Hitman 3 Preview

hanselthecaretaker

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I like how this third game will apparently also house all the missions of the previous two games under one location. Won’t be playing it til at least next year or so though, sticking to my backlog.
 

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stroopwafel

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I loved the classic Hitman games on PS2 but for whatever reason couldn't really get into the new games despite them being an ostensible return to form. I think it's because they really doubled down on the clockwork structure that makes every assassination a matter of very specific timing within a scripted setpiece. The old games had this but it was much rarer and more gimmicky. The games itself relied more on player creativity not unraveling the clockwork structure of the game for the perfect kill. The sheet with unlockables after every mission also really emphasises this structure of the game. It's designed to play the missions over and over to find more nodes for scripted assassinations within it's clockwork.

I guess it depends on what you appreciate in the game but I prefered the more loose, sandbox-y structure of the old titles.
 

09philj

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I loved the classic Hitman games on PS2 but for whatever reason couldn't really get into the new games despite them being an ostensible return to form. I think it's because they really doubled down on the clockwork structure that makes every assassination a matter of very specific timing within a scripted setpiece. The old games had this but it was much rarer and more gimmicky. The games itself relied more on player creativity not unraveling the clockwork structure of the game for the perfect kill. The sheet with unlockables after every mission also really emphasises this structure of the game. It's designed to play the missions over and over to find more nodes for scripted assassinations within it's clockwork.

I guess it depends on what you appreciate in the game but I prefered the more loose, sandbox-y structure of the old titles.
The games want you to find all of their crafted, structured content, but going off script is also a valid way to play, and an actively encouraged one, since there's always an achievement for beating the level while only wearing the suit, which forces the use of more improvised tactics. It is one of those cases where the player has to choose their own rules to bar the path of least resistance, but a large portion of the game's tools are only really useful when you choose to make those rules.
 

hanselthecaretaker

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I read about that article. That's a cool feature. I know my older brother is going to love this. He is a huge Hitman fan. I've only played a couple of the games. He's played nearly all of them.
It’s always been one of those fringe games for me, because they take a lot time and trial and error to really click. I love the level design especially in the newer ones though, with how many options they give the player. The drawback is it’s one of those where the general mechanics of 47 have aged over so many games. He’s not very fun to control and there is very little room for deviation from all the promoted stuff, which could be a big part of why it’s never held my interest much.

I just get a really big hit of buffet anxiety whenever I start up the new Hitman games. There are so many options available, both the heavily scripted and the spontaneous "emergent gameplay" kind, that I just don't know what to do. The end result is that I either just turn the game off after faffing about aimlessly for a while or that I just pick up on the first route presented (scripted or not) and laser in on it to completion before never touching the map again because I mostly remember that initial anxiety and don't want to relive it.
Basically that, yup.

The games want you to find all of their crafted, structured content, but going off script is also a valid way to play, and an actively encouraged one, since there's always an achievement for beating the level while only wearing the suit, which forces the use of more improvised tactics. It is one of those cases where the player has to choose their own rules to bar the path of least resistance, but a large portion of the game's tools are only really useful when you choose to make those rules.
That’s an interesting way of looking at it. I’m not familiar enough with it though and have never gotten good enough for the coveted SASO ratings.
 
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stroopwafel

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The games want you to find all of their crafted, structured content, but going off script is also a valid way to play, and an actively encouraged one, since there's always an achievement for beating the level while only wearing the suit, which forces the use of more improvised tactics. It is one of those cases where the player has to choose their own rules to bar the path of least resistance, but a large portion of the game's tools are only really useful when you choose to make those rules.
In theory you're right but I think the game pushes much harder against an off script approach than the old titles with the stricter fail states also discouraging this.
 

stroopwafel

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I just get a really big hit of buffet anxiety whenever I start up the new Hitman games. There are so many options available, both the heavily scripted and the spontaneous "emergent gameplay" kind, that I just don't know what to do. The end result is that I either just turn the game off after faffing about aimlessly for a while or that I just pick up on the first route presented (scripted or not) and laser in on it to completion before never touching the map again because I mostly remember that initial anxiety and don't want to relive it.
Hahah definitely. The game is like 99% planning and observation so you must really like that aspect. The new games in particular really nudges you to figure out it's clockwork structure of disguise A needs to match location B to trigger the assasination setpiece of target C within timeframe D. The amount of variables within that loop can definitely feel overwhelming.
 

09philj

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I mostly did crafted kills in my Hitman playthrough but there were a few improvised things thrown in.
The Showstopper, Paris - Disguised myself as Helmut Kruger to poison Margolis, but got Novikov by luring him into an electrified puddle.
World of Tomorrow, Sapienza - I got Caruso with the explosive golf ball, but then took out De Santis by climbing through her office window and hiding an explosive under her desk. I grabbed the virus by using a disguise but had to knock out all the people in the last room with a wrench since I forgot the rat poison.
A Guilded Cage, Marrakesh - Stuck to the script, used the prisoner disguise to kill Zaydan and the masseuse disguise to get Strandberg.
Club 27, Bangkok - Stuck to scripted events again, caught Cross alone after the party and lured Morgan to the basement.
Freedom Fighters, Colorado - Mostly scripted, blew up Rose at the explosives test, hit Parvati with the ram, and tipped Graves into the cesspit, but then finished up by knocking out all the guards around Berg's garage lab and strangled him.
Situs Inversus, Hokkaido - Went scripted, disguised myself as the yoga instructor and pushed Yamazaki over the edge, then used the Hospital Director disguise to hack the mainframe to kill Soders.[/spoiler[
 
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hanselthecaretaker

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More Hitman goodness while waiting

Under the hood (because the video won’t display for some reason)

If the third game turns out to be a bit I’d say IO is in early running for Developer of the Year.
 

hanselthecaretaker

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Couple more informative clips -



It sounds like IOI is really leveraging their creative power being free of the SE shackles. Like I commented on in the interview clip’s comments though, my only complaint would be not addressing the ongoing vocal and legitimate concerns about the drawbacks of a live service delivery, ie not allowing progress offline. What will happen to the last (best) of this great series when the servers go down or switches hands. Will need to rely on homebrew servers which might not even be legal in the future.
 
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