I took him with piano wire.  Like a hawk, swooping down to engulf my prey.  You cannot find me, you cannot trace me.  I am Agent 47.  Reality suddenly steps in, its laundry day!  Unfortunately, nobody can live the life of the Hitman; his day job (err…night job) just doesn’t offer the benefits of career advancement, paid vacations, and a solid 401k plan.  So stepping into the shoes of everyone’s favorite antihero from home just doesn’t get any better with all the gun blazing action and none of the side effects like risking brutal death.  Hitman: Contracts continues the tradition while putting a different spin on the gameplay than its two predecessors.

The story, for one, starts with a simple job that goes very wrong.  Agent 47 finds himself the victim of a bullet and staggers around as memories flash through his eyes.  Hallucinations of previous contracts float through his mind, and he plays through a few familiar missions and some new ones not yet experienced.  Let me stop here in saying that although old fans of Hitman may be hit with déjà vu, things are tweaked as if his memory was fading away.  This adds up to some fantastic role playing on your part as you explore the levels and his inner psychosis (Step away from the asprin, 47!)  Controls work best on the PC version for obvious reasons.  The mouse-keyboard setup always beats console controllers in movability and freedom.

One of the more notable jobs involves a hefty fellow known as the meat king.  This cold hearted, wealthy, powerful, and 600 pound piece of man enjoys a good steak anytime from his slaughterhouse in Romania.  This mission alone is enough for an M-rating and even after playing, I can still see the carnage when I shut my eyes.  Agent 47 is given a wide variety of options in which to subdue his victims.  Though I am partial with the sniper routine made famous with Kiefer Sutherland in Phone Booth, you may appreciate the more subtle approach of doing some tenderizing of your own with a meat hook.  Again, this game comes with some pretty macabre situations, so just fathoming the many things Hitman is capable of is enough to blow a vessel in your brain.  Business has never been easier when you get your hands on the weapons at your disposal.  One achievement IO Interactive can pat themselves on the back for is the ability to use everyday items like pool cues and shovels for the kill.  Depending on what weapon you use, you can also alternate between first and third person point-of-view.

Enemy artificial intelligence is impressive.  Swapping clothing to get the baddies off your track is harder than in the previous titles with speculative guards always watching and communication that gives them the upper hand.  A flaw exists, however, when they are hot on your tail.  By simply crouching in a corner with a gun ready, you can take out any enemy that passes through your sight simply walking through a door (An advantage many gamers would rather not have).  There is also a reliance on keeping unnoticed.  This focus on stealth isn’t as stressed on Hitman 1 and 2, so keep yourself and your victims unseen until the time is right.  A tactical map is available to use to distinguish where you are and where you ought to be.  Making good use of it is a smart idea.

The graphics are definitely a plus.  IO has implemented a strong graphics engine to make everything and everyone look very nice.  The blood is fresh, the mangled bodies should come complementary with barf bags, and the environmental interactivity works especially well.  The concept of blowing apart, dragging, dropping, shooting, gouging, and suffocating your enemies was mastered in Hitman 2 and Hitman: Contracts continues with what many call the “rag-doll effect.”  I think that IO could have done a lot more with level design and character models, because the teaser trailer was one of the most realistic cinematic feats I have ever seen and I expected a little more of the general package.  The sound fits the setting like a glove.  Each musical note from the soundtrack cuts through the tough situations like butter.  The voice acting is well done, especially with Agent 47’s calm demeanor.  The sound effects weren’t particularly exciting and didn’t realistically portray the gun fire in my opinion.

All together, this was a relatively safe game for the publishers to release.  It wasn’t landmark on any level, but it can compete with the current PC action big boys.  It does a good job in bringing back ex-Hitman gamers and new recruits looking for their first blood.

Gameplay: 8.7
Hitman: Contracts delivers good gameplay entertainment with a solid control system.

Graphics: 8.4

A familiar look with some new additions in visual appearance.  When you are sick to your stomach after playing, you know the Graphics Department did something right.

Sound: 8

Beautifully scored music tracks + realistic multinational voice acting - unimpressive sound effects = Hitman: Contracts

Difficulty: Medium/Hard

The game offers several difficulty options with certain abilities being limited depending on what you choose.  Save anywhere options are a clever touch.

Concept: 9

Another Hitman title you say?  BRAVO!  New jobs, new weapons, new victims!

Overall: 8.7

If you were a fan of the previous Hitman games, the PC version is the right setup for you.  If not, you may still find some use out of the grotesque art Agent 47 brings us in Hitman: Contracts