Hitman: Absolution

Tech-Gaming (A-)

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.

Hooked Gamers (9 out of 10)

I haven't played a Hitman game in years and I'm glad I returned with Absolution. It is a great return for a classic franchise and well worth the time for series fans and newcomers alike. Absolution isn't without its flaws, though. The control scheme, while being oddly alluring, can be cumbersome and confusing early on. Escape missions, while neat in concept, tend to break the mold and are one-off in the grand vision of the game. The slower approach, also, will be a drastic change of pace for many newcomers. The high points far outweigh the lows, however. The steep veering away from linear gameplay is refreshing and the freedom in accomplishing objectives should be applauded. Contracts Mode is also an excellent addition to the franchise that will keep players coming back for a long time to come. If any of this appeals to you, you owe it to yourself to give this game a shot.

Gry OnLine (9 out of 10)

Hitman: Rozgrzeszenie to bardzo udana kontynuacja, która powinna przypaść do gustu zarówno weteranom serii, mogącym przestać wreszcie obgryzać paznokcie w obawie o dalsze losy swojego ulubionego zabójcy, jak i osobom, dla których jest to pierwszy kontakt z Agentem 47. Finalny produkt jest nie tylko nadspodziewanie rozbudowany, ale przede wszystkim wyśmienicie grywalny, w czym duża zasługa swobody działania i bogatej zawartości, zapewniającej rozrywkę na wysokim poziomie przez wiele godzin. Oby więcej takich powrotów po latach!

GamesRadar ( )

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?

PCActu (9 out of 10)

IO Interactive a frappé fort avec Hitman : Absolution, on reprend tous les bons éléments de la série, on ajoute de nouvelles mécaniques qui pourront convenir à tout type de joueur avec la difficulté qui influe sur celles-ci et surtout on ajoute un mode en ligne qui permet aux joueurs de se défier, maintenant ainsi une communauté active et plus assassine que jamais ! Pour ceux qui auraient encore des doutes, n’hésitez plus, le dernier Hitman est l’un des meilleurs jeux de cette fin d’année !

BioGamer Girl (9 out of 10)

Hitman: Absolution is the finest action title of the year. You'll fall in love with the addictive gameplay as you perform one hit after another all while exploring the open world environments that allow you to play and take out enemies the way you want, and our bald-headed protagonist has never looked better. The game's graphical quality is top notch, and you'll appreciate the game's sound design even more. From the sound of a knife slicing into an enemy to entering a packed club, everything sounds great and has been tweaked to sound as authentic as possible. The soundtrack hasn't missed a step even with the series' composer Jesper Kyd missing from the score. The captivating score presents some elegant instrumentals that will make you feel like a true killer and have you looking to take one more stab at another horrific kill. Check out Hitman: Absolution on your favorite platform today!

Hardcore Gamer Magazine (4.5 out of 5)

While still very much a traditional stealth game, Hitman: Absolution has changed the series for the best in offering cinematic quality combat. It has a stronger focus on telling a coherent story while keeping a slow methodical pace. With a terrific single player campaign and a compelling online multiplayer component, it’s safe to say that whether or not you were a fan of the series before, you will be now. Even with its imperfections, Hitman: Absolution is a magnificent achievement that goes well beyond expectations and will lead future stealth action titles into a better tomorrow.

IGN (9 out of 10)

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.

Softpedia (9 out of 10)

Hitman: Absolution is a pretty good game that manages to offer different types of experience for different types of players, whether they’re hardcore stealth enthusiasts or people who don’t really like to crawl around while staying in cover. Sure, the story isn’t that great and there are some fairly linear sections with very few checkpoints, but the top notch Contracts mode makes up for it by offering fun yet challenging missions that will certainly please the many players who’ll try out this new stealth action game.

Gaming Nexus (8.9 out of 10)

Agent 47 returns in the much-anticipated Hitman: Absolution only to be restricted by linear level structures and poorly-implemented Instinct mode. Fortunately, the new Contracts mode and stunning graphic overhaul both make for worthwhile additions to the series. While Absolution doesn't provide any original or groundbreaking new features with its debut in the high-definition era of gaming, it does succeed at becoming a solid entry in the Hitman series of games.

