The adventure begins with a welcome summary of previous episodes. This is a detail that is important for a sequel, and which is unfortunately neglected by too many games. However, this allows newcomers to jump on the bandwagon, and regulars to hang up the wagons more easily. We therefore find Agent 47 in the company of Lucas Grey, his childhood friend. The two professional killers get back on the track of the partners of Providence, the secret organization adept in global conspiracies. The scenario has some surprises and twists in store for us, and effectively concludes the trilogy by closing all the script arcs previously opened. Note that the game has the good taste to offer us again real animated cinematic scenes, like the HITMAN of 2016, and not simple fixed shots à la HITMAN 2.
The heart of the gameplay hasn't changed, so we won't shy away from explaining it to you all over again. Be aware that we find everything that made the success of the first two parts, namely very large levels, multiple ways to achieve our ends, multiple paths, a level design with small onions, a component infiltration that works thunder, and the possibility of obtaining "intrigues" by spying on the conversations of certain NPCs. These intrigues then guide the player and encourage him to follow this or that path to reach his target. This process is very effective, perhaps even a little too much at times. Indeed, some intrigues allow us to eliminate a target, or even several, in a few minutes. Fortunately, just like its predecessors, this episode is a gem in terms of replayability. We will not fail to go through each mission many times in order to discover all its secrets and complete as many challenges as possible. Not to mention the countless contracts available online and created by players.
THE HAPPY AGENT'S RIDE
The campaign consists of six levels which once again show us a lot of countries. Agent 47 begins his journey in Dubai, parachuted over the tallest building in the world. He then goes to the Dartmoor region in England, to infiltrate a splendid Victorian mansion. Change of atmosphere for the third mission, which takes place in Berlin in a techno club nestled in the middle of an industrial area. It is then time to leave for China and visit some well-hidden buildings in the city of Chongqing. The fifth level offers us a splendid return to the sun, since it takes place in a chic villa located in Mendoza, Argentina. Finally, the last section of the game takes us to the Carpathians, under a freezing snowstorm. All these environments benefit from a graphics engine that is still progressing, in small steps. In particular, the atmospheric and lighting effects have been improved since the previous part. Raindrops trickle down Agent 47's leather jacket as he walks the colorful streets of Chongqing, the reflections are endless in the building of Dubai, the hazy atmosphere of Dartmoor enhances the immersion, and the setting sun sublimates the Argentine mountains. Additionally, the engine is now able to handle 300 non-player characters simultaneously, which is especially noticeable in the Berlin mission. The adventure also offers two small new game mechanics. In some levels, it is now possible to unfold ladders blocked by a lock located in height, in order to create definitive and "meta" shortcuts, for our next games. Agent 47's inventory includes an advanced camera, which allows him to scan and open certain windows, doors and other ventilation ducts, or to render opaque high-tech glass walls, just to have a little more privacy to act.
THE ALL-RISK AGENT
These small novelties are not revolutionary, but they still prevent the game from being too similar to its predecessors. It must be said that the formula applied since 2016 is really excellent, and that developers must have a hard time moving away from it. Fortunately, the studio is not one to rest on its laurels. In addition to the two mechanics mentioned above, the campaign also has some more specific surprises in store for us. Thus, three of the six missions deviate slightly from the usual pattern. In the Dartmoor mansion, for example, it is possible to pretend to be a private detective investigating a death. We must then question the various occupants of the house in order to verify their alibis. In the Berlin level, Agent 47 does not know his targets in advance, and he must find five (at least) among ten potential victims. Finally, the very last mission adopts a deliberately linear structure, but we won't say more so as not to spoil the surprise for you. These different variations allow the game to find a good balance between respect for the winning formula and the desire to break the routine.
Really exciting, the game is not perfect for all that. We can always blame him for the rigidity of certain animations, or an AI that is sometimes too permissive. Nothing embarrassing, obvious, or newly problematic, rest assured! It only remains to mention the Epic Games Store exclusivity on PC which, if it is not a problem in itself as long as we do not enter into the quarrels of chapels, complicates the integration of the previous content in this new component because HITMAN 2 is not available on the platform. This is still possible, but not in a simple and free way. That being said, don't let it spoil the party! HITMAN 3 retains the excellence of the two previous installments, which it even surpasses at times, and offers us a delicious end to the trilogy.
