➤Review Hitman 3: The first game of the year nominee 🕹

The first months of the year are always "still" in the gaming industry. The first quarter usually doesn't offer many triple A, heavyweight releases, which arrive with great hype. On the one hand, the break is really necessary if we consider that the final stretch of the year is always busy and full of big names in a row... so, a quieter period may be welcome.

January 2021 did not depart from the known scenario. The tranquility of a less cramped calendar arrived with the first days of the year, which for many is a relief. However, for this somewhat stagnant month, which seemed to make a point of going unnoticed by players, IO Interactive reserved a moment of shine for itself. Strategy? Maybe.

Yes. January almost went unnoticed... almost. If the first month of 2021 didn't deliver us several heavyweight titles, at the same time it delivered the first game candidate of the year. No fuss, no doubts... Hitman 3 arrived at the beginning of the year, fast and accurate. The game, which arrived in Spain in physical media last week, came at a perfect time to shine in an absolute way.

It is also without hesitation and doubt that I say: We already know one of the great games of 2021.

NATURAL EVOLUTION

The trilogy started in 2016 emerged to retell the story of Agent 47. Players saw the character's first steps and how he became the killing machine that everyone knows.

As an episodic game, Hitman (2016) has already shown the world what IO Interactive could do, featuring interesting mechanics and satisfying freedom. However, if the beginning of the journey was already something that exhibited quality, its end is the highest point of the entire franchise. Hitman 3 is the natural evolution of the Agent 47 saga. The title is everything a game in the franchise should be, with no room for major changes and, above all, without any changes.

What we saw in 2016 was the beginning of something bigger. Hitman 3 is the natural evolution of both the trilogy and the franchise in general, delivering mechanics, plot and all possible choices that fit perfectly into what the game should be. Nothing seems out of place, nothing seems poorly executed.

A PLOT WORKS

Review Hitman 3: The first game of the year nominee — Each objective starts with good plot support

Hitman 3 doesn't deliver a great plot full of twists, great events and excellent character development, but it's still able to offer something satisfying that is intertwined with each level and objective of the title. The game doesn't want to be recognized for its plot and it certainly won't be, but it uses it very well to support what it really is: A great hunt.

With scenes between stages and a mysterious atmosphere, which in turn fits very well with the genre, the plot of Hitman 3 serves its purpose very well, explaining the character's motivations and showing the reason for each target to be shot down. , while well-crafted dialogue continues the story. Agent 47 and Diana Burnwood continue their search for the remaining members of Providence, with 47 traveling the world to achieve their goal of ending the secret organization.

Although the intention is not to deliver an in-depth plot, IO Interactive offered interesting moments and surprises that make the journey more attractive, including using famous elements in the genre such as conspiracy, betrayal, secrets and even a dose of well-used cliché.

Minimum and recommended requirements to run Hitman 3 on PC

THE AWESOME JOURNEY

With six excellent levels, the game puts 47 on a journey through different places in the world. The agent's journey in this third title results in completely different scenarios, full of their own characteristics, with each place pulsating while different colors, visuals, structures and behaviors are just some of the elements that draw attention. Dubai serves as an introduction, introducing the player to what's new and teaching how things happen and work. In Dubai, we find ourselves in a luxurious setting, filled with people who are obviously high up in society.

After Dubai, we head to perhaps the most interesting phase of Hitman 3. In the English countryside, on Dartmoor, 47 must infiltrate a mansion to eliminate a lady who faked her own death. The interesting thing about Dartmoor is that the place has a plot of its own, which allowed me to be able to control Agent 47 in an investigation in search of answers to an alleged suicide that had taken place in the family mansion. Dartmoor constantly gives the feeling that there is something to be discovered, as the player finds family members, secret passages and rooms, interesting information and unravels the secrets and mysteries that surround that place.

In this phase, IO Interactive managed to deliver another face of the title, allowing a greater focus on exploration in search of answers that will not even make much difference in its real objective. The most interesting thing is that such a face presents itself in a natural way, without disturbing the progress of the main objective, showing itself as a striking invitation to explore the unknown even if this is not necessary.

After Dartmoor, the other levels, in fact, do not have such interesting plots of their own, but they still exhibit their own characteristics and are executed with great quality. In Berlin, 47 must infiltrate a party that also keeps a dark secret behind the scenes, while in China the game shows all the visual splendor of its graphic engine.

On his journey, 47 explores six different and unique locations. Such places leave their mark with characteristics and possibilities, always leaving the certainty that something more can be seen there if the player is interested in completing the objective again.

THE LIBERTY

As already mentioned here, Hitman 3 is a great hunt. The six stages are big playgrounds of death. Each location is full of possibilities and different ways to complete objectives, so that the player is always accompanied by the feeling that in every corner something can be used in his favor.

If the two previous games already stood out for this reason, Hitman 3 is the pinnacle of freedom offered by IO Interactive. Weapons, items, disguises, people around you... everything and everyone can be used in your objective. Story missions offer different ways of carrying out assassinations, allowing the player to choose which method they want to use. Also, the freedom is great enough that the situation can change midway and the goal is achieved in a way completely opposite to what was being planned.

In Hitman 3, the player must be aware of everything around him and keep in mind that almost everything must be tested. Observing the behavior of NPCs, the entrances and exits, the security of the places and many other elements is extremely important for you to be able to imagine the ideal way to carry out your mission. Knowing that it is possible to create your own methods and eliminate targets without following objectives given by the title itself, encourages the player to further explore the locations and dedicate much of their time to planning.

Furthermore, just as the game knows how to give the player such freedom, it knows how to take it away. During the journey, there will be a moment when you will feel that freedom is not there, at least not in the magnificent way that the game offers, but that doesn't mean that the specific moment delivers something less than expected. Particularly, the moment I realized the linearity being imposed by the game in a certain mission, I was impressed by the way IO Interactive knows how to control its title. I understood that that was necessary for the game to proceed in the right way and I noticed that this sudden change was made carefully and in the right way so that the player wouldn't feel lost in the middle of a completely different approach.

It is worth mentioning that such a moment of linearity also offers exactly what is necessary for the player to feel involved and have fun with the game in the same way as in broader moments full of opportunities. Something worthy of praise, because it takes a lot of courage and competence to, at a decisive moment, take from the game what is precisely its greatest quality.

Verdict: CANDIDATE FOR GAME OF THE YEAR

Hitman 3

9.5 Pros

Extreme and satisfying freedom
Simple plot but well executed
Unique and memorable scenarios

Cons

Small flaws in AI
Some visual bugs

Hitman 3 is, for sure, a strong candidate for the best game of 2021. IO Interactive has shown that it knows its own content very well and is able to use it in the way it prefers, within what the franchise should be.

Some problems are encountered. At times I felt that the artificial intelligence left something to be desired, with some NPCs showing themselves to be "blind and deaf" at certain times, but the qualities suffocate any flaws that can be perceived.

Excellent in everything it sets out to be, the game performs its mechanics very well and is a mature content from a developer that knows how to use the main features of the title. Near perfection, Hitman 3 elevates IO Interactive's name and is memorable content.