First Hitman: Absolution reviews hit

Yeah, that GameMaster review is actually fairly encouraging. The notion of being able to ignore the checkpoint system (with one or two exceptions) is good, but it's still not ideal.
 
Yea it's a great review. Like I said in the other thread, it's going to be the Halo 2 of the series, a great game but not as good as the others. The one that divides fans I think.
 
GamesmasterUK: 90 %

- The game does not force you into any kind of gun battle outside of the tutorial. There are places where brute force is encourages, but can be avoided.
- There are Signature Kills that show more unique deaths and doing so will unlock extra abilities; like speedier movement and more accurate shooting abilities.
- The manual checkpointing system is broken; they neither save the NPC incapacity status, nor NPC positions. Everybody except killed targets are reset after checkpoint reload.
- There are no giant-sized levels like in the scale of a Beldingford Manor from the older games. Levels have been broken down into smaller, distinct chunks.
- Reviewer advises to bump up the difficulty to dial down instinct’s benefits a tad if you want to play like a true Hitman.
- The game’s scoring system was broken in one instance: they played a two part mission where they killed ten people in the first part, then entered the second part and noticed that nobody was suspicious of the earlier events. The then played the second part of the mission silently and earned a Silent Assassin rating.
- Other missions handle the scoring system much better, noted that there are so many built-in score-boosting challenges it will take hours to finish them.
- The campaign is huge with each containing hours of alternative kills, pick-ups and Easter eggs. On its own the campaign is a winner.
- The mode Contracts is a great inclusion to the series.
 
What is up with checkpointing/saves these days?

Recently lots of games seem to have checkpointing problems. Mark of the Ninja, saves me with an alarm in progress so I'm screwed every time I restart. Weird changes in the situation in XCOM, guys suddenly losing health, moves, etc after reloading a save.
 
These reviews really make me excited. I don't doubt that this will be a thoroughly entertaining title.

and I've never touched the previous titles :O
 
GamesmasterUK: 90 %

- The game does not force you into any kind of gun battle outside of the tutorial. There are places where brute force is encourages, but can be avoided.
- There are Signature Kills that show more unique deaths and doing so will unlock extra abilities; like speedier movement and more accurate shooting abilities.
- The manual checkpointing system is broken; they neither save the NPC incapacity status, nor NPC positions. Everybody except killed targets are reset after checkpoint reload.
- There are no giant-sized levels like in the scale of a Beldingford Manor from the older games. Levels have been broken down into smaller, distinct chunks.
- Reviewer advises to bump up the difficulty to dial down instinct’s benefits a tad if you want to play like a true Hitman.
- The game’s scoring system was broken in one instance: they played a two part mission where they killed ten people in the first part, then entered the second part and noticed that nobody was suspicious of the earlier events. The then played the second part of the mission silently and earned a Silent Assassin rating.
- Other missions handle the scoring system much better, noted that there are so many built-in score-boosting challenges it will take hours to finish them.
- The campaign is huge with each containing hours of alternative kills, pick-ups and Easter eggs. On its own the campaign is a winner.
- The mode Contracts is a great inclusion to the series.

I really think this is going to be popular with "modern gamers" and Hitman fans are going to be disappointed. Smaller levels? To me that implies linear action level.
 

I would think of these chunks like the floors in Dance with the Devil in Blood Money. Neither Heaven nor Hell gives a shit about what you do in the car park, nor does Heaven care about a murder spree in Hell and vice versa. Same as the floors in the Vegas hotel, levels of the Mississipi steamboat, etc.

They've always had this separation, it's just been a lot less artificial in previous games.
 
I really think this is going to be popular with "modern gamers" and Hitman fans are going to be disappointed. Smaller levels? To me that implies linear action level.

The checkpointing seems to break what would otherwise be very large levels into smaller open chunks. The game isn't linear, contracts mode wouldn't work if it was.
 
I really think this is going to be popular with "modern gamers" and Hitman fans are going to be disappointed. Smaller levels? To me that implies linear action level.

Yup. I read your comment first and then what confidence man quoted before you and that's the feeling I'm getting. It's exactly what I mean when I say these people have no idea what makes Hitman good.
 
I really think this is going to be popular with "modern gamers" and Hitman fans are going to be disappointed. Smaller levels? To me that implies linear action level.

Compared to the older games in the series, Blood Money had fairly small levels.

The Streets of Hope mission in Absolution looks bigger than most missions in Blood Money.
 
If Hitman Absolution was a direct rip of Blood Money I would be pretty disappointed, I've played Blood Money 4 or 5 times now and really don't want that same game again.

It's sorta funny though some of you are trying so hard to jam whatever you think of Absolution is in other people's heads versus it being what it actually is, based on short review sentences alone. "These guys said this so be prepared for this! I told you so!"
 
Yup. I read your comment first and then what confidence man quoted before you and that's the feeling I'm getting. It's exactly what I mean when I say these people have no idea what makes Hitman good.

Have you ever played Hitman 2 or Contracts or did you only play Blood Money?

I also hope that Eidos will hand you the Hitman series since you believe you are the Hitman messiah, please save us from "modern" games please! You're the only one that knows how to play and have fun with Hitman in the right way! Save us!
 
