It is whispered
among the criminal underworld that the man in the starch black suit and smooth
baldhead is not a myth. For years this phantom seemingly picks off his targets
and disappears without a trace and some say that he eerily assumes the identity
of those around him like a human chameleon. He has many names in the criminal
network but only the really connected know him as 47. In Hitman: Blood Money
for the Xbox, we witness yet another chapter in the life of our favorite
hitman and it’s a very good chapter indeed.
Many a time we
have seen Agent 47’s exploits unfold with him being considered a king of
criminal underground urban legend but in Blood Money his myth is exposed
via a shadowy figure who reveals to a reporter several incidents that involve
the famous killer-for-hire. It is through the reporter that we witness Agent
47’s various missions that take him all over the globe. Suddenly, Agent 47 is
being shadowed by assassins who wish to put an end to him because a secret
conspiracy concerning clones has become a hot topic in Congress and let’s face
it he’s one of the most dangerous clones walking the planet.
For fans of the
series, Blood Money isn’t any different from past games in the series.
You are still taking on various different assassination scenarios that place you
in an environment and allow you to take out the target any way you like. There’s
always a number of ways to complete a given mission so if you want to take the
stealth route or go sadistically postal and take out everyone. You’ll still have
your usual assortment of weapons like the fiber wire and the poison syringe
introduced in Hitman: Contracts. Yet then again, this game introduces
some new elements as well as new combat moves (but we will get into that a bit
later).
The real star of
the show are the mission scenarios that have always put Agent 47 in some very
interesting situations but in this game the missions seem bigger in scope. Take,
for example, a mission that takes place in the middle of Mardi Gras. Imagine the
madness of the festivities with its crowds of partiers (many of them drunk),
scores of police officers and your targets walking among the few floats. You are
tasked with taking out three targets while attempting to protect the US
Secretary of Interior but to do this you’ll have to assume various new
identities in order to reach different locations within the map. The same goes
for a mission that takes place in a Chilean vineyard and the suburbs of a
California city.
Even the various
different ways of dispatching your target is more unique in this game. There’s a
mission that takes place in a Paris opera house that allows you different ways
of taking out a target aside from the more obvious methods. You can, for
example, switch a real gun with a prop gun so the actor – during a dress
rehearsal – will pick up the real gun and shot the target for you. Then again,
there are about a dozen other ways you can take out the same target. While you
have the freedom to complete a mission any way you want, Blood Money is
the first game in the Hitman series that keeps track of any civilians
that might have spotted you and even penalize you monetarily for killing
civilians. That’s right, Agent 47 actually is paid for killing people and the
money you earn during an assignment can be used to bribe witnesses, the chief of
police or purchase a new identity.
New to the
series is the ability to purchase weapon upgrades. Your Silverballers, Agent
47’s familiar .45 automatic handguns can be upgraded to add a silencer, better
bullets as well as a laser sight. You can upgrade your shotguns and sniper
rifles, making each gun more precise and (best of all) more silent. Aside from
the ability to improve your arsenal, Agent 47 has some new moves like a
disarming move that allows you to elbow an attacker and rip the gun right out of
his or her hand as well as perform a head butt and dropping a coin for
distraction. Agent 47 can even push a person out a window! All these things add
up to an interesting new gameplay mechanics that actually work.
Now on to the
things that don’t work in this game and there are plenty of things wrong with
this game. The opponent AI goes from able to make rational decision to
why-is-he-just-standing-there-when-I’ve-just-shot-his-friend. At one point
during the game, I shot a security guard only to have a police officer point his
gun at me and just stand there as I walked away. While you’ll encounter a few of
these moments throughout the game, it does not become too much of a problem
since the game is able to play differently each time.
Visually
speaking, Blood Money looks a lot better than the last two games in the
series and while it lacks the sharp textures and ultra smoothness of the Xbox
360 version this is still a great-looking game. For starters, the character
models display an excessive amount of detail especially when it comes to Agent
47. Certain shots leave bullet holes on people and the game is a lot gorier than
ever. Even the environments look particularly impressive. You’ll be moving
through a number of interesting locales from the suburbs of a quiet neighborhood
to the lush tropics of a Chilean hacienda. The only thing wrong about the
graphics is that there is still way too much clipping. You’ll literally see
people walking right through doors and arms sticking right through other people.
The game’s sound
is also a highlight especially the score by composer Jesper Kyd that is
wonderfully hypnotic and cinematic. Aside from the killer soundtrack, the game’s
sound effects are highly detailed to the point that you’ll hear every single
detail from a footstep to the sound of barking dogs in the distance. You’ll even
get to catch some funny conversational bits as well as music playing on the
radio. The voice acting is also nicely done.
Hitman: Blood
Money for Xbox
might not be a revolutionary step into new territory but it’s still a wickedly
enjoyable romp that is sure to please longtime fans of the series. While the
game is still plagued by the usual assortment of annoying glitches, the great
missions, new moves and other additions make this one of the most engaging
Hitman games that will make you forget about the so-so Contracts. If
you’re a returning fan of the series or just new to the series, you will
certainly find a lot to love about this one.
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Gameplay: 8.2
Agent 47 is
back and better than ever thanks to some cool new disarming moves and the
ability to upgrade weapons. The mission scenarios are staged beautifully and
gamers have the complete freedom to dispose of the targets anyway they see fit.
The bad news is that there are some questionable AI glitches that make for some
frustrating combat and unwanted attention.
Graphics: 8.0
The game’s
graphics are the best the series has seen to date so expect a better-looking 47
as well as the other character that surround the beautifully rendered
backgrounds. While the 360 version does sport sharper graphics this is still a
very visually pleasing game.
Sound: 8.5
The voice
acting is top notch and once again our hero still sounds icy cool. There are
more background sound effects in this game than in previous ones so expect to
hear everything from passing footsteps to the grunts of knocked out enemies. As
always, Jesper Kyd’s soundtrack hits the mark just as accurately as one of 47’s
bullets.
Difficulty:
Medium
Many of the
scenarios are tricky business to complete and this time around, most of the
enemies you’ll face in this game are a bit brighter. Then again, there are
moments when an armed thug will point a gun at you and forget to shoot or run
around in a circle wondering what to do next.
Concept: 8.5
Whether you
are in Chile attempting to bump off a father and son drug-cartel duo or sneaking
into a drug and alcohol rehab clinic to “murder” a CIA agent and then bring him
back to life, the missions and locales are the star of the show. The newspaper
headlines and the ability to bribe police and eyewitnesses is a great idea but
using the money you earn performing a hit to buy weapon and item upgrades is a
most welcomed addition to the series.
Overall: 8.5
While not a
major departure for the series, Hitman: Blood Money is still one of the
most enjoyably addictive action games that adds some new moves to our favorite
hired killer’s repertoire. There are still the usual glitches that have plagued
the series for a long time but with an assortment of excellent mission scenarios
this is a game die-hard fans of Agent 47 will certainly not want to miss.
