Hitman: Absolution

Tech-Gaming (A-) (91%)

With many franchises providing annual iterations, Agent 47’s six and a half year hiatus seemed like an eternity for series supporters. Fortunately, Hitman Absolution was worth the wait. Barely acknowledging contemporary inclinations in gaming, the title is a thoughtful, protractedly-paced stealth puzzler which stays true to its roots. While Sam Fisher may have sought stardom through simplified mechanics, Agent 47 remains the stalwart slayer he’s always been. Bless his murderous, old soul.

Game Revolution (4.5 out of 5) (90%)

If you're new to the series, there's plenty of warm water here to sink into, but franchise stalwarts need not worry. Agent 47 is as cunning, deadly, and silent as you want him to be; it just so happens that purist players will also be the most rewarded. Regardless your level of experience, Hitman: Absolution scratches a very specific itch, one that involves a butterfly knife or possibly an accidental electrocution.

IGN (9 out of 10) (90%)

Like Dishonored before it, it’s actually a true pleasure to play a game that lets you tackle it from multiple angles. After several years of increasingly totalitarian games where you’re very much following a pre-determined path, it’s nice to have a game that doesn’t just encourage improvisation; it requires it.

GamesRadar ( ) (90%)

Hitman’s temporary hiatus did worlds of good for the franchise, and Absolution is one of the strongest entries in the series to date. It shows true evolution, moving Agent 47 forward and playing up his enhanced abilities well, both when it comes to hitting a well-placed shot to the head of a scummy target or stealthily moving through a building full of police. The changes to the formula could have spelled disaster if they were executed poorly, but that’s not an issue--execution has never been an issue for Agent 47, has it?

Worth Playing (8.5 out of 10) (85%)

Hitman: Absolution proves to be another notable entry in the series. It may house a ho-hum plot, and you'll hate just about every character you come across, but the open nature of the approach is good enough that you'll overlook those blemishes. There's no true method given for each mission, and that's refreshing enough that you'll want to play through each mission several times to find all of the possible avenues. The Contracts mode gives you something more grounded. With a solid presentation at hand, IO has come up with another winner that stealth fans should check out. Our only hope is that it doesn't take the team another six years before Agent 47 returns.

Jeuxpo.com (8.5 out of 10) (85%)

Retour gagnant pour l'agent 47 avec cet Hitman Absolution. Cette suite, plus conservatrice qu'escomptée, nous livre une production fort concluante et qui bénéficie d'une mise en scène percutante. Les amateurs d'action devraient être conquis par ce volet très rythmé, et qui n'a mis l'infiltration de côté.

Jeuxvideo.com (17 out of 20) (85%)

On a parfois tremblé en voyant se profiler ce nouveau Hitman, se demandant si IO resterait fidèle à la tradition d'infiltration ou se laisserait séduire par l'action et l'accessibilité. Le résultat final est un gameplay à la carte, qui peut se montrer redoutable dans les modes de difficulté élevés, parfois plus encore que les volets précédents. On y retrouve les canons et les codes de la série, agrémentés de nouveaux éléments venant la rendre plus dynamique, plus narrative, sans pour autant trahir son héritage. Même si certaines mécaniques s'orientent vers l'action, il est facile de les ignorer royalement. Un vrai jeu d'infiltration dans une époque qui en manque cruellement. Ne cherchez plus le vrai assassin, il est là, et c'est pas pour vous donner un cours d'histoire.

Alternative Magazine Online (8.5 out of 10) (85%)

Hitman: Absolution is a brilliant game that tells an average story. Agent 47 is still pretty much a blank slate, but he becomes increasingly more likable as the game progresses simply because the people he kills are so utterly repulsive. Victoria could have been an interesting character but she is mostly absent and Diana (with whom 47 has always had a complex relationship) is sorely missed throughout. Despite these negatives, the gameplay is taut and focused and the visuals are beautiful despite the often dank locations. This is a dark game even during levels basked in bright sunlight. Replay value is through the roof and trying out new approaches seldom gets old. Hitman: Absolution admittedly gets some things wrong – but it also gets a hell of a lot right. Pull on your gloves, straighten your tie and get ready to take out the trash. Agent 47′s business is death… and business is booming.

PlayStation Trophies (83 out of 100) (83%)

Hitman: Absolution is the sequel to Blood Money that fans have been itching for. In terms of game mechanics it’s the best Hitman that IO Interactive has ever created, although the lack of inherently unique settings is a disappointment. That said, IO has more than made up for that with the brilliant asynchronous Contracts mode, adding replayability to a single-player game in the most smart and stylish way.

