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Hitman Absolution Review thread

C

Clay Davis

Member
Heavy said:
Terrible story? fuck :( that's pretty much a dagger
It's not even serviceable, "but terrible"?
Click to expand...

it's very throwaway. I don't particularly like it, but some of the dialogue is pretty funny and a couple of the characters are well voice acted, but overall the story is probably the worst aspect of the game so far.
 
H

Hindle

Banned
I meant IO interactive guys lol.

On topic I actually think this will sell really well, which could be good or really bad if they make it more action. The King of Chinatown level is great, such a shame they do so much other pointless levels.
 
V

vidcons

Banned
Clay Davis said:
it's very throwaway. I don't particularly like it, but some of the dialogue is pretty funny and a couple of the characters are well voice acted, but overall the story is probably the worst aspect of the game so far.
Click to expand...

The Hitman Legacy lives on.

Is 47 still a representation of Repressed Homosexuality in a world of Heterosexual Fetishism?
 
B

blindrocket

Member
What a let down. :\

This is a game that I waited patiently for, this entire generation and was hoping we would get something to the caliber of Hitman 2 / Hitman Blood Money only with "next-gen" style and substance.

I may still like it after I play it, but reading the reviews, it's not what I actually "wanted".
 
R

rvy

Banned
blindrocket said:
What a let down. :\

This is a game that I waited patiently for, this entire generation and was hoping we would get something to the caliber of Hitman 2 / Hitman Blood Money only with "next-gen" style and substance.

I may still like it after I play it, but reading the reviews, it's not what I actually "wanted".
Click to expand...

Granted, people don't die by being thrown into a jacuzzi, or being pushed against a wall. Blind AI seems on par though.
 
J

justjim89

Member
I posted this in the OT but since this is a review topic, I'll post it here as well.

justjim89 said:
I usually love GT reviews, but this one seems a bit hasty. Particularly the bit where he gripes that the game subtracts points for taking out enemies that aren't your target. And when he says it's "tedious" to play the game quietly. Seems like he's picking the wrong things to take issue with. On the other side of the coin, IGN, which can often be the most suspect reviews, has a pretty good review and it makes a lot of sense. It seems to be that the places scoring it lowest are judging it as a successor to Blood Money and not scoring the game on it's own merits, particularly RPS and PC Gamer.

I'm eager to see what Giant Bomb has to say about it.
Click to expand...
 
S

spk

Member
cartridge said:
Adam is obsessively articulate and fair with his reviews. Great review as always.

The checkpoints and skewed scoring are easily fixed with a patch.
Click to expand...

I wonder why he says that the levels are massive and well designed sandboxes when many other reviews say the opposite
 
J

justjim89

Member
Yeah Sessler's review was good stuff. Good to see him without the G4 leash around his neck. Very encouraging. Last thing we need is more of this "It's not Blood Money! 5 out of 10!" nonsense.
 
AHA-Lambda

AHA-Lambda

Member
justjim89 said:
Yeah Sessler's review was good stuff. Good to see him without the G4 leash around his neck. Very encouraging. Last thing we need is more of this "It's not Blood Money! 5 out of 10!" nonsense.
Click to expand...

That's not my complaints and I've nearly finished out but the game is still prolly bout a 6 in my mind.
 
J

justjim89

Member
Moobabe said:
Because that's exactly the criticism thus far?
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Essentially, yes. Especially the RPS review. Which is odd because Blood money is a deeply flawed, easily broken game that doesn't deserve the nigh-on perfect reputation it's gotten. If you want to emulate the best Hitman game, emulate Silent Assassin, which is exactly what this game seems to be going for.
 
M

Moobabe

Member
justjim89 said:
Essentially, yes. Especially the RPS review. Which is odd because Blood money is a deeply flawed, easily broken game that doesn't deserve the nigh-on perfect reputation it's gotten. If you want to emulate the best Hitman game, emulate Silent Assassin, which is exactly what this game seems to be going for.
Click to expand...

I've read it a couple of times - and while he laments how much weaker it is as a Hitman experience than BM I would hardly say that's the crux of his review. It sounds like a game riddled with flaws and bizarre design decisions, regardless of how similar it is to previous entries in the series.
 
C

CecilRousso

Member
John Walkers view of the scores so far:

John Walker of RPS said:
Fascinating reading @Pentadact and @noneconomical's Hitman reviews - completely independent, yet almost identical. And then all those 9s.
Click to expand...

