Hitman Blood Money

It is whispered among the criminal underworld that the man in the starch black suit and smooth baldhead is not a myth. For years this phantom seemingly picks off his targets and disappears without a trace and some say that he eerily assumes the identity of those around him like a human chameleon. He has many names in the criminal network but only the really connected know him as 47. In Hitman: Blood Money for the Xbox, we witness yet another chapter in the life of our favorite hitman and it’s a very good chapter indeed.

Many a time we have seen Agent 47’s exploits unfold with him being considered a king of criminal underground urban legend but in Blood Money his myth is exposed via a shadowy figure who reveals to a reporter several incidents that involve the famous killer-for-hire. It is through the reporter that we witness Agent 47’s various missions that take him all over the globe. Suddenly, Agent 47 is being shadowed by assassins who wish to put an end to him because a secret conspiracy concerning clones has become a hot topic in Congress and let’s face it he’s one of the most dangerous clones walking the planet.

For fans of the series, Blood Money isn’t any different from past games in the series. You are still taking on various different assassination scenarios that place you in an environment and allow you to take out the target any way you like. There’s always a number of ways to complete a given mission so if you want to take the stealth route or go sadistically postal and take out everyone. You’ll still have your usual assortment of weapons like the fiber wire and the poison syringe introduced in Hitman: Contracts. Yet then again, this game introduces some new elements as well as new combat moves (but we will get into that a bit later).

The real star of the show are the mission scenarios that have always put Agent 47 in some very interesting situations but in this game the missions seem bigger in scope. Take, for example, a mission that takes place in the middle of Mardi Gras. Imagine the madness of the festivities with its crowds of partiers (many of them drunk), scores of police officers and your targets walking among the few floats. You are tasked with taking out three targets while attempting to protect the US Secretary of Interior but to do this you’ll have to assume various new identities in order to reach different locations within the map. The same goes for a mission that takes place in a Chilean vineyard and the suburbs of a California city.

Even the various different ways of dispatching your target is more unique in this game. There’s a mission that takes place in a Paris opera house that allows you different ways of taking out a target aside from the more obvious methods. You can, for example, switch a real gun with a prop gun so the actor - during a dress rehearsal - will pick up the real gun and shot the target for you. Then again, there are about a dozen other ways you can take out the same target. While you have the freedom to complete a mission any way you want, Blood Money is the first game in the Hitman series that keeps track of any civilians that might have spotted you and even penalize you monetarily for killing civilians. That’s right, Agent 47 actually is paid for killing people and the money you earn during an assignment can be used to bribe witnesses, the chief of police or purchase a new identity.

New to the series is the ability to purchase weapon upgrades. Your Silverballers, Agent 47’s familiar .45 automatic handguns can be upgraded to add a silencer, better bullets as well as a laser sight. You can upgrade your shotguns and sniper rifles, making each gun more precise and (best of all) more silent. Aside from the ability to improve your arsenal, Agent 47 has some new moves like a disarming move that allows you to elbow an attacker and rip the gun right out of his or her hand as well as perform a head butt and dropping a coin for distraction. Agent 47 can even push a person out a window! All these things add up to an interesting new gameplay mechanics that actually work.

Now on to the things that don’t work in this game and there are plenty of things wrong with this game. The opponent AI goes from able to make rational decision to why-is-he-just-standing-there-when-I’ve-just-shot-his-friend. At one point during the game, I shot a security guard only to have a police officer point his gun at me and just stand there as I walked away. While you’ll encounter a few of these moments throughout the game, it does not become too much of a problem since the game is able to play differently each time.

Visually speaking, Blood Money looks a lot better than the last two games in the series and while it lacks the sharp textures and ultra smoothness of the Xbox 360 version this is still a great-looking game. For starters, the character models display an excessive amount of detail especially when it comes to Agent 47. Certain shots leave bullet holes on people and the game is a lot gorier than ever. Even the environments look particularly impressive. You’ll be moving through a number of interesting locales from the suburbs of a quiet neighborhood to the lush tropics of a Chilean hacienda. The only thing wrong about the graphics is that there is still way too much clipping. You’ll literally see people walking right through doors and arms sticking right through other people.

The game’s sound is also a highlight especially the score by composer Jesper Kyd that is wonderfully hypnotic and cinematic. Aside from the killer soundtrack, the game’s sound effects are highly detailed to the point that you’ll hear every single detail from a footstep to the sound of barking dogs in the distance. You’ll even get to catch some funny conversational bits as well as music playing on the radio. The voice acting is also nicely done.

Hitman: Blood Money for Xbox might not be a revolutionary step into new territory but it’s still a wickedly enjoyable romp that is sure to please longtime fans of the series. While the game is still plagued by the usual assortment of annoying glitches, the great missions, new moves and other additions make this one of the most engaging Hitman games that will make you forget about the so-so Contracts. If you’re a returning fan of the series or just new to the series, you will certainly find a lot to love about this one.

Gameplay: 8.2
Agent 47 is back and better than ever thanks to some cool new disarming moves and the ability to upgrade weapons. The mission scenarios are staged beautifully and gamers have the complete freedom to dispose of the targets anyway they see fit. The bad news is that there are some questionable AI glitches that make for some frustrating combat and unwanted attention.

Graphics: 8.0
The game’s graphics are the best the series has seen to date so expect a better-looking 47 as well as the other character that surround the beautifully rendered backgrounds. While the 360 version does sport sharper graphics this is still a very visually pleasing game.

Sound: 8.5
The voice acting is top notch and once again our hero still sounds icy cool. There are more background sound effects in this game than in previous ones so expect to hear everything from passing footsteps to the grunts of knocked out enemies. As always, Jesper Kyd’s soundtrack hits the mark just as accurately as one of 47’s bullets.

Difficulty: Medium
Many of the scenarios are tricky business to complete and this time around, most of the enemies you’ll face in this game are a bit brighter. Then again, there are moments when an armed thug will point a gun at you and forget to shoot or run around in a circle wondering what to do next.

Concept: 8.5
Whether you are in Chile attempting to bump off a father and son drug-cartel duo or sneaking into a drug and alcohol rehab clinic to “murder” a CIA agent and then bring him back to life, the missions and locales are the star of the show. The newspaper headlines and the ability to bribe police and eyewitnesses is a great idea but using the money you earn performing a hit to buy weapon and item upgrades is a most welcomed addition to the series.

Overall: 8.5
While not a major departure for the series, Hitman: Blood Money is still one of the most enjoyably addictive action games that adds some new moves to our favorite hired killer’s repertoire. There are still the usual glitches that have plagued the series for a long time but with an assortment of excellent mission scenarios this is a game die-hard fans of Agent 47 will certainly not want to miss.