Hitman Absolution PC Review

Gameplay wise, Hitman Absolution is one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences of the year, which is a tall order given some of the premium experiences we have seen just in the last two months alone. To put this into perspective I have had Assassins Creed III on my PC since before it was even released (review sample), I’ve not been playing Halo 4, I’ve not been playing anything this week but Hitman Absolution. There is a reason I’ve been sitting up till 2am picking the finer corners of the world of Agent 47 and its because the game is immensely addictive.

I’ve put around 14 hours into the game so far, although my true play time is much more than that due to restarting checkpoints because I made a mess of something. But that is what I love about this game, it makes you want to push for perfection throughout and improve your skills. Seeing that one of my friends had done better on a certain section than I did made me want to re-do the last 5 mins and figure out what that person did that was better than what I did.

The harder or longer you look at a level in Hitman, the more you will find. While all the usual fair is here, achievements, unlockable skills and plenty of guns, the balance is taken away from focusing on leveling up and unlocking things, allowing you to worry about nothing but your gameplay. There is plenty to find in each level too, with collectible evidence, weapons, disguises, funny weapons (see: Hula Girl Doll), vantage points and more. So while you can run and gun through the middle if you wanted, you’re missing out on 99% of the game by doing so, fortunately for once exploring doesn’t feel like a pointless after thought and in many cases its what makes the mission more rewarding.

Excellent graphics, voice acting and animation really bring the game to life, especially when your hiding from guards in an extremely busy train station, china town market area or court house. It’s moments like that which really make Hitman Absolution stand out for the crowd, its also provided some of this years gaming highlights for me, which is why I am happy to award it with our eTeknix Gamers Choice Award. If you love stealth action games, this is the easily one of the best available.