Hitman 2016, slated for release on March 11, had a “beta” access phase for players, allowing them to explore a few levels.
The PC beta, unlike the one on the PS4 console, only offered the two tutorial missions. Quite simple missions, in relatively small areas, which were used by players to discover the gameplay and the many ways to carry out his contract.
Second point, this beta version on PC was also restricted on the side of the graphics options. It is, for example, impossible to adjust the quality of textures other than “low”, the options “medium” and “high” being grayed out and inaccessible.
The gameplay
The gameplay, without changing fundamentally, has undergone many improvements.
The first mission takes place in a "cardboard" setting. So I start on the dock and our liaison officer takes stock and reveals our mission: to kill Kalvin Ritter who is on board a boat.
So I find myself on the platform. Several paths are open to me. The easiest way is to try to go through the bridge, unfortunately I get stopped by the guards.
So I decide to go through another path. I spot a workshop where a port maintenance worker is making his little life. Being a professional, I therefore content myself with only knocking him out.
I steal her clothes so I board the boat. I spot my target in the distance and approach it. Unfortunately, the latter decides to go up to the “VIP area”. So I need a new disguise.
As a maintenance worker, I have access to the kitchens and I find a sailor there cooking. Good news, her costume seems to fit me, so I decide to take action. As a worker, I am always accompanied by my trusty adjustable wrench that I decide to throw in his head to knock him out.
So I go up to the VIP area and I play my role by preparing drinks and cleaning the bar to better monitor my target. This is one of the new possibilities, be able to do a "job" so that 47's coverage is more credible. Thanks to this, even a person who may have doubts about you or your disguise will not.
Subsequently, my target leaves with a man and I decide to follow them. The access being monitored by bodyguards, I go around by the outer walkway and I see an open window. I rush into it and spy on my target. I eventually find the right time to strike, kill my target, and leave the ship with no problem. Mission accomplished.
This mission was therefore a learning mission. Once finished, we have completely free access to it. The mission can be fulfilled in many other ways. Whether it's in the way to reach the target or in the way to eliminate it.
The elimination methods are very varied in this opus. There is of course the eternal firearm, the piano wire and the poison. But other less "conventional" methods are also possible, such as pushing the target overboard, drowning it in the toilet bowl, dropping a barrel on it, tampering with a seat, etc.
There are also many possibilities to achieve this. The levels offer a multitude of entry points, each of which can be passed in a different way. Costume, stealth, hooking doors, going through windows, climbing pipes, etc.
A very interesting novelty is the fact that it is possible to act in different ways depending on the costume you are wearing, in order to go unnoticed. NPCs can detect you, even if you are wearing the correct costume. To do this, it will therefore be necessary "Work" according to the costume worn. Pretend to make repairs, mop up the bar, etc.
Another of these novelties are the "Points of opportunity". These allow the player to know a way to carry out the assassination, or elseget information. It can be a simple conversation between several players, information to be retrieved on a computer, a notepad or an opportunity to steal a “rare” and “unique” disguise in order to infiltrate. Fortunately, it is possible to choose whether these points are displayed or not. It is also possible to show or hide enemy detection icons, activate instinct or not, activate highlighting of usable items, etc.
Conclusion
Of course, the game is currently in beta and only has two missions. It is difficult to judge correctly that it is in terms of lifespan, optimization and quality of the game in general. For my part, however, this beta has been very stable and I have not witnessed any problems or bugs while playing it for about 5 hours. The lifespan will seem very long, especially thanks to the replayability of the missions. Indeed, to successfully complete the two tutorial missions 100%, it takes about 3-4 hours. It's a safe bet that the other missions will be longer, more complex and will be full of many more possibilities.
As a reminder, Hitman will be sold in a format quite different from the usual games, namely:
- Pack d’intro
- Complete Experience Pack
- Upgrade Pack
Price:
- Console : 15 €
- PC : 12,99 €
Contents:
- Prologue
- The Sanguine fashion show in Paris.
- Access to "Contracts" mode.
- Access to "Climbing" mode.
- Access to fugitive targets.
- Access to all live content.
Price:
- Console : 59,99 €
- PC - 49,99 €
Contents:
- This pack allows you to unlock all of the content present when it is released as well as access to all future content.
Price:
- Console - € 49,99
- PC - 40,99 €
Contents:
- Allows you to upgrade the “intro pack” to the “Complete Experience Pack” level.
You can now pre-order the game.
And as a bonus, the latest trailer, called "Legacy":
