Hitman: Blood Money

"Mr. 47 is back and better than ever"

Hitman: Blood Money is the latest installment in Io Interactive's series of stealth-action games. The gameplay hasn't changed much throughout the series' lifespan, but that's ok because it feels as good as it ever did. For those who have never played Hitman before, I'll briefly explain how it works. Each episode, or level involves 47 taking out a target or targets. But in order to do so, you need to use your brain. This means finding the right guy to knock out, stealing his clothes and assuming his identity. Perfect timing is required to choke out guards. You must be extremely careful though, because if you are caught acting suspicious all hell will break loose. You also need to determine the correct route to the target, usually the one with the least resistance. Sometimes you can get away with blasting through parts of levels, but it's much more rewarding to sneak in, kill the target, and get out unnoticed.

Gameplay: The same great stealth action. While it hasn't changed from previous entries, there's really nothing else like Hitman out there. The only real flaw, and it has been this way since the start of the series, is the questionable enemy AI. There is no intelligent use of cover tactics to speak of in gunfights. Enemies will either stand still or rush straight into your line of fire making them very easy to take down. Of course, if you play this the game the right way (using stealth) then this won't be a problem. 9/10

Graphics: It doesn't push the 360 to its limit, but the graphics definitely have a next-gen feel. While the series has never been known for its stellar visuals, the 360 version is best-looking Hitman game to date. 8/10

Sound: In each location, there is usually a different race of NPCs speaking a foreign language. This is a nice touch, considering that other games *cough* Splinter Cell *cough* use goofy accents for the NPC's voices. In another nice touch, the music changes to fit the mood perfectly right after you take out the target. 9/10

Value: There is plenty of replay value to be had in finding the best way to get though each episode (completely unnoticed, and using stealth). There are also multiple difficulty levels to play around with. The big knock on this game though, is that it doesn't make use of the excellent Xbox Live service. This may be a disappointment for some gamers. On the plus side, this game is fairly cheap now (I got my copy for 30 bucks) compared to a new Xbox 360 title (60 bucks). 8/10

Overall: This is a great buy, especially for fans of the Hitman series or stealth-action games in general. It's very hard to put down if you're a perfectionist like me. 8.5/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/22/07