PC Games (Germany) (88 out of 100)

Hitman: Absolution ist ein Disneyland für Erwachsene: Es entführt euch in seine ebenso bizarre wie bitterböse Welt, bietet enorm viele Beschäftigungsmöglichkeiten und ist atmosphärisch unglaublich überzeugend! Und im Gegensatz zu den störrischen Vorgängern sind nun auch die Kontrollen eines modernen Action-Titels würdig: Ob Instinkt-Feature oder Deckungs-System – hier funktioniert alles so, wie man es sich als Zocker vorstellt. Einzig die seltsam gesetzten Checkpoints nerven dauerhaft. Und die Story bietet zwar massenweise verschrobene Charaktere, aber herzlich wenig Überraschungen. Dennoch: Mit Hitman: Absolution steigt die Serie in den elitären Kreis der Assassin’s Creeds dieser Videospiel-Welt auf – Respekt!

GameStar (Germany) (87 out of 100)

Nach dem Durchspielen der Preview-Version war ich ja schon ein bisschen enttäuscht, aber jetzt kann ich aufatmen und voller Überzeugung behaupten: Absolution ist das beste Hitman, das ich bislang gespielt habe. Ja, es führt den Spieler deutlich linearer durch die Levels. Dafür ist es aber unglaublich atmosphärisch, die Geschichte fesselt mich, die Zwischensequenzen kratzen nah am ganz großen Kino. Und wenn ich dann doch mal Lust habe, mich völlig frei auszutoben, starte ich eben den Contracts-Modus.

Gameplay (Benelux) (86 out of 100)

Gladder dan een biljartbal en creatiever dan Led Zeppelin op LSD dirigeert 47 een strakke stijloefening tussen stealth en explosiviteit. Toch vergeven we het zondige verhaal en gammel savesysteem niet.

ComputerGames.ro (86 out of 100)

Schimbările în structură (nivelurile ciopârţite în episoade, secvențe cinematice dese) lasă loc easter egg-urilor şi diverselor tactici la care vă puteţi gândi, dar trebuie să mărturisesc că răpesc din şarmul prezent în una dintre misiunile importante din primul joc al seriei: o hartă enormă, populată de NPC-uri cu diverse roluri şi scopuri, uniţi într-o fortăreaţă a triadelor care putea fi parcursă în enorm de multe feluri şi nu întrerupea imersiunea decât pentru câteva dialoguri concise şi extrem de relevante progresului. Aici, totul e mai condensat şi mai intens, fără să cadă în frivolitatea unui shooter violent (decât dacă vreţi), dar aş minţi dacă aş spune că Absolution a fost la fel de satisfăcător precum Blood Money.

GBase - The Gamer's Base (8.5 out of 10)

Nach längerem Spielen fühlt man sich vielleicht hier und da etwas eingeengt, aber: Gegenüber den meisten anderen Actiontiteln der letzten Jahre, bekommt man hier Freiheiten präsentiert, die ihresgleichen suchen - eben weil man wählen kann, welche Aktion man für richtig und sinnvoll hält. Arcade-Freunde erhalten auch noch Punktewertungen, die darüber Aufschluss geben, wie gut man im Vergleich zu anderen Spielern abgeschlossen hat. Neckisch und motivierend. Alles in allem ist Hitman: Absolution ein technisch stimmiges, erwachsenes und brutales Epos - ein grosser Titel dieses Jahr! Und schön, dass man die Vorgänger nicht kennen muss.

Jeuxvideo.com (17 out of 20)

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.

4Players.de (82 out of 100)

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.

Factornews (8 out of 10)

IO ayant tenté de réorienter sa licence phare dans le sens du vent, à savoir plus de narration, d'action et d'infiltration, la modernisation de Hitman fera inévitablement grincer des dents. Bridée par une narration très dirigiste et pas toujours très heureuse, la campagne est de qualité inégale, alternant entre des missions particulièrement inspirées qui nous font revivre les sensations irremplaçables d'une exécution impeccable, et des niveaux moins intéressants où 47 ne fait que chercher à échapper à ceux qui le traquent. En plus d'une rejouabilité exceptionnelle, l'inattendu et très réussi mode Contrats permet heureusement de faire passer au second plan les faiblesses du titre en donnant à chacun la possibilité de créer et partager ses propres contrats, invitant les passionnés du tueur au code barre à fixer des objectifs improbables dans les niveaux de leur choix.

Joystick (French) (16 out of 20)

47 ressort d'un lifting réussi et, malgré quelques fautes de goût, s'en tire avec les honneurs. La richesse narrative et l'engouement compétitif que cet Absolution parvient à déployer le placent haut sur le podium impitoyable des jeux d'infiltration.

