Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
| Hitman 2: Silent Assassin | |
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 DVD cover | |
| Developer(s) | IO Interactive |
| Publisher(s) | Eidos Interactive |
| Writer(s) | Morten Iverson |
| Series | Hitman |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 |
| Release date(s) |
1 October 2002
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| Genre(s) | Stealth |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is a 2002 stealth video game developed by IO Interactive and published by Eidos Interactive. It is the second entry in the Hitman series and the sequel to Hitman: Codename 47. It was released for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 2 on 1 October 2002, the Xbox version of the game was released on 2 October 2002, and a GameCube version was later released on June 2003. The game was re-released for Windows through the Steam online distribution service[1] and later a DRM-free version was available through gog.com. A commercial success, the game has sold more than 3.7 million copies as of 23 April 2009 and is the best selling Hitman game to date.[2]
In the game, players assume the role of an assassin known as Agent 47. Missions involve contract killings. The game allows the player try choose their own style of gameplay.
Gameplay
Hitman 2 features mission-based gameplay. On each level, the main character, known only as 47, is given a set of objectives to complete. Most levels require the assassination of one or more people. However, how missions are completed is up to the player, and there are almost always a variety of ways to complete missions. Instead of simply running and gunning through the mission, one can set traps, like poisoning a drink, to terminate the target in silence. Some missions have assassination possibilities unique to the level.
47 can find disguises or remove them from an incapacitated person to blend in with his surroundings and access restricted areas. This plays in with the "suspicion" system; a bar beside the health meter on the HUD represents how much suspicion 47 garners. There are multiple ways to blend in more effectively; for example, the player can make sure to carry an AK-47 assault rifle while disguised as a Russian soldier. Despite the usage of a uniform, being nearer to fellow guards will simply increase the suspicion as they would have an opportunity to more closely examine 47. Also, running, climbing and being in restricted places are other ways to garner concern.
47's cover can be blown if suspicion gets too high, and the disguise will no longer be of any use. It is possible to switch between multiple disguises throughout the level.
Hitman 2 also uses the concept of a post-mission ranking system, in which the player is given a status based on how they completed the mission, rated along a stealthy-aggressive axis, between "Silent Assassin", a stealthy player who manages to complete the level without being noticed and only killing two non targeting people excluding the intended target(s), and "Mass Murderer", a non-stealthy player who kills everyone. The game rewards the player for critical thinking and problem solving, encouraging the player not to treat the game as a simple shooter. Achieving Silent Assassin status on multiple missions rewards the player with bonus weapons. These weapons, plus items found in previous levels, can be carried over into future ones, allowing for differing means of accomplishing the tasks. Big weapons like rifles and shotguns cannot be concealed, thus the player has to either be wearing an appropriate disguise to match the weapon, or make sure no one sees the player use it.
Plot
The game's introductory sequence shows the conversations of two men, Sergei Zavorotko and the Mystery Man, talks on a cargo ship about someone the mystery man saw in Rotterdam. They go to Dr. Ort-Meyer's cloning lab/mental asylum and find everybody inside to be dead. They find a few tapes that shows Agent 47 strangling an asylum guard and dragging his body to corner with a Fiber Wire, and blowing asylum guards and orderlies away with a shotgun. After watching the tapes, the mystery man concludes that the killer is none other than Agent 47, and Sergei decides to hire him. The two men then leave the building.
Many rumors arose that 47 was dead and died extremely wealthy. Therefore, 47 decides to leave his life as a contract killer and retreats to a Sicilian church owned by Father Emilio Vittorio. He works as a humble gardener at the church. Soon, Vittorio becomes a friend of 47. One day, 47 decides to confess his past to Vittorio. After his confession, a car arrives at the church, two people get out of the car. Vittorio says to them that the church is closed. But one of the persons assaults Vittorio and kidnaps him. He leaves a ransom of 500,000 dollars. Unable to pay that price, 47 contacts the ICA (International Contract Agency) and agrees to perform an assassination mission for information about the whereabouts of Vittorio. He gets information from the Agency that Vittorio is captured in basement of Gulliani's Villa Borghese.
47 infiltrates the Villa Borghese and kills Gulliani, but fails to find Vittorio in the basement room; therefore, he takes Gulliani's car and escapes. To repay the debt on the Agency, 47 works with the Agency again. After the hit on the last General, he negotiates a payment raise and accepts more contracts from the Agency. Eventually, he gives up his search for Vittorio, believing him to be dead. He travels to various countries, namely Russia, Japan, Afghanistan, Malaysia and India to carry out contracts.
