Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

UPC: 788687500012

Platform: PlayStation 2

Publisher: Eidos Interactive

Developer: IO Interactive

Category: Action

Style(s): Stealth

Synopsis: Hitman 2: Silent Assassin picks up where the original PC adventure left off, with Agent 47 having grown accustomed to the somewhat peaceful existence he now endures at a Sicilian monastery. This idyllic lifestyle is cut abruptly short when a priest is kidnapped by a group of rather unsavory characters. Players, as Agent 47, must once again take up arms and hunt down those responsible for this heinous act. Things, as tends to be the case, aren't quite as simple as they first appear, however, and players will find themselves traveling the globe as they participate in 20 objective-based missions. As the title implies, the gameplay in this third-person actioner revolves around the methodical and quiet removal of whoever happens to be your current target. Missions are preceded by briefings from an Agency contact. These outline the objectives you must complete, while highlighting the level and type of resistance you're likely to encounter along the way. How you go about completing the tasks laid out before you, is left to the player. Excessive force can be used, silently killing any resistance you encounter, or more subversive tactics, such as disguising yourself as an inconspicuous delivery boy or fireman will allow you to move about the environments relatively unhindered. When disguised, however, suspicious behavior (indicated by an onscreen suspicion meter), such as carrying a firearm while in disguise or running, can blow your cover and see you beset by numerous bodyguards, police or whomever the opposition happens to be at that time. Those wishing to embark on a mission with a small cache of weapons can do just that; weapons accrued during each mission persist throughout the game and can be equipped prior to the commencement of any particular mission. Players can arm themselves with pistols, shotguns, automatic weapons, rifles as well as melee weapons, such as a knife or fiber wire for particularly stealthy kills. Gadgets such as night-vision goggles and remote bombs can also be used in limited quantities. Agent 47 is capable of performing a number of maneuvers, including picking locks and dragging bodies out of plain sight. A simple button press will allow Agent 47 to sneak, quietly but very slowly through areas, while a first-person mode allows for more precise aiming when the situation calls for it. Also, to ensure that players are aware of their surroundings at all times, the camera can be manipulated with the right-analog stick. At the conclusion of each mission players are awarded a rating affected by various factors, including innocents killed, alarms triggered, kills achieved, and so forth. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

