Before going through this test, we advise you to read the one we devoted to the first episode last March. You will learn in particular that the new Hitman revives the sensations of the unforgettable Blood Money, offers us gigantic levels which benefit from a brilliant level design, that there are multiple possibilities for assassinating the targets, and that playing in line provides access to the very nice "Contract", "Climbing" and "Fugitive Target" modes. So many assets which, as much to say it right away, remain relevant in all the episodes. The one devoted to Paris set the tone and impressed us from the start, with its grandeur, its successful atmosphere and the attention to detail brought to the general production and even to the discussions between the various non-player characters. Good news, this is also the case in all the other episodes which, despite everything, each retain their own atmosphere and personality. After the very trendy atmosphere of the Parisian fashion show, Agent 47 takes the direction of Sapienza, a colorful Italian village where life is good. Sloping pedestrian streets, local shops, apartments with a view of the sea, it's like being on vacation! But the harsh reality of the profession of assassin quickly takes over, and it will be necessary to infiltrate a research laboratory hidden in the basement to eliminate two undesirable scientists. The possibilities of approach are even more numerous than in Paris, which is already beginning to reassure us very strongly about the general quality of the season. Subsequently, the episode dedicated to Marrakech confirms this good impression: typical souks, crowd of demonstrators and school occupied by the military form a unique cocktail and, once again, very rich in possibilities. The level dedicated to Bangkok immerses us in a luxury hotel, which abounds with conversations and situations that we take pleasure in listening to or observing discreetly.
THE BALD WHO CAN. REALLY.
Then comes the time to embark for Colorado and a fifth episode which clearly changes scenery. This time, you have to infiltrate an isolated farm that houses terrorists in full training. Unlike previous missions, there are four targets to eliminate, not two. The profusion of armed guards is compensated by their greater spacing, the topology of the places being relatively flat. This takes absolutely nothing away from the richness of the gameplay, the developers being talented enough to inject life into it, a good number of events and very good level design ideas. Finally, the season ends in Japan, on the island of Hokkaido. Agent 47 finds himself in a gigantic cosmetic surgery clinic, which houses a restaurant, spa, gardens, morgue and many other facilities. Forget the concept of key in this episode, because most access is governed by an automated system, which reads the RFID chips present in the clothes of the various occupants of the premises. A good excuse to test as many costumes as possible. And they are very numerous because, once again, the level is full of different characters and secondary roads. IO interactive will therefore have managed to keep up the pace throughout this season, with no episode finally revealing itself to be half-hearted. Those who were reluctant to trust the developers in advance can therefore safely obtain the full version of the game. However, they will do well to enjoy it as it should be, that is to say by exploring all the possibilities and all the paths of each level, which means playing it many times.
But if you really want to discover all the places, all the little scenes of life, all the characters and all the opportunities for assassination, you should rather count about twenty hours per level!
This extreme replayability, which moreover fully justifies the episodic concept, must really be taken into consideration because, without it, each mission can be completed in just one to two hours. But if you really want to discover all the places, all the little scenes of life, all the characters and all the opportunities for assassination, you should rather count about twenty hours per level! This potentially gargantuan lifespan is further enriched by the online modes which, like the developers, keep their promises. Thus, while the first Fugitive Target was not available at the launch of the Parisian episode, there have been a dozen or so, a new single target being available approximately every two weeks. The concept helps keep players on their toes and encourages them to never uninstall this new Hitman. It is well seen, and everyone is found there. Still, the episodic format, between introductory pack, upgrade pack, independent missions and full season, can still create confusion when buying. And we also feel that the developers have focused fully on the gameplay, neglecting the general scenario a little too much which, diluted over several months and essentially told through small cutscenes, would have deserved a little more attention. It's always better than the other way around, so there's no reason to shun Hitman. To consume in small doses or all at once but, in any case, without any moderation!
[Update from our test published on 10/11/2016, 10:22]
