Hitman: Codename 47 Preview

The violence in gaming has really become too much, and all these violent games should be banned! We should all be playing Barbie's Riding Club, and not those violent games with a bunch of rifles and guns, and hi-tech gizmos that allow us to better enjoy in-game violence ...NAH!

Hitman in action, guns blazing all over the place.

Moving slowly across the stairs...

After the fabulous Deus Ex, Eidos Interactive plans to release a new game in this demanding, yet highly immersive sub-genre. The company has definitely cemented its place in the market by distributing games, in which the player can really "merge" with the hero: Thief, System Shock, Deus Ex, and now the eagerly anticipated Hitman... Why did a story-driven first person sneaker that hasn't even been released yet, draw this much attention? Probably because it's not every day you get to play the role of a hired assassin, with an "original" name like Hitman. The public's reaction to this game is diverse, and interesting, to say the least. The majority is eagerly expecting it, while those more "socially aware", resentfully frown at the announcements. Why? Aren't Duke Nukem, and all characters in Quake and Unreal, and a bunch of other FPS characters all hitmen in a sense? (Don't get all philosophical on us Bunny, please! -Ed.) I know for a fact Senator Liebermann will go apeshit when the game is released, and deal out a whole load of bans and penalties. (The FTC took care of that -Ed.)

Hitman: Codename 47 will probably set new standards and tendencies within its genre. The designers of the Scandinavian IO Interactive will see to it that everything in the game runs smoothly, giving us a whole new experience in this kind of "adventures". The developers are long time admirers of Luc Besson (Nikita and Leon: The Professional), John Woo, Quentin Tarantino, and Ridley Scott movies, and they did their best to make use of those visual experiences and incorporate them into Hitman. The original idea for the game came from these movies, and the popularity of male/female-paid-assassin movies speaks for itself. The fascination of ordinary people with characters in the shady areas of law and moral will never cease, hence the idea for the game.

A lot of you probably know by now, the main character is a dark, anti-social, gun for hire. He has a code bar on the back of his head with the number 47 instead of a name. Our bald (in all senses of the word) hero is not an ordinary mortal like the rest of us; Nope, he's a product of genetic engineering, a clone specially designed to have no emotions whatsoever and to kill without questioning the orders of his superiors.

He is probably the most dangerous and lethal killer that ever walked the planet. He is always in perfect shape, and has many high-tech gadgets (Eat your heart out, Tom Cruise!). By controlling this character, the player will have to perform "hits" on several world VIPs in superbly designed 3D surroundings. In the beginning, the Hitman thinks he is working for a secret organization, but he later finds out that he is actually used to tie up loose ends concerning genetic cloning conducted by a group of scientists, for which he served as a prototype. (Hence, the Deus Ex comparisons - plans within plans -Ed.) Gradually, he will come to understand that he himself is a potential target.

To make things even more exciting (add more gameplay), the main campaign includes a number of side-quests. Depending on how you go about completing the side-quests, your actions bear certain consequences in the later stages of the game (a semi non-linear setup, if you will). Hitman will have 26 different missions, which will take place in five metropolises worldwide; on their streets, rooftops, and interior. There are five chapters in the game, divided into sub-sections. The plot development is essentially linear, but the player can speed up or slow down the rate of in-game events, on his own discretion. Each mission must be completed, but there are several ways to do so. The whole Hitman setting is very dynamic, offering the player several different ways to solve a problem. Instead of a standard FPS burst-in-and-shoot-all-you-can tactics, you can carefully explore the vicinity of your target and find the most efficient and quiet way to eliminate it. As a true professional, our (anti)hero has to draw a minimum of attention to himself, and perform the cleanest possible kill - the cleaner the job, the bigger the cash bonus. Of course, you can use the standard "Duke-It-Out" tactics, but you won't last long in the game. The Hitman has to do his "mark" in, but he has to leave the "crime scene", too, and the steady flow of cash will provide him good recon info from a hired agency, as well as spying on the potential "mark", and so on... The game features a bunch NPC's that will help your anti-hero this way or another. You can even hire a "bait" for some missions, or install surveillance equipment to provide you with crucial information on your target. If the Hitman draws too much attention to him, or discloses his homicidal tendencies to too many people regarding a potential target, a police snitch can give him away. In case of a major massacre, a crew of "cleaners" will come to dispose of the bodies to minimize the possibility of our hero getting caught (or worse...). It certainly brings memories of the great Jean Reno and his role of Victor in the movie Nikita: Le Femme. (What about Harvey Keitel in Pulp Fiction; remember Mr. Wolf? - Ed.)