4Players.de (82 out of 100) (82%)

Das fünfte Hitman ist das bislang stärkste Abenteuer des kahlen Antihelden: Obwohl sich die Geschichte zu wenig für den Kopf hinter der Glatze interessiert, verleiht es seiner abgebrühten Kaltschnäuzigkeit eine verletzliche menschliche Seite. Vor allem aber zelebriert Absolution die perfide Genugtuung des kreativen Tötens – spätestens dann, wenn sich der Killer inmitten einer Menschenmenge unbehelligt vom Tatort entfernt. Dass die Schauplätze mit ihren Kurzhandlungen um Zivilisten, Polizisten und Bösewichte so lebendig sind, macht sowohl die behutsame Pirsch als auch den grausamen Akt umso eindringlicher. Es sind vor allem die zahlreichen Wege und Handlungsmöglichkeiten, die mein Erlebnis bestimmen: Als Hitman schleiche ich ungesehen, erwürge neugierige Wachen und verstecke ihre Körper.

PlayStation Lifestyle (8 out of 10) (80%)

Overall, Hitman: Absolution is a blast to play, and it represents a beautiful union between the Hitman games of old and new ideas. Everything from the presentation to the subtlest of the audio effects feels crafted with a level of care that is the hallmark of IO’s past efforts with the series. And while the marketing didn’t do this game any favors, it’s still reminiscent of the Hitman games fans talk about fondly. With each target comes a huge level of freedom, room to explore, and test new ideas and methods. Contracts mode is also a welcome addition that will give fans a new way to test each other’s skills on custom contracts. Hitman: Absolution is definitely a game worth picking up regardless of whether you’re a fan of the series or a new entrant into the fray. It’s not perfectly executed, but it comes damn close.

Push Square ( ) (80%)

Hitman: Absolution represents a stellar return for Agent 47, incorporating the best elements from previous titles, while also experimenting with plenty of new ideas. Some of the additions are a little rough around the edges – the narrative stumbles over its ridiculous characters, and the checkpoint system discourages experimentation – but it's still a refreshing experience that challenges your thinking and rewards perfection.

Gamer.nl (8 out of 10) (80%)

Op de matige kunstmatige intelligentie na is er dan ook niet echt een groot minpunt te vinden in Hitman: Absolution. Het blijft het prachtige moord- en sluipspel van vroeger en is op veel vlakken zelfs beter. De nieuwe toevoegingen hebben er gelukkig niet voor gezorgd dat het een heel simpel of overdreven actiespel is geworden. Met de juiste overwegingen is een balans gevonden tussen het intense sluipen en het spannende vluchten. De kern van Hitman is daarmee gebleven, maar het past net wat meer in deze tijd doordat het een complete ervaring biedt.

Eurogamer.pt (8 out of 10) (80%)

Hitman: Absolution é um bom jogo, e uma proposta que irá satisfazer os jogadores que preferem uma boa dose de estratégia e observação ao combate às descaradas, ainda que tenha algumas falhas ao nível da inteligência artificial. A lei da bala desconta pontos preciosos para se atingir uma pontuação perfeita, mas há mais nesta nova incursão do Agente 47. O lado emocional do assassino mais famoso é exposto em jeito de novidade, revelando mais equilíbrio entre história e missões. Ainda que a narrativa não seja particularmente memorável, leva-nos até algumas paragens e atos interessantes, num jogo em que durante uma sua grande parte temos o assassino profissional em permanente fuga e numa luta contra todos.

Gamereactor (Sweden) (8 out of 10) (80%)

Jag inser såklart att det finns folk som kommer att avfärda ett underhållande spel med argumentet att det inte är likadant som förr. För min egen del känns det dock vansinnigt och jag tycker Hitman-serien är i bättre form än någonsin och visar att Agent 47 absolut förtjänar att nämnas i samma andetag som stealth-kollegorna Sam Fisher och Solid Snake.

Daily Mail, The ( ) (80%)

The campaign mode will take most players around 10 hours, but thankfully Contracts mode offers plenty more thrills. Here, you play through the levels and assign three targets. You then compete online to get the highest score by assassinating them in whichever way you wish. But given the strength of Absolution’s campaign, it’s hard for this not to feel slightly tacked on. Still, this is the deadliest Hitman yet that's destined to be a hit.

