Hitman: Contracts

"Agent 47 on an acid trip"

Hitman: Contracts is the latest in the Hitman series made famous on PC. The developers hyped it up seemingly to no end. But the question is, does it live up to the hype? Or should Eidos have a hitman sent after them?

Graphics- Graphics are really the least important thing in a game to me. If the gameplay is pathetic, what good are the graphics? But that is beside the point. Hitman has some pretty awesome graphics, if I may say so myself. The first level looks very disorienting (but in a good way), especially when you start out. The lights are done well, and made to seem more realistic with a flickering effect. The character models, for the most part, look very nice. Agent 47 looks mostly the same as before, except he seems sharper now. All in all, I give them a 7/10.

Gameplay- The gameplay is pretty much standard Hitman fare. Use the X button for actions, such as opening doors or changing clothes. My only major gripe is the fact that even though this game is based on stealth, it seems to not play as large of a part as in past games. This is the proverbial double-edge sword, as it helps in the sense that you can get done with the mission a bit faster, but it brings up the problem of what feels like an unlimited amount of enemies. After all, 47 can only take so much damage before he dies. Even though the gameplay has its share of problems, the bulk is bearable. The gameplay gets a 6/10 from me.

Sound- The sound is...amazing. That is all I have to say. The person who provides Tobias' voice does an almost flawless job of capturing the entire mood of the game. The music is actually good enough where you hardly even notice it. The gunshots are spot on, the alarm is not annoying, unlike other games (No One Lives Forever, anyone?), and the guards have no problem letting you know that they saw you strangle that poor pedestrian. Since I never felt the urge to listen to a screaming dog while playing, I give the sound is worth a 9/10.

Controls- Ah, here is where it all seems to fall. It isn't the fact that the controls are bad, because it was planned out almost perfectly. You never have to move any finger too far to perform an action. The problems are more in the context. There were more than a few times where I found that I was unable to drag a body or unable to shut a door. The controls get a 4/10, because of those context errors.

Overall- Hitman: Contracts is a good game, from good stock. Apart from a few small downfalls, Eidos has still managed to create a game that can keep you on the edge of your seat. It keeps in line with the rest of the series and keeps the mood of the series without hurting it. So on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being crap-tastic, 5 being mediocre, and 10 being a classic, I give Contracts an 8.

To Buy Or Not To Buy- If you are a fan of the Hitman series, buy it. If you like stealth games, find it used. If you are new to Hitman, the stealth genre, or both, rent it.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/18/04