Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

"The Most Fun I Have Ever Had Playing A Game"

First off, this is my first ever review. I generally use reviews to decide whether or not I should buy a game, and don't want to take the time to write one myself. That being said, after playing this game I felt obligated to let others know about it so they could enjoy some great gaming. If I dont do the ''typical'' review I am sorry, again this is my first one.

Story-I never played the original Hitman, so I dont have the information on who he is or how he ends up in a small village in Italy. However, the story is excellent from that point on. 47 is forced to come out of retirement to save his friend, who was kidnapped. I dont want to ruin it for you, but it is an involved story with lots of twists and turns.

Gameplay-I must admit at first it was a pain in the butt trying to get 47 to do what I wanted. However, once I turned the sensitivity down it became much easier, and I had a good handle on things within a few minutes. The only thing that I dont like is the fact that there is no jumping, which I dont understand. But again, overall very solid controls that are easy to use.

Graphics-Simply stunning. Xbox really got to flex its muscles in this one, and the results are great. Again, I dont want to ruin it for everyone by giving away everything, but here is just a short list of great things regarding graphics. First, the blood splatters are amazing. If you shoot a guy in the head with a silenced pistol, he will leave a blood splatter on the wall. However, if you shoot him with a shotgun, the blood will be all over. The physics of the game are truly spectacular. For example, if you shoot a man with your dual ballers, the impact will flip him over. Drag a dead man down the steps, and his limbs will react accordingly. Even small things like running with 47 are detailed-his signature red tie flies in the wind. The only thing that could have been down to make it perfect would be if when walking through a puddle of blood there would be footprints, but I am NOT complaining.

Replay Value-I have played every mission at least 10 times. There is a nice option that allows you to go back and replay missions you have beaten using the weapons you have acquired. This means you can go back and beat the mission a dozen ways. If you are in a slaughter type of mood run into the fray armed with a shotgun and your double ballers. Or if stealth is your style, use the fiber wires or knock out gas to beat the enemy. There are numerous weapons at your disposal, and all are fun to use. Lastly, there is a nice ''scoring system'' which rates you after you complete a mission. You can be anything from a ''mass murderer'' to the perfect ''silent assasin'', which is just another reason to replay levels. Nothing feels as good as executing *no pun intended* the perfect hit.

Well, I suppose that it is. The bottom line is, if you are going to buy one Xbox game, this is it. Dont waste time renting it, go to your local store and pick this up.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/07/02, Updated 10/07/02