January2021
Review Hitman 3 (PS5) - The Ultimate Stealth Sandbox
Greatest hits
It’s almost impossible to review Hitman 3 as a standalone game. While this brooding conclusion to Danish developer IO Interactive’s excellent World of Assassination trilogy can be purchased individually, it’s intended to be enjoyed as a compilation: a collection of sublime stealth sandboxes spanning a glamorous red carpet event...
January2019
Review Hitman: The Complete First Season - An Exemplary Assassination Sandbox
Phwoar-ty seven
Republished on Wednesday 30th January 2019: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of February's PlayStation Plus lineup. The original text follows. Hitman: Blood Money is the golden standard for IO Interactive's stealth franchise; we can all agree with that. Hitman: The Complete First Season,...
November2018
Review Hitman 2 - More Darkly Amusing Murder
Hit me baby one more time
Poor Sierra Knox. She lived her life as a successful racing car driver, and along with her father was a powerful figure within Kronstadt Industries, a tech firm making waves in the robotics field. She had it all: fame, money, power, and a name that made her sound a bit like a baddie from a Bond film. It's everything a girl...
November2016
Review Hitman: Episode 6 - Hokkaido
Peak
So, it's all over: seven months in the making, Hitman is finally finished and all episodes are released. From the heights of stunning Sapienza to the lows of crummy Colorado, it's certainly been a journey – but does Hokkaido end up being a fitting swansong to an excellent game or a bad note to end on? We say, wholeheartedly, the former...
October2016
Review Hitman: Episode 5 - Colorado
ColoRad
It's safe to say that Hitman has been excellent so far, but despite the variety of locations, every mission has been similar in that they've all been set in largely public places. The latest level – set in a militia-held apricot farm in rural Colorado – takes the game in a different direction, focusing more on stealth than previous...
August2016
Review Hitman: Episode 4 - Bangkok
Too many Kooks
Like milk and cookies, fish and chips, and a copy of Ride to Hell: Retribution and the nearest volcano, hotels and Hitman go together very well. There's something about the maze of rooms, the abundance of staff, and the classy yet clandestine nature of these establishments that always make good missions for Agent 47, and the episodic...
June2016
Review Hitman: Episode 3 - Marrakesh
Don't Morocco the boat
The beauty, complexity, and atmospheric brilliance of Sapienza was always going to be a tough act to follow for IO Interactive, but the bustling Moroccan city of Marrakesh provides ample room for innovation in this month's new episode of Hitman. With crowded markets, labyrinthine streets, and plenty of interiors to explore,...
April2016
Review Hitman: Episode 2 - Sapienza
Bellisimo
The quiet, picturesque Italian seafront town of Sapienza is a retiree's dream. Bathed in sun, the cobbled streets are full of cafés, trattorias, and street performers – not to mention the diamond blue sea, and the quaint old church that sits next to it. How strange, then, that for all its serenity, Sapienza works exceptionally well as...
March2016
Making a killing
When Hitman's release schedule was revealed, a lot of people weren't happy about its episodic nature. Many fans feared that the game would be a massive disappointment akin to the likes of Hitman Absolution, but that is most definitely not the case. On the surface, the Intro Pack may seem a bit steep at its £11.99/$14.99 price –...
November2012
Murder most joyous
With a six year absence since Agent 47's last outing, it's not surprising to see that everybody's favourite murderer has gone through a few changes. And while series purists may lament the days of yore, Hitman: Absolution still steals the show with its unique stealth elements, freedom, and deadly satisfaction. Indeed, Hitman:...
August2010
Review Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days
The polarizing rag-tag duo Kane and Lynch return for a notably low-brow outing in Shanghai
Teaming up for a final "smuggling operation", events turn decidedly sour when Kane unwittingly takes out the daughter of a corrupt government official, Shangsi. The plot is littered with some pretty uncomfortable moments, but it primarily takes a back-seat to the shooting. Kane & Lynch 2: Dog..
September2009
Mini Ninjas reveals the tale of an evil samurai warlord who has caused an imbalance in the world
He must be stopped by the game's protagonist Hiro and the legion of failed samurai warriors he rescues on his path. Mini Ninjas is aimed mostly at children, but like all good children entertainment it has a depth of humour beneath the cuddly layer. Strangely, this predominantly cute action title is..
