Being an international hitman isn't all fun and games, sometimes a bit of moonlighting is necessary to cover all those suit dry cleaning bills. |
In previous releases each disguise would give you carte blanche access to various portions of the map, but this time around you can be spotted and identified as an imposter by those wearing the same outfit. The time it takes them to detect your presence is dependent on your proximity, orientation to the viewer and whether or not you are using some of a limited use instinct power, that accumulates as you achieve your goals. In addition some levels feature workstations where you can stop and blend in, essentially masking Agent 47 from the people pacing around the room. Not only is this actually a far more realistic take on the stealth mechanic, with characters' calling out challenges or talking about you to each other if they don't recognise you, but it enriches the depth of the experience, opening up even more complex problems and solutions. It builds a whole new layer on proceedings and provides yet more variety in how to approach the challenges the game throws at you, with the player having to balance the access level of different disguises with how rarely they will be encountered.
It's now key to balance the clearance level of a disguise with the people you will encounter. |
The locations are full of different options, both in terms of getting close to your targets and in how you actually pull off the execution. It's really rewarding to go through and discover whole other approaches that you hadn't considered before, and even after multiple playthroughs of a level you can still be surprised with how some people have pulled them off. Despite the storyline now being a continuous sequence there's still a large amount of different locales on offer, and while there is the odd, more basic segue between the larger environments, these make up a very small portion of the in-game time. The levels themselves range from busy, packed clubs through to entire city streets with numerous buildings and roads and there are plenty of little areas to explore in each. You can also increase your score further by attempting to achieve all the different kill options available in each of these, so there's always the incentive to vary your tactics next time around. It's not often in this day and age that you see a title so invested in offering real player choice and the fact that, when entering the first main level, the game's announcer dares you to find all twelve methods to take out your target just goes to show how strongly focused this element remains.
You can pick up useful tips and opportunities from the incidental dialogue between NPCs. |
One feature that is superbly implemented is the new crowd mechanic. Some levels are filled with huge swathes of people, which while not only visually impressive, also enables an additional means of area negotiation. As you move through the throngs you will attract the attention of security personal, again the speed with which this occurs is based on Agent 47's orientation and speed of movement, but if you find a large enough, tightly packed group and remain still the heat will fade, giving you a chance to move off again when the coast is clear. Barging people will also attract attention and the locations of these groups will, at times move, as will the routes through which you can negotiate without being slowed by others' movements or pushing them. The result can make for some extremely tense encounters, one particular sequence involving navigating a train station on police lockdown is incredibly thrilling and taught, despite the relative lack of action. It's yet another example of the designers thinking outside the box and bringing a new experience to the table.
ALWAYS tip the help. |
Special mention has to go to the Contracts mode, a new and innovative multiplayer offering. Players can load up any of the campaign levels, mark out up to three of the unique personalities in that level for execution, of which there are many, and then carry it out. The weapons and disguises used are recorded as are performance factors such as whether guards were alerted, bodies hidden and so on. Afterwards you can then select which of these you want to apply to the scoring system and this is then shared with the rest of the world, along with its own leaderboard. This adds a huge amount of longevity beyond the already substantial campaign with its wealth of different goals and difficulty settings. It opens up all kinds of new routes, experiences and challenges to keep the player on their toes and can also be a fantastic way to learn new aspects of the levels in question. It's interesting to see some of the inventive approaches created by other players, as with all the outfits and weapons unlocked, it has resulted in a large amount of variety, whether it's a take off of Friday the 13th, mask and butcher knife in hand, or the return of the classic bird suit from Blood Money.
Now to find a darkened alley... |
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Score: 9/10
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