Hitman: Absolution Preview

Square-Enix seems to be all about the stealth-based adventure gameplay this year at E3. Tomb Raider showed us that Lara could get the drop on her enemies even in her younger years. Deus Ex showed us that the most alert guards were no match for state of the art cloaking devices. Yet the most impressive stealth game showcased by Square-Enix was Hitman: Absolution. It not only showed us just how much room the stealth genre has to innovate, it also showed us how open-ended stealth missions could be.

When the demo we saw started, Agent 47 was dropped right into a Chicago library in the middle of a rainstorm. There were police everywhere and they all wanted to put a bullet in his bald head.

Since Agent 47 is no longer an agent, he has lost access to the tools provided to him by the Agency. That means no mini-map, no target indicators, nothing but your own eyes to pick out your marks. Instead, Agent 47 has a new "instinct" system. By doing well in the game your instinct bar fills, and using instinct makes it drain. While in stealth, instinct lets you see all dangerous individuals outlined in a bright red, and it also lets you see their walk paths and cones of vision as illuminated red lines. While using instinct, it's near impossible to screw up and get spotted by an enemy. Your instinct bar does drain quickly, though, so be careful.

The controls are very tight, as 47 automatically hides in cover whenever possible. Moving from cover to cover is a simple as pressing the X button, and as long as you time your button press correctly, the roving cops won't notice you. While in cover, taking care of enemies is extremely easy. As long as you get the drop on them you can take them out with a swift blow to the head or a sharp neck snap. Just be sure to hide the body after you are done. There are also plenty of objects in the environment to use as assassination tools as well. You can pick up a clay bust to bludgeon someone over the head with, or ravel up a power chord to use as a makeshift Garrote.

If you find yourself cornered without a stealthy route to follow, then you may have to resort to taking hostages. In the demo, Agent 47 disarmed a rookie cop and put a gun to his head, slowly walking backward away from a mob of angry police officers. By doing so, it made every officer hesitant to fire a shot and he was able to back up to relative safety without sweating a single bullet. Of course, Agent 47, being the cold hearted killer that he is, simply killed the hostage anyway when he had room to run. What ensued was a thrilling chase sequence where Agent 47 ducked behind windows to avoid being seen by a police helicopter. Even though the chopper was shooting holes into the building, 47 was able to lay low to avoid suspicion.

Unfortunately, you can't avoid the eye in the sky forever, and that is where the game's new disguise system comes into play. Agent 47 managed to find an officer, knock him out, and steal his clothes, dressing up like a boy in blue himself. In these duds, he was able to walk outside in plain sight and not be noticed by the watchful eye of the chopper.

After pushing through a hippie drug den (which was more for comedic relief than anything else) Agent 47 made his way into a huge crowd of cops and SWAT team members down in the lobby of the building he was in. The cops looked at 47 suspiciously until we were shown what instinct can do while disguised. Using instinct allows you to "act a role" fitting in perfectly when people think you are suspicious. Using instinct, we were able to chill out and eat a donut until all suspicions were lifted. 47 then pushed his way into a crowded city street, blending in so as to avoid all detection, and that was where the demo ended.

Throughout demo, the police offers were chatting it up, oblivious to Agent 47's presence. Simply sitting there and waiting gave us valuable info on where to go and what to do next. Even when 47 was in a disguise, the pot heads he busted and officers that mistook him for a fellow member of the force divulged important pieces of information. Since 47 no longer has the Agency's contacts at his disposal, this will probably be the main way you gain info in the game.

Frankly, Hitman Absolution was more than just fun. It made me feel like the most skilled killer on the face of the planet. It was like I could end anyone who dared cross me, and the only reason I didn't was to continue slinking stealthily in the shadows. It's a rich, fun, immersive, and innovative stealth experience, and I'll certainly be in line to pick up the game on launch day. If being a stealthy assassin is what the Hitman series is all about, then Absolution does the franchise proud.

Hitman: Absolution Preview