Again before we get started I would like to inform everyone that due to the episodic style of Hitman the review will go up in parts and not have a score until the final piece is released. Also the reviews will be as spoiler free as possible.
Here we are. Episode 4 we find ourselves in Bangkok at a beautiful river side resort. The setting most fans of Agent 47 love. The beauty about Hotels in Hitman games is while they seem to be smaller and more compact missions they often have to most choice and diversity in how you can go about completing the objectives. This mission is no different offering extremely satisfying classic Hitman stealth.
The intro cinematic to this mission seemed disconnected from the story to me at first. But it sets up a bigger picture later to be revealed. The mission starts with you on the dock and with a gorgeous view of the hotel, The Himmapan. You must track down and eliminate 2 targets. The rock star son of a billionaire who just got acquitted of murder charges and their family lawyer. The options from the start are plentiful. The hotel itself has a large restaurant, bars, basement, recording studio and many rooms where you can find and use many things to help accomplish the task at hand. The level design is fantastic and gives a more intimate feel while remaining full of life. As you progress forward there are many new ways to take people out which makes for some very rewarding game play. I didn’t have any of the technical issues I was experiencing in the previous episode. That made this mission much more enjoyable. When the mission concludes you are given the ending cut scene which explains a much deeper plan that pulls everything into focus.
Episode 4 was a giant step back in the right direction for this game. From electrifying microphones to exploding rare old cars this episode had some of the most satisfying kills to date. Offering that stealth game play many fans of the franchise love. This is easily my favorite episode yet. The level itself will offer great replay value with a wide variety of ways to go back and complete the objectives again. Also for future targets this could be the most used given the solid design. Back on track and seeming like the story is starting to pick up, I’m definitely looking forward to the next mission.
Cory J.
Twitter: @Fiction315