VentureBeat / GamesBeat (7.5 out of 10) (75%)

While it’s great to see 47 back in business, Hitman: Absolution drifts too far from the franchise’s sweet spot. A lengthy campaign offers plenty of opportunities for diabolical fun, but the stealth mechanics feel like a string of bad decisions, and a lack of pure assassination missions — exactly what the franchise built its fame on — doesn’t help. Most telling, this isn’t the Hitman I’ll revisit for years to dig out all its secrets. That honor stays with Blood Money. I like a lot of what it does and what it tries, but its faults make Absolution something I can’t quite forgive.

Games Finder (7.5 out of 10) (75%)

While some of the changes in Hit man: Absolution might feel like a watering down for long-time fans it means the game is much more suited to newcomers looking to get in on the stealth game play that the Hit man series has to offer.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (7 out of 10) (70%)

Hitman: Absolution doesn't make you feel that way often enough for my liking, but amidst the inevitable and deserved grumbling about its awkward checkpoint system, small levels and weird obsession with its daft story, hopefully those who persevere with it will be rewarded by enough of those moments to make the whole thing feel worthwhile. Reloading some of its best levels, turning off the hints and watching and waiting, it's much easier to remember what it is that makes Agent 47 so special. Hitman is a series to treasure for those moments, even if Absolution isn't its finest hour. Hopefully it won't be another six years before IO Interactive gets another shot at showing us why.

Eurogamer.de (7 out of 10) (70%)

Auch wenn es jetzt wirkt, als würde ich kein gutes Haar auf Agent 47s Kopf lassen (Tusch), fand ich Hitman: Absolution sehr unterhaltsam. Der Einzelspieler-Modus hat einige Schwächen, die mit der Story und den zu klein geratenen Karten zusammenhängen, auch sollte man unbedingt einen höheren Schwierigkeitsgrad ins Auge fassen, wenn man den Superkiller nicht zum ersten Mal begleitet. Insgesamt ist den Machern aber ein spielerisch und technisch solides Hitman-Spiel gelungen. Wobei ich nach sechs Jahren mehr erwartet hätte. Mehr Höhepunkte, schlauere Kills, weitschweifigere Szenarien, mehr Raum zum Planen meiner Strategie und eine interessantere Handlung. Der Mehrspieler-Modus ist eine nette Geschichte und wird sicher seine Fans finden - Otto-Normal-Assassinen wird er allerdings nur ein paar Tage länger bei der Stange halten. Als Gesamtpaket ist Absolution absolut in Ordnung (letzter Kalauer für heute). Ein Meilenstein der Reihe ist es nicht.

Gameplanet (7 out of 10) (70%)

IO Interactive's Hitman: Absolution is a sound addition to the hallowed stealth series, but the game is held back by a surfeit of padding and some poor mechanical choices.

BlogCritics Magazine ( ) (60%)

There is fun to be had with Absolution, you just have to be exceptionally careful about how you try to have it. Like with 47 himself, the best route is probably to sneak up cautiously and garrote it from behind.

Guardian, The ( ) (60%)

The best thing one can say about Absolution is that it's impossible to feel ambivalent about it; players will love and loathe aspects of this game in equal measure. In Absolution, terrible ideas rub up against great ones almost on a moment-to-moment basis, and the end result is a title which is impossible to consider with the same clinical detachment that it's protagonist is known for.

IBTimes UK (5 out of 10) (50%)

An unremarkable, derivative clone of a game that's barely a shadow of what Hitman used to be.

Telegraph, The ( ) (40%)

The issue for the game itself is that the linear narrative drive causes enormous friction with Hitman's trademark open creativity. The series legacy was built on you being dropped in a large, open, often public area and tasked with eliminating your target (or targets) as you saw fit. It would be a case of canvassing the area, tailing your targets, figuring out their routines and keeping an eye out for accidents waiting to happen. Absolution does make an attempt to recreate similar thrills, with some levels opening up as areas to explore with targets to knock off. These areas are undoubtedly when Absolution is at its best, such as an early level set in a bustling Chinatown with multiple kills options and escape routes, but it struggles to offer the playful, dark invention the series is famous for.

Game Arena (3 out of 10) (30%)

Hitman Absolution is a mistake. Even if in your mind the plot loops all the way past 'so bad it's bad' and back to 'so bad it's good' again, Hitman Absolution has more bugs than a service station meat pie and less direction than a headless chicken. A genuinely fun mode like Contracts can't save that. IO Interactive needs to restart from the Blood Money checkpoint and try again - they screwed up this run spectacularly.