Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

"Out of nowhere......comes......THE HITMAN!!!"

Remember, you heard it here first. Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is going to be the runaway sleeper hit this year. Rarely does a game come along with such a perfect blend of stealth, action, and replay value. If you enjoy games like Syphon Filter, Deus Ex, or Metal Gear Solid, then Hitman 2 is more than a worthy purchase.(note: there are some minor spoilers concerning a few of the situations you are put in but nothing is revealed about the plot)

Graphics: Hitman's graphics are not going to win any awards, but the game is definately easy on the eyes. I should mention straight out that it DOES NOT support progressive scan, making it different from 99.9% of the other Xbox games out there. Fortunately, since it runs at a locked 30FPS and the textures are clean, it looks very close to how it would look if it did run in progressive. The character models are good, but you've seen better. The environments are varied and generally beautiful. The various lighting and shadow effects are extremely impressive. Really, the only thing missing is that extra level of detail that the Xbox is capable of in the way of bump mapping and hyper detailed textures(think Halo). Overall, a nice effort. 8.5/10

Sound: Hitman 2 features excellent music and voice acting. Some of the tunes are extremely well done. The weapons generally make very satisfying sounds when fired. Also, the guards greet you in their native tounge depending on what country you are in, a very nice touch. Overall, the sound is an excellent effort and there isn't much room for improvement. 9.5/10

Gameplay: I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from Hitman in the area of gameplay. Needless to say, I was pleasantly suprised.

One of the main facets of the gameplay is the clothes-switching feature. Anytime you kill or knock out someone, you can switch into their clothes. Depending on who you're dressed as and how you act, you'll arouse varying levels of suspicion from the level guards. By playing it smooth, you can ''act'' your way in to kill your mark. Of course, you can also go in guns-blazing in many of the levels. I suggest turning the difficulty to ''expert'' when you start playing. At this level, it seems very balanced, since you have to use your head, although you can still survive a firefight if you're quick enough.

A lot of thought went into the levels and I really commend the team behind this game. These are the most elaborate scenarios I've seen in a game of this type.<minor spoilers>In one level, you are charged with entering a party inside a mansion, assassinating a military general, and stealing a briefcase from a locked safe. Just to complicate things, a rival agent is at the party and he's after the briefcase as well. Through varying courses of action, you can get inside dressed as a guard, a party guest, a waiter, or yourself. As a waiter, with the right moves, you won't have trouble slipping the general some poisoned wine. However, the enemy agent will be working on stealing the briefcase while you're tied up with that. In fact, the first time I finished the level, I actually had a firefight in the front yard with the enemy agent for possession of the case. This level is one of the most brilliant achievements in all of gaming. Depending on your actions, it plays out a bit differently every time.

Gameplay: 9.5/10

Replay Value: If you're more inclined to play Hitman the wrong way and just shoot everyone up, then you may want to just give Hitman a rent. However, if you're like me and enjoy planning the perfect crime, this game will last for ages. You are ranked at the end of each mission, and getting the top rank will give secret weapons. However, to get this rank, you can only kill your target, and you cannot be caught by the guards. Planning a strategy to actually pull this off will take quite a while, and there are 20 or so missions. Also, some things never get old. Just try hiding behind a shower curtain, then reaching out and strangling an unuspecting guard with your razor wire. Also, bonus points because there are black ninjas in this game. I think you'll be amused when you notice one crouched in the rafters, waiting to strike, and you put a sniper bullet between his eyes, splattering blood across the ceiling and dropping him to the ground with a thud. Not so tough now, ninja boy! Replay Value: 10/10

It's a shame that so many good games are coming out that Hitman may be overlooked, as it is actually probably better than many of the more ''hyped'' games. Obviously, this game is not for everyone, but if you think you might enjoy planning out precise murders within an excellent framework, then this game is worth its weight in gold.

Overall: 10/10

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