John Walker of RPS said:
Did everyone else just want a Hitman that put them in a corridor, took away choice, and was yet another stealth game? Seems so.
Click to expand...

John Walker of RPS said:
I look forward to the next time all such sites write articles lamenting the homogenisation of the industry.
Click to expand...

https://twitter.com/botherer
 
C

CecilRousso

Member
derFeef said:
Don't know what to think of this, weird move.
I usually like John, but that's not nice.
Click to expand...

I don´t have any special attachment to the franchise myself, I haven´t played the old games, but I read the reviews of this game as a game that has sacrificed a lot of the mechanics it has been known for in favor of a more cinematic focus. Which is what a lot of franchises are doing now, and John Walker seem to ask the question: should we really reward that*?

I´m not saying that he´s right or wrong in this case since I haven´t played the old games or the new one, but I like John Walker for asking questions like this.

* a fun game is a fun game of course, but we´re talking about 9´s on a 10 scale.
 
S

Salsa

Member
I already made amends that this wont be nearly as good as it could be, nor true to many traits of the Hitman series.

I just hope I enjoy it beyond that, instead of just seeing the missed potential

also the chinatown level seems to be pretty amazing
 
J

JDSN

Banned
gamerad.jpg


Neat.
 
J

justjim89

Member
http://www.polygon.com/game/hitman-absolution/2716

Great review by Arthur Gies for Polygon. 8.5. Gives a great contextualization of the game within the Hitman series while also giving the game a fair shake in it's own right. He says on twitter he could write an essay on all that it takes and draws from the past games in the series.

Some select quotes:

IO hasn't ignored the progression of time and game design in the interim. Hitman: Absolution is more forward, more cinematic, prettier than it's ever been. There's a new focus on story and presentation. But at its heart, Hitman: Absolution continues the tradition the previous Hitman games started, fulfilling the role of a more thoughtful action-puzzler.
Click to expand...

There's a constant sense of forward progress to Hitman: Absolution that the series hasn't seen in years. The need for stealth is still present — directly engaging groups of enemies might go well initially, but you'll be screwed proper if they call in backup and surround you. But it's much more point A to point B than it has been since Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. This makes sense, since it marks the return of a narrative purpose for Agent 47's activities.
Click to expand...

Absolution continues some of the over-the-top tone of ridiculous violence and satire that has come to define the series, which makes it hard to become emotionally invested. Still, Hitman: Absolution has a number of moments that managed to pull me out of silent assassin-seeking professionalism, with one well-done character moment in particular that drove me from merciful pity to red-tinged wrath with a single line of dialogue.
Click to expand...

IO has made 47 a much more capable character than he has been in past games. Hitman: Absolution is probably the first game in the series that could be said to play well, and it was the first Hitman game where I can't remember a moment where I felt like my cover was blown by the controls.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't call it trial-and-error gameplay, necessarily. It feels like experimentation and strategic iteration. Admittedly, for some, I imagine they'll only hear the sound of a duck quacking.
Click to expand...

Hitman: Absolution is a faster, more streamlined game than its predecessors, but that only makes it different, not bad. The dark humor has been toned down, but still peaks through. The same anti-hero menace and professional purpose remains. And more importantly, the core purpose and gameplay that's always driven the Hitman series is still there. It's not as cerebral as Hitman: Blood Money. But that doesn't stop Hitman: Absolution from being a smart, unique action title, and a hell of a lot of fun.
Click to expand...
 
A

Alex Connolly

Member
Intriguing...

I can't but help feel a little sad at the smaller scale I keep reading about. BM is a hard act to follow, even if it is a touch overblown in the recounted praise.
 
F

Foffy

Banned
Metal Gear?! said:
I think this early PS3 playthrough starting from this point is a better indicator of what they've done with Hitman than even Total Biscuit's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=v7Ygue-hiAU#t=1438s

Watch how he survives several guards detecting him and then unloading on him point blank
Click to expand...

I think most people who have played the game here on GAF have said Normal is essentially Easy. The same could be said of Contracts. You were a bullet sponge.
 
J

JumpJeff84

Member
I watched Sessler's video review, and it's got me excited to play this. Although it looks like they've Splinter Cellified it a bit, that doesn't seem like such a bad thing. I mean, it's not like Splinter Cell is doing the Splinter Cell thing anymore, so a replacement is fine by me.

