Hitman 2: Stealth Redefined
2 min read . Updated: 15 Dec 2018, 02:13 PM IST
PremiumCan you get the 'Silent Assassin' award? Here is our take on the sequel to the 2016 video game
Have you ever watched a spy thriller and wondered why the actor didn’t do things a certain way? If that’s the case, then Hitman 2 is the game that lets you live out that fantasy. To be fair, every Hitman game allows you to do that, but this one adds another impressive dimension to a franchise that is already hard to beat when it comes to stealth-based games.
The PEGI 18 rated game that released on 13 November, is actually an iterative update to the 2016 game Hitman, but it still makes for hours of excellent gameplay. If you haven’t played the previous version, there’s a “Legacy Pack" that can be purchased to add all the levels from the 2016 game Hitman. This will also let you follow the overall storyline better.
Once you spend days, weeks and even months to beat this game, don’t be surprised if you never want to play any other game. Unlike other titles like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Hitman 2 isn’t an open world game—you can’t just go anywhere and do anything in the game world. But the levels in Hitman 2 are so vast that they end up giving the feel of an open world game.
You’re never really finished with a mission. Sure, you’ve killed your target, but there’s always another (sometimes better) way to do it. You can dress up as a guard and infiltrate the enemy’s ranks, poison someone’s food, or think of other creative ways to finish your target.
The goal is to attain the coveted “Silent Assassin" award for the perfect kill after each stage.
In Hitman 2, you can walk into a level dressed as a tourist and walk out dressed as a waiter, mechanic or a guard. You can interact with almost every character you see in a level, take their clothes to disguise yourself, or just kill them for the heck of it, because this is a game after all. But each unnecessary kill leaves you susceptible to being detected (identified) and makes it even more difficult for you to bag that “Silent Assassin" award. If someone finds a dead body, the game shows a small picture-in-picture mode box of the body which you didn’t hide properly.
That said, Hitman 2 is somewhat easier to play than the 2016 edition. The game’s non-playable characters are easier to navigate because they are often not as smart as they were earlier. This is something long-time fans of the franchise may not like, but will make things easier for newer players.
Unlike many modern games, Hitman 2’s strength is neither in its storyline nor in the graphics (though those are quite intricate too). This game is about the level design and the number of things you can do at each level.
Downloadable content (DLC), which you usually have to buy from online stores, is something that casual gamers do not quite enjoy because it feels like you’re paying twice for the same game. But if there’s one game that can compel you to buy DLC, it’s Hitman 2. You will spend hours and hours killing more creatively and learning more about the art of stealth. If your child is below 18, they should probably not be playing this game.
