COMMENTARY - Hitman 3’s Focus On Iteration Is The Right Approach
Never trust the new guy.
By Jay Tee
08/01/21
There is a refreshing clarity to IOI’s master plan with the current Hitman Trilogy, that allows them to experiment within the confines of a broad, but specifically tuned sandbox. With a template firmly in place, it makes perfect sense that the upcoming Hitman 3 (an apparent conclusion for this run of titles) not only doubles down on this laser focused direction, but also retroactively improves everything that came before.
I can’t think of many sequels that so directly connect with their predecessors; outside of the memorable implementation of save transfers in the likes of Mass Effect (minus Andromeda, because we don’t talk about that) and Telltale’s The Walking Dead, this “World of Assassination” collection is acutely defined by offering a seamless transition. Much like with Hitman 2 and it’s incorporation of souped up Hitman environments, Hitman 3 will continue that trend, with all the animation smoothness, funky camera gadgetry, and loading optimisations (on current gen consoles) that one could wish for.
It speaks to a broader approach from IOI that from a business perspective is quite audacious. Much like Supermassive’s Dark Pictures Anthology, these games have clearly been planned well in advance. The intention to future proof is evident throughout, from the story telling to the release pattern. Without knowing the specifics of their publishing agreement (which is even more shrouded in secrecy now the Denmark based dev team has secured its independence) one could argue that it’s quite bold, and a tad presumptuous, to assume such a healthy audience for an (at the time) unproven reboot. But the proof is in the murderous pudding, and the strategy is clearly paying dividends.
So while each successive game doesn’t completely reframe the parameters of what makes Hitman tick, there has been enough tweaks to the familiar to make each one feel like a step up. The iterative approach to recogniseable mechanics, and thorough embrace of backwards compatibility, is an unusual but effective way to encourage replayability in a series known for exactly that.
Part of me is also relieved to discover that the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” cliche works so well here; whether I’m following the mission stories, discovering assassination opportunities organically whilst exploring, or being a gluten for punishment via escalations, these Hitman games manage to surprise and be familiar in equal measure. Having not played either of the existing titles for a while now, the imminent arrival of the concluding instalment will be like my go to comfort food getting topped off with some surprise sauces. It’s the stuff you like, with subtle tweaks to keep things fresh.
I don’t feel short changed by this iterative approach, nor am I looking for Hitman 3 to be some kind of radical reinvention. Messing around with the AI, and pushing the limits of what you can get away with, totally fits with my expectations here. IOI seem entirely aware that this sentiment is shared by much of the fanbase, and will hopefully deliver the definitive version of their weird, satisfying playground and still keep us guessing in the areas where it counts; wacky disguises, and bespoke executions.
Best key art of 2021, baby! I’m calling it!