The Daily Mail ( )

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.

Entertainium ( )

Hitman: Absolution provides a tense and lengthy adventure that rewards patience and creativity. Much like its predecessors, it demands multiple playthroughs thanks to some of the cleverest mission designs seen in the series up to this point, rivaling those of Hitman: Blood Money. Add to that the much improved, simplified control system and the (close to) infinite possibilities of Contracts mode, you can expect to hang with 47 for quite a while. Just don’t get on his bad side.

Eurogamer.pt (8 out of 10)

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)

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.

New Game Network (77 out of 100)

The world's greatest assassin has to work hard while in disguise. Linear evasion levels take the 'hit' out of Hitman, but the few sandbox assassinations are about as good as they were in Blood Money. With further modifications to the new formula, Absolution could have been amazing.

Absolute Games (AG.ru) (76 out of 100)

Минуло шесть лет с тех пор, как Агент №47 устроил бойню на своих похоронах и уехал в Китай. За это время «стелс» успел преобразиться. Знаменитые герои освоили паркур, научились расстреливать сразу нескольких врагов по нажатию клавиши, надели костюмы с адаптивным камуфляжем и овладели искусством телепортации. Жанр в первоначальном виде прекратил существование; шустрые соседи растащили кусочки по углам, пристроив их всюду, от шутеров и эпических RPG до двумерных «платформеров». Сорок Седьмой вышел из подполья в совсем иной мир и, увы, не в лучшей форме.

VentureBeat / Gamesbeat (7.5 out of 10)

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.

Mana Pool (7.5 out of 10)

Hitman: Absolution is not a disappointment. It has its issues, but none of them should be ruining your experience of the game. It’s overall alright if you’ve played the previous installments, and even better if you haven’t.

Cheat Happens (7 out of 10)

It's perhaps a bit unfair to say that Absolution doesn't feel like a proper Hitman game, it just feels like a new vision for the series -- one that doesn't always pan out. It's a game with its moments, and when they hit they're fantastic, but the limited linear campaign feels like a poor excuse for the gameplay that Hitman fans have known and loved for so long.

DarkZero (7 out of 10)

I suppose with such a time difference between the last release and Hitman Absolution, this was a sort of rebirth for the series to try capture new fans as well as old ones, by blending multiple ways to tackle assassinations for those who cared and allowing newer fans to sneak around and treat this like a stealth game rather than a Hitman game. It’s not a bad game by any means, and it does fix some problems with the controls that plagued previous games, but having the story that essentially makes Agent 47 less of a hitman and more of an espionage hero, makes Absolution a decent stealth game but not a fantastic Hitman game.

allaboutgames.co.uk (7 out of 10)

Hitman Absolution is an enjoyable action/stealth game. It has a quirky tale to tell with some interesting environments to explore; it's just a shame that this direction has impacted the core Hitman values so much.

GameSpy ( )

Still, there's a huge gulf between disappointment and betrayal, and I did ultimately enjoy Absolution for what it is -- a game that still carries the torch of the Hitman series, but chooses to carry it down much less interesting roads. It pulls it off well enough to at least consider dusting off the old suit and tie though, and the level design and methods of execution are easily up to the earlier games' standards. It's just a shame that even at its best, Absolution has to be draped with a sadness that we're now unlikely to ever see that amazing Blood Money 2, and to a lesser extent, the odd twinge of guilt at appreciating when its simplicity actually improves on the messy ambition that came before.

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

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)

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.

PC Gamer (66 out of 100)

A passable stealth game, but one that betrays almost everything that, until now, has made Hitman great.

Darkstation ( )

I get no pleasure in making these criticisms, because the game takes some chances. Absolution has a lot of features that seem to have been genuinely designed to make it a better stealth game. The game appears to have been designed as much for the hardcore fans of the series as the newcomers, which is saying something in this day and age of so many games being designed solely for "accessibility". Hitman: Absolution does stand out from the ocean of gray and brown shooters that populate the market, but not in enough good ways to warrant a recommendation.

The Guardian ( )

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.

The Telegraph ( )

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.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun N/A

If this were the first Hitman game I’d played, I wouldn’t want to play another, but there's just about enough in Absolution's finer moments to keep the hope alive. Remember though: it's the hope, not the hitman, that kills you in the end. As it is, I’ve already reinstalled Bloody Money as a sort of palate cleanser and I suggest you do the same.