Hitman 2 review
Xbox Reviews

Hitman 2 review

Hitman 2 – The talented Danish developer IO Interactive hasn’t had the easiest time while making Hitman 2, Square Enix let them go and IO did a managing buyout to become independent again, partnering with Warner Bros they bring you Hitman 2. More of the same with a few improvements this sequel hits all the marks for longtime fans from Agent 47. No need to disguise yourself as an Xbox fan, everyone is welcome to read our review for Hitman 2. 

What is good?

  • Memorable experimentation gameplay: You’ll be surprised how many opportunities you have for killing someone in a stealthy way, the good old throw a coin and choke him remains my to go for option but HITMAN 2 ensures that you have original ways of ending 
  • Replay value: IO Interactive did something really clever when you finish a mission, it shows you tasks or assassination options that you missed and you also unlock new mission possibilities. If my memory serves me well Hitman 2 could be considered as the greatest replayable single player game on Xbox One and beyond. 
  • Sniper mode: In this mode Agent 47 is best described as a mounted sniper turret. You can’t move, you can only shoot with a deadly sniper rifle that improves the more you finish missions. In this mission you literally crash a wedding party, leaving bullet holes in bodyguards and targets. It is a fun and much faster way of playing Hitman but the main attraction remains the story missions. 
  • Online multiplayer: Killing your targets faster than your online opponent, that is your one and only task in Ghost Mode, a new online only mode. Whenever you or your competition kills a target first you have a limited time to catch up or else you can say your precious points goodbye. While I haven’t played this mode a lot I was still hooked, in the few rounds by this intens way of playing Hitman. So not only do you have a huge replay value because of the SP-content also the online mode helps for playing Hitman 2 for multiple hours. 
  • Dazzling environments: When it comes to beautiful setpieces and believable real life environments IO Interactive knows perfectly how to create it. The sandboxes are big openworlds occupied by hundreds of NPC’s, each seems to realistically live their life as you would expect. Seeing a crowd of people run away in fear because of gun shots or a death scene without a performance issue is a remarkable accomplishment. 
  • Legacy missions: Owners of the previous Hitman will have all the missions with improved visuals and new gameplay features for free. A very nice bonus for Hitman fans, that IO Interactive actually went back and invested time into this really proves that they love Agent 47. Replaying some of the older missions showed how much improvements the sequel has, with new exciting ways to kill targets or simply enjoying the enhanced lighting effects or crisper textures. 

Mixed feelings

  • Self-control and patience: Games nowadays are full with action and fast paced gameplay, so it might be a shock for new players when they play Hitman for the first time. In this game you have to be very patient and plan your steps accordingly, hiding in a closet for six minutes or waiting for your target to go to the bathroom happens regularly. You could take the explosive route and shoot all enemies to smithereens but that’s not really the point of a stealth game. 

What is bad?

  • Confusing installation:  (no point reduction) I can’t think of any logical reason but each mission and content is a seperate download making it very confusing when you install it. Some mission didn’t download automatically, not sure if this was a problem with my Xbox but it was really annoying. 
  • Story: If only, it might be the two saddest words you can say. If only I met you sooner – If only I didn’t take that left turn. You get the point, right? Well.. if only the story was better from Hitman 2. While Agent 47, the playable character has an interesting past, the story told around it isn’t as interesting. Bland and uninspiring still cutscenes explain what is happening but it feels extremely rushed. 

Hitman 2 Score: 84%

The unique stealth gameplay from Hitman remains as strong as the White House foundation, disguising yourself and approaching your target gives you a feeling like no other game can. It looks great, controls fine and offers almost unlimited replay value. Microsoft, since you are on a buying spree… IO Interactive is independant. 

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