HITMAN 3: Game Review by Richard Cawley

Everyone’s favourite bald, brooding barcode-coded assassin is back.

Well, not everyone’s. If you are one of Agent 47’s targets then it doesn’t tend to end very well if the folically-challenged executioner turns up.

Hitman 3 is the conclusion to the trilogy and there would be a contract out on my head if I spill any major details on the storyline.

What I can say is that your missions take you around the world – and the settings are varied.

You start in a cloud-kissed Dubai hotel and then move on to a secluded stately home in Dartmoor that has a heavy security detail.

Then comes Berlin, China, Argentina and the epilogue in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains. Quite how Agent 47 gets all his weapons through the body-scanners at the airport is a mystery.

One fixture of this genre has been replaying levels to finesse the way you complete your objectives.

The more you scope out shortcuts can see you shave a lot of time off – with the ultimate challenge being not to use any disguises, which can allow you access into areas without attracting attention.

It’s certainly not a game where you can just go in ‘loud’ – all guns blazing. That approach will just see you attract the wrong kind of attention quickly which is game over. You’ll want to save your progress regularly, as one bad decision can see things unravel fast.

And there are just so many different weapons and ways of offing people. You can make it look like an accident, pick up everyday items that also do serious damage or get up close with the trusty fibre-wire.

Fans of the series can carry over their player profile and unlocked items from Hitman 2.

But you also get the previous two games to access as well. All 20-plus locations have been enhanced with improved animations and other graphic tweaks that have added polish to the latest instalment.

It means for newcomers there is absolutely loads to access. You can really make a killing.
4/5