I loved Blood Money, but I'm willing to go in with an open mind and just enjoy the game for what it is.
 
I

ii Stryker

Banned
Whoompthereitis said:
I watched Sessler's video review, and it's got me excited to play this. Although it looks like they've Splinter Cellified it a bit, that doesn't seem like such a bad thing. I mean, it's not like Splinter Cell is doing the Splinter Cell thing anymore, so a replacement is fine by me.

I loved Blood Money, but I'm willing to go in with an open mind and just enjoy the game for what it is.
Click to expand...

yeah, I just watched it too. It gets me excited to play it.

I really like the way rev3 does reviews. numerical scores are laughably arbitrary.
 
D

Double D

Member
Heavy said:
Terrible story? fuck :( that's pretty much a dagger
It's not even serviceable, "but terrible"?
Click to expand...

I adore the Hitman series and have replayed some of the levels countless times. That said, the only thing I really know about the story is that 47 is some clone and Diana is British and she tells him to kill people and he listens.
 
LightofRohan

LightofRohan

Member
It really seems like reviewers are all over the mofo place more than ever.

We need the next console cycle! We got to reset expectations...
 
N

NotTheGuyYouKill

Member
vidcons said:
I thought he meant that Dog Days was fucking awesome and GOTY.
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Dog Days was awesome. Way too short and abrupt... but awesome and stylish. The KL team certainly nails style down (even if other aspects are left wanting). Absolution certainly has the coolest style and presentation of a Hitman game to date (IMO).
 
Jex

Jex

Member
Based off the reviews so far it seems like a Splinter Cell:Conviction scenario where by the classic gameplay was tweaked and smoothed to make it more accessible and enjoyable to a wider audience, hence the good review scores.

Personally, however, that's not what I want out of Hitman at all. I don't think I'll bother to pick this one up.
 
C

Cyberia

Member
More reviews:

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.
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http://www.gamearena.com.au/ps3/games/title/hitman-absolution/reviews.php

3.0

It’s clear IO Interactive was reaching for new ground with Absolution, in hopes of creating an experience more accessible than previous games in the series. But at the same time they cling to many of the philosophies that made the old games so great. The result is a game with an identity crisis trying to be too many things to too many people. It’s more successful than it should be but ultimately the entire package is brought down by being pulled in these two polarizing directions.
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http://www.insidegamingdaily.com/2012/11/18/hitman-absolution-review/

7.0

IO Interactive has returned to the series with renewed relevance, indulging both sides of the action-adventure genre with significant aplomb and endowing the player with all the tools to make Agent 47 whoever they want him to be. It’s a compelling return to form, featuring some of the series’ most well crafted, inviting and testing stages, and while much has changed in the six-year interim, you’ll be pleased to hear that Agent 47 hasn’t.
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http://www.gamestm.co.uk/reviews/hitman-absolution-review/

8/10
 
LightofRohan

LightofRohan

Member
DukeBobby said:
G4TV - 5/5



This quote is sure to get some of you riled up. Pretty sure G4 are in the minority on this one.
Click to expand...

Holy shit... is it really that good?

Hitman: Absolution is a triumph, top to bottom. Fans of the series can look forward to the best entry yet, without question. In a year that has already seen some of the best stealth games of this generation, veteran developer IO Interactive delivers an experience that still manages to stand out. This is an outstanding effort from the veteran developer, and an absolute must-play for anyone who embraces the thrill of striking from the shadows and slipping away unseen.
Click to expand...

They also said it has the best visuals of this generation. Whattt haha, these reviews are all over the place. BEST GAME OF THE YEAR or WORST GAME OF THE YEAR

This and AC3. Reviewers need to get their shit together...
 
-tetsuo-

-tetsuo-

Unlimited Capacity
I will summarize my posts from the OT.

This is not like the old Hitman games. It is pretty much a full blown stealth game now, akin to something like Splinter Cell. As this type of game, it is actually pretty good. Better even than a lot of the latest entries into the stealth genre. This is, of course, if you do not play on normal difficulty. DO not ever play on normal difficulty if you want to actually play the game. Normal is horrible. I have been going through on Expert and it is very fun.

If you want more murder puzzles, this game has taken the focus away from that. If you like stealth games you will like this as long as you play on an appropriate difficulty.
 
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