.
Ah, but I was wrong. While sneaking past defenses is a big part of this game, all-out, John Wayne style frontal combat also plays an important role. Hoards of enemies will track you down and try to kill you as soon as they are aware of your presence, your main concern ends up being whether or not you can eliminate your target without dying yourself. This is a lot more fun and forgiving than worrying about following a pre-conceived script that has to be discovered via trial and error (such as the first game).
The stealth portions offer up the really tense moments of this game. There is a serious sense of urgency while walking past a group of armed guards into a secured area, while dressed like a mailman or kitchen worker. If you run or you get really close to them, they will try to stop you and check your identification. If you are dressed like a soldier and are carrying any weapon except the standard-issue service weapon, they will grow suspicious. Civilians will freak out and report you if they catch a glimpse of a non-concealed weapon. Thankfully you will be alerted when the guards release a description of you, from there it’s just a simple matter of stealing a different set of clothes from a different corpse.
Hitmen are cool.
While the graphics are adequate and the gameplay robust, the slick presentation of Hitman 2 really steals the show. 47’s character animation portrays a man that truly isn’t worried about getting caught up in a firefight. His actions are measured and quick, whether it be garroting a victim from behind or walking nonchalantly into a restricted area, his head arrogantly cocked to the side. Most of 47’s paraphernalia bears his wicked silver crest, all the way down his custom pair of ‘Ballers’ (Colt M1911 .45 ACP pistols).
Your garden sheds serve as your home base, and you return there after every successful series of missions. The first shed you visit contains all of the weapons you have acquired thus far into the game. Empty spots on the walls (complete with faded paint silhouettes) serve as teasers for weapons you have yet to encounter. There are a lot of weapons in this game. After marveling at his ever-growing arsenal, 47 moves on to his other shed to play with his laptop. Here a female contact with ‘The Agency’ outlines your next mission, as well as sending you video files, pictures and satellite maps to study.
The third-person camera works well, using the same scheme as Splinter Cell. A first-person camera can be accessed at any time, which instantly converts the control scheme to a Halo style FPS layout. Your gun is tiny in first person mode, about the size you would expect in a four-way split screen deathmatch. When looking down in first-person mode, you can see your body, feet and weapon (readied state or not) and everything seems to be in reasonable perspective. Like the dead body physics system, the first and third person camera system is a feature that needs to become standard in action games.
Final Digs:
Hitman 2: Silent assassin is a tense game that does a few things wrong, and so many things right. This isn’t a game you want your kid to get a hold of, and self-actualized hippies and religious zealots should stay far, far away. Some may find this game too difficult on the easiest setting, but a dedicated gamer will beat it the first time in about a week (a couple hours per weekday, and a solid weekend). A hardcore gamer will need about a weekend.
The multiple mission paths and unlockables included here make for some good replay value. If you’ve beaten MGS2 and Splinter Cell, consider getting this game and getting your murder on… or you could go back to playing Halo, yet again.
