Hitman 3 – stellar design and storytelling

Since the Hitman 3 was announced in mid-2020, the fans knew they should expect a darker entry that shows maturity and goes beyond what they saw in the previous installments. Not long before the release, the creators published the controversial statement that enraged the players.

The IO Interactive stated that PC players wouldn’t get the ability to unlock Hitman 2 locales in Hitman 3 for free, although that wasn’t what they said in August 2020. As a result, Epic Games and its CEO had to react, ensuring an equal location transfer system for all players.

Hitman 3 received favorable critics, being described as entertaining, rewarding, and worth playing more times. The game quickly reached first place in the UK, surpassing the success of its predecessor. Thanks to that, it made more sales and has a better commercial rating than Hitman 2.

However, that doesn’t mean this entry is the last players would get from the franchise. Instead, they can expect another game in the future once the developers feel it’s the right time to continue the story.

But what about the game itself? What can you expect, and what makes it unique? We played it for you to get those answers!

Here’s what we thought.

Gruesome yet sophisticated

The game unfolds from the third perspective, allowing players to take the role of Agent 47. Locations include various countries and cities, but the new ones are Dartmoor, Mendoza, Dubai, Berlin, the Carpathian Mountains in Romania, and Chongqing.

Besides traveling across the globe, Agent 47 also execute multiple assassinations, connecting the story to the previous entries. The best part is that players can use their levels, progress, and maps from Hitman and Hitman 2 and import it into Hitman 3.

However, this entry comes with novel features and, perhaps, one of the most intriguing is the persistent shortcuts. That allows the unlocking of several doors you can unlock from one side only. But after you open them, they will remain unlocked, ensuring you can reach off-limits locations with more ease.

Another difference compared to Hitman 2, the Ghost Mode is no longer present, and only one player can take the role of the Assassin Sniper. Other than that, Hitman 3 doesn’t make too many deviations from the previous entries. The base formula stays the same, although the graphics underwent a visible improvement.

Moreover, this entry presents an impressive level design intertwined with creative ideas that play with the past missions and levels. We also noticed that the developers created Hitman 3, expecting most players to have perfected their skills and have a vast knowledge of the franchise. Because of that, the game often feels more challenging than it used to be in the previous entries.

On the surface level, most things are the same as in Hitman and Hitman 2, including how players interact with the world around them and the behavior of the AI enemy. The elementary rules knowledge and the series characteristics help you navigate the game and replay the levels. Thus, you get an idea of how to experiment and leverage the intricacies of these systems.

On the other side, Hitman 3 doesn’t introduce many mechanical novelties. Moreover, all the elements work together, and the overall construction of the game is top-notch.

Hitman 3 also kept the same controls and interface, providing players with a similar weapons range and use. However, it introduces one helpful tool: a camera you can use to analyze and hack various objects and switches.

The game starts steady, but it turns into a challenging task, and it wants you to be a foolproof assassin that leaves no traces. That’s your principal goal, and you need to ensure nobody sees you. In a nutshell, you need to turn into a ghost and carry out perfect assassinations.

But don’t worry. – Hitman 3 teaches you how to become what it wants you to be. Throughout the game, you learn how to think and act like Agent 47, giving you the necessary capacities to complete the assignments.

That’s the charm of Hitman 3. The game never attempts to be about graphics murders, blood, or violence. Instead, it’s about learning how to accomplish demanding in-game objectives and beat the system that seems to be unbeatable.

You will probably notice that developers want players to experiment and become comfortable playing independently and mastering their skills. It’s why Hitman 3 feels like the most balanced entry that keeps consistency but gives enough freedom.

Ultimately, the variety of content, challenges, tasks, and checklists is probably the most intriguing element of the game. Hitman 3 probably offers the most expansive and creative levels in the series. Thus, the game has a more meaningful narrative, and it gives you a mission you can connect with and understand.

The final goal is to destroy Providence, an organization that resembles the New World Order society and that was present since the first entry. Hitman 3 remains faithful to the franchise, but it also introduces enough novelty to improve the overall experience and make the game more sophisticated and personal.

Perhaps the best entry in the franchise

Without much thinking, it’s safe to say that Hitman 3 surpassed its predecessors, although the lack of multiplayer mode makes this entry feel a tad smaller. But it has a top-notch level design, stellar execution, and interaction with the in-game world.

Hitman 3 is creative, and it doesn’t introduce unnecessary violence nor bloodshed. Instead, it improves all its elements and ensures meaningful storytelling making it, perhaps, the best entry in the series.