While the Hitman series has always been pretty dark, Hitman: Contracts, the latest title in the series, pushes that even further by upping the ante in terms of a dark and desolate aesthetic and atmosphere. In terms of presentation and visual style, Contracts is certainly the most disturbing entry to the series. However, fans of the series will find that the gameplay is simply more of the same. However, for many, this won’t be a bad thing, and if you are new to the series, then this is the one to check out.

Hitman: Contracts puts you in the role of Agent 47, a genetically-engineered, bald, two-gun-toting bad ass set out as one of the top assassins in the world. However, you become injured on a job and are nearing death. As per usual, your life is flashing before your eyes, and you begin to see your old jobs that you’ve completed in the past. As these flashbacks progress, you complete more and more “missions” from the first game and tread old ground. This recycling of levels may turn off a few gamers already familiar with the first Hitman. However, the missions are also reworked in such a fashion that they feel new, and there are a fair amount of completely new levels, as well.

Hitman veterans will feel right at home with Contracts; the core gameplay has been left almost completely unchanged, warts and all. Hitman is an action game with an emphasis on stealth, meaning that it would behoove you to tread lightly and use spy tactics to complete your missions. You must attack enemies quietly, and take their clothing and pose as them in order to fool henchmen and the like. Contracts does stray from this a little bit. For example, it is not entirely necessary to be stealthy through many missions; the AI isn’t too terribly bright, so killing hordes of bad guys isn’t really a problem. Plus, many times your cover will be blown for no particular reason, and swarms of enemies will be on you, so it doesn’t really matter how sneaky you try to be.

While the gameplay hasn’t been reworked as well as it should, aesthetics has been improved and shows a lot of great dark and moody elements, adding to the atmosphere. The graphics are great, with good looking character models and great looking environments. The stages are a very disturbing blend of nasty, with locales such as a rave in a blood-soaked meat packing plant, a hunting party and many other spots. The lighting effects are superb, bringing the stages to vibrant life. The use of color and shadow is extremely effective in the game, and does a great job of setting the mood.

The music is also appropriately dark and atmospheric. Jesper Kyd’s score is moody and haunting, adding a new element to the stages. The voice acting is also well done (and also in their appropriate languages), and very well acted, although the enemy banter does get a little redundant. The weapon sounds are typical for an action game and don’t stand out as particularly bad or good.

Hitman Contracts is a solid action game, offering up the gameplay tweaks and improvements of the second Hitman game and revamped missions from the first game wrapped in a new dark, atmospheric package. However, some Hitman vets will be disappointed in the fact that many of the levels have been recycled from the first game. However, if you are new to Hitman (or if the thought of playing through some of the first game over again), you should find a lot to like in Hitman: Contracts.

Gameplay: 8.0
The basic gameplay of Contracts has been left unchanged from Hitman: Silent Assassin, which can be both a good and a bad thing. The comfortable control scheme and focus on disguises is intact, as is the weak AI. Also, a fair amount of levels have been recycled from the first game, which may turn off some gamers.

Graphics: 8.5
The graphics are pretty good, with solid character models and detailed environments. Also the lighting effects and use of color are superb, adding to the gloomy tone of the game.

Sound: 8.5
The sound effects are pretty good. The music is atmospheric and sets the overall tone for the game nicely, and the voice acting is very well done. The sound effects are pretty typical.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 7.9
While the game does add a darker new element to the game’s overall aesthetic, many of the levels are recycled from the first Hitman.

Overall: 8.0
Hitman Contracts is a pretty solid entry to the Hitman series, although it doesn’t change much in the realm of gameplay. However, fans of the series or those new to it would do well to give it a look.