After some time, 47 learns that Vittorio's kidnapping was an elaborate setup by Sergei, the brother of one of 47's five fathers, to lure him out of retirement. He also learns that all of 47's targets were individuals who were involved in a transaction of a nuclear warhead, Sergei had bought recently, and that the items 47 was sometimes ordered to "retrieve" were all components of two nuclear missiles, which Sergei was planning to sell to a Sikh sect in Punjab, India. The warheads had key signature software that would fool the Americans into thinking the warheads were theirs, and therefore bypass the American missile defense system. Sergei, who has ties to the Russian government and military, needed to eliminate everyone involved in the deal, and therefore, offered 47 the contracts as the client. Learning this, 47 pursues Zavorotko, he escapes 47 and takes Father Vittorio hostage at the Gontranno Church.
47 confronts Sergei, where he gives a subsequent chase around the church in which he finally kills him, and frees Vittorio. Vittorio gives 47 his rosary and begs him to follow a good path. 47 decides that he is incapable of finding inner peace, and thus, leaves the rosary on the church door and eventually resumes his life as a hitman.
Development
One of the major complaints critics made about the first game was that it was inaccessible to most players due to its unfriendly nature.[3] Despite the problems with the first game, it did show potential for the underlying technology and gameplay. Improvements were made to the game's AI and the new levels were made smaller and more focused. Additional items would be available in the second installment including chloroform for quietly taking down enemies and a crossbow which could silently kill opponents. The initial story for the game would take place after the events of the first game. After hearing the changes planned for Hitman 2, PC Gamer declared in December 2001 that "Hitman 2 should be everything we wished of its predecessor – and that gives us extremely high hopes."[3]
Reception
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Hitman 2: Silent Assassin received generally positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation 2 version 85.02% and 85/100,[4][9] the PC version 84.88% and 87/100,[5][8] the Xbox version 84.63% and 84/100[6][10] and the GameCube version 83.47% and 83/100.[7][11] GameSpot gave it a score of 8.6/10, saying that it "fixes virtually all of the problems of its predecessor" and is still an "outstanding" game.[13] Electronic Gaming Monthly scored Hitman 2's GameCube version 7/8/8.5: the first reviewer criticized its artificial intelligence and mission briefings, but said that "each time I circumvented the immeasurable odds and made the crucial killing blow, Hitman 2 was briefly a blast"; the third reviewer summarized it as "an engaging adventure title that rewards patient players".[12]
Despite the 7/8/8.5 scores given by Electronic Gaming Monthly, the cover of the Gamecube release says "9/10 Electronic Gaming Monthly Gold Award." This score is erroneously taken from the magazine's review of the PlayStation 2 version. When confronted with the issue by Electronic Gaming Monthly, Eidos said it would remove the score in future printings.[14]
Hitman 2 has sold more than 3.7 million copies as of 23 April 2009.[2]
Controversy
The game's release sparked controversy due to a level featuring the killing of Sikhs within a depiction of their most holy site, the Harmandir Sahib, where hundreds of Sikhs were massacred in 1984.[15] An altered version of Silent Assassin was eventually released on all the platforms with the related material removed from the game, however, the DRM-free version available on gog.com is completely uncensored and patched to 1.01.
References
- ↑ "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin on Steam". Steam. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
- 1 2 "Corporate Strategy Meeting" (PDF) (PDF). Square Enix. 22 April 2009. p. 16. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
- 1 2 Smith, Rob (December 2001). "Hitman 2". PC Gamer 8 (12): 28. ISSN 1080-4471. OCLC 31776112.
- 1 2 "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin for PlayStation 2". GameRankings. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- 1 2 "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin for PC". GameRankings. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- 1 2 "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin for Xbox". GameRankings. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- 1 2 "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin for GameCube". GameRankings. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- 1 2 "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- 1 2 "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- 1 2 "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- 1 2 "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin for GameCube Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- 1 2 "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1 August – 3 September 2003. Archived from the original on 14 January 2004. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
- 1 2 Kasavin, Greg (8 October 2002). "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin review". GameSpot. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
- ↑ "Letters". Electronic Gaming Monthly: Page 24. November 2003.
- ↑ "Young Sikhs force changes to Hitman 2". CBBC. 21 November 2002. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
External links
- Official website (archived from the original)
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