Package Contents: 36-page Instruction Manual

Controls: Joystick/Gamepad

The black-and-white manual offers brief descriptions of each chapter in the game as well as a list of weapons and equipment, character types, and mission element. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Despite some blocky characters and awkward animation in some sequences (such as dragging bodies), the game offers convincing environments with a great sense of scale. Nice weather effects too. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Hitman 2 exudes personality, drawing players into a seedy and complex world made simpler with the seemingly straightforward goal of carrying out a contract hit. While the story of revenge, betrayal, and loss elevates the game above most third-person shooters, it is the free-form nature of mission design that will keep players hooked. The secret to Hitman 2's success is not the steely resolve of the bald-headed character, the variety of weapons ranging from golf clubs to car bombs, nor even the detailed real-world environments players skulk around in. It is the freedom players have to go about their missions however they desire, the single most important element preventing many good games from attaining the level of great ones. Like the Xbox and PC versions of the game, Hitman 2 on PlayStation 2 doesn't overwhelm you with jaw-dropping graphics. Characters are somewhat blocky and move stiffly at times, especially the title character, who runs so awkwardly it often seems like he's storing a piece of cold steel in his posterior rather than a holster. What does impress is the size and look of the environments, whether it's walking outside along the perimeter of St. Petersburg, avoiding ninjas inside a Japanese castle, or crawling around dank, rat-infested sewer tunnels. The realistic sense of scale adds to the game's personality as players travel to exotic locales that are actually fun to explore and look around -- like a giddy tourist -- independently of the missions. Exploration is but one aspect involved with the task at hand, which always consists of taking out a specific target, yet leaves the manner in which this is accomplished up to the player. Stealth and aggression may be combined during missions, or players may focus on one tactic alone. It is entirely possible to complete a majority of levels by eliminating all enemies in an area, but this is not always easy when numerous bodyguards are patrolling the region and want nothing more than an opportunity for some extra target practice. Plus there are certain situations where this type of action could lead to a mission's failure, causing the intended target or a key contact to flee, or a prisoner to be shot. Maintaining stealth is also difficult, as players who want to attain a mission's highest ranking as a Silent Assassin must complete it: (1) without alerting the enemy and (2) killing only those absolutely necessary to satisfy objectives. The reward for doing so is a unique weapon, like a sawed-off shotgun or an M4 assault rifle. To that end, players can carefully sneak around the environments, drug enemies with chloroform, drag their bodies to hidden locations, and wear their clothes if so desired. Wearing the appropriate outfits enables players to walk through enemy locations with the hope of being undetected, but an interesting alert meter that simulates the character's heartbeat (complete with vibration feedback support) will start throbbing more and more intensely if enemies suspect a trick. Running, for example, alerts them more quickly, as will trying to access certain areas the disguised character would not normally access. Obviously a big part of the fun in this game is testing out various methods, scanning the maps for safe routes, using different weapon combinations, and just seeing what is or is not possible. In the Kirov Park Meeting, for instance, players are charged with the task of eliminating two individuals who are meeting each other in a park. Since they both travel by limousine, one option is to eliminate them using car bombs: once the meeting is over, the targets will return to their limos only to end up as crispy critters. Another option is to take the sniper rifle (the agency provides a cache of weapons on each stage) to a nearby building with a clear view of the park. If the former is chosen, players have to figure out a way to get near the limos and plant the bomb without arousing suspicion from nearby bodyguards. The latter involves taking two careful shots, possibly one if you are a patient marksman, and then dealing with the potential fallout when the guards are alerted to your presence. As a multi-platform release, Hitman 2 on PlayStation 2 is the weakest of the versions, but only marginally so, with slightly rougher graphics and longer load times than its competition. The PC version offers the best control with the mouse and keyboard, which is something inherent in all first-person shooters on the computer. It's much easier to quickly aim at a target while guiding the sight with the wrist than a thumb. Like the Xbox version, the PlayStation 2 game uses nearly every single button on the controller. For those used to more traditional first-person shooters on consoles, the interface will take a good 15 minutes to dial in, as there are a lot of potential maneuvers in this game, with a drop down menu used for multiple actions. When in front of a door, for example, players can choose to either open it or look through the keyhole. Replay value is bolstered by the element of collecting weapons and ammo on previous missions to use in future operations, with acquired armaments stored in a small cabin with distinct wall mounts for each tool of the trade. Since players have the freedom to accomplish missions many different ways, replaying the game to earn different rankings or to find missing weapons is never boring or tedious -- though there is certainly room for improvement in this area. For starters, there is no multiplayer mode. More surprising is players being awarded money to complete these contracts, but there's no way to track dollar amounts or use this money to purchase additional items. It would have been an interesting feature if players could buy optional equipment or clothing to use in the various missions, such as the high-tech gadgets normally associated with a Mission: Impossible or James Bond film, but Hitman 2 really isn't about spying, just the thrill of the hunt. It is a game that will leave some players frustrated, others appalled, but most with a dogged determination to figure out the optimal way to carry out the required task. Unabashedly controversial in its theme and execution, Hitman 2 is nonetheless a well-crafted game with an enveloping story, quality presentation, and open-ended play that's right on target for those who like to think before they act. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

The open-ended nature of missions means they are fun to revisit, to test out new techniques or use different weapons, such as the crossbow. Completing one's weapon collection and achieving the highest rating on each mission are the primary incentives for replay. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Each location features guards and innocents who speak in the native tongues of the region. Voice acting is excellent all around, especially for the title character. Weapons sound eerily realistic, and the music sets the mood. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Players can go through the mission aggressively, taking out the entire level of bodyguards, or use stealth -- only taking the lives of those absolutely necessary for survival or to complete the hit. Players can even drug victims after sneaking around from behind, perform silent kills using fiber wire slung around the victim's head, or the classic knife across the throat. Obviously this game is not for all tastes. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

the game requires Joystick/Gamepad.