GamesmasterUK: 90 %

- The game does not force you into any kind of gun battle outside of the tutorial. There are places where brute force is encourages, but can be avoided.
- There are Signature Kills that show more unique deaths and doing so will unlock extra abilities; like speedier movement and more accurate shooting abilities.
- The manual checkpointing system is broken; they neither save the NPC incapacity status, nor NPC positions. Everybody except killed targets are reset after checkpoint reload.
- There are no giant-sized levels like in the scale of a Beldingford Manor from the older games. Levels have been broken down into smaller, distinct chunks.
- Reviewer advises to bump up the difficulty to dial down instinct’s benefits a tad if you want to play like a true Hitman.
- The game’s scoring system was broken in one instance: they played a two part mission where they killed ten people in the first part, then entered the second part and noticed that nobody was suspicious of the earlier events. The then played the second part of the mission silently and earned a Silent Assassin rating.
- Other missions handle the scoring system much better, noted that there are so many built-in score-boosting challenges it will take hours to finish them.
- The campaign is huge with each containing hours of alternative kills, pick-ups and Easter eggs. On its own the campaign is a winner.
- The mode Contracts is a great inclusion to the series.

Pre-order cancelled.
 
GamesmasterUK: 90 %

- The game does not force you into any kind of gun battle outside of the tutorial. There are places where brute force is encourages, but can be avoided.
- There are Signature Kills that show more unique deaths and doing so will unlock extra abilities; like speedier movement and more accurate shooting abilities.
- The manual checkpointing system is broken; they neither save the NPC incapacity status, nor NPC positions. Everybody except killed targets are reset after checkpoint reload.
- There are no giant-sized levels like in the scale of a Beldingford Manor from the older games. Levels have been broken down into smaller, distinct chunks.
- Reviewer advises to bump up the difficulty to dial down instinct’s benefits a tad if you want to play like a true Hitman.
- The game’s scoring system was broken in one instance: they played a two part mission where they killed ten people in the first part, then entered the second part and noticed that nobody was suspicious of the earlier events. The then played the second part of the mission silently and earned a Silent Assassin rating.
- Other missions handle the scoring system much better, noted that there are so many built-in score-boosting challenges it will take hours to finish them.
- The campaign is huge with each containing hours of alternative kills, pick-ups and Easter eggs. On its own the campaign is a winner.
- The mode Contracts is a great inclusion to the series.
Smaller levels, SIgnature Kills (tm), brute force encouraged.

90%.
 
Pre-order cancelled.

I might do the same.

Huge campaign with loads of alternative kills, pick-ups and Easter eggs? Great Contracts mode? No forced shootouts outside of the tutorial?

Absolutely disgusting.

However, if it had scored 91%, I might have reconsidered.
 
BUT HOW MANY REVIEWERS GOT FREE PS3S?!?!?!?!

Obvious tired joke aside, I hope its good. I'm definitely interested.
 
Have you ever played Hitman 2 or Contracts or did you only play Blood Money?

I also hope that Eidos will hand you the Hitman series since you believe you are the Hitman messiah, please save us from "modern" games please! You're the only one that knows how to play and have fun with Hitman in the right way! Save us!

I could definitely fix this series if they listened to me but they have that need to gather that casual money that a bunch of other formerly great PC devs got as well. Once you go down that road you don't come back, at least none have yet.
 
Smaller levels, SIgnature Kills (tm), brute force encouraged.

90%.

Human Revolution had forced boss battles that were completely unskippable.

Absolution has set-ups where violence can easily be used and it might be encouraged, but you can still be stealthy if that's what you're into.

Yet Absolution is viewed as some sort of action shooter. The fact that doing unique kills that unlocks more stuff is being viewed as the same thing as slowing down time and killing a bunch of dudes shows you wern't going to post anything positive to begin with.

I could definitely fix this series if they listened to me but they have that need to gather that casual money that a bunch of other formerly great PC devs got as well. Once you go down that road you don't come back, at least none have yet.

I like how adding in more options and making something a bit more different than a 2005/2006 game means it's casual. Your "hardcore" only mentality is fueled by agendas that are really odd and flawed, for you it would be treason to admit you enjoy any casual game.
 
I also think Derrick is exagerating a bit with the continuned stabs at how these devs dont get Hitman at all, and I think that the game will probably turn out good, likely not amazing but good.

That said: he has every right to cancel his pre-order if he feels the small bits of info that came out are enough to turn him off from the entire thing and doesnt have enough money for what seems like a gamble to him. Some people are defending this unreleased game to a degree that equals or exceeds those criticizing it. I really need this thing to come out so we can just play it and shut up.
 
I also think Derrick is exagerating a bit and that the game will turn out good, probably not amazing but good.

That said: he has every right to cancel his pre-order if he feels the small bits of info that came out are enough to turn him off from the entire thing and doesnt have enough money for what seems like a gamble to him. Some people are defending this unreleased game to a degree that equals or exceeds those criticizing it. I really need this thing to come out so we can just play it and shut up.

True, but when he starts saying that he could fix the series if the developers listened to him, it becomes hard to take him seriously.
 
I also think Derrick is exagerating a bit with the continuned stabs at how these devs dont get Hitman at all, and I think that the game will probably turn out good, likely not amazing but good.

That said: he has every right to cancel his pre-order if he feels the small bits of info that came out are enough to turn him off from the entire thing and doesnt have enough money for what seems like a gamble to him. Some people are defending this unreleased game to a degree that equals or exceeds those criticizing it. I really need this thing to come out so we can just play it and shut up.

I agree, but coming in every topic about it and being negative constantly gets annoying. Especially when he's saying "I know what makes Hitman, Hitman; no one else here does".
 
I agree, but coming in every topic about it and being negative constantly gets annoying. Especially when he's saying "I know what makes Hitman, Hitman; no one else here does".

I never said this. I said reviewers don't know.

As for the negative stuff I don't know what else to say but deal with it. I've seen a lot of the same people in every Hitman thread nutting over the game and that's fair game, then so are my comments.
 
- There are no giant-sized levels like in the scale of a Beldingford Manor from the older games. Levels have been broken down into smaller, distinct chunks.

QhNCU.gif
 
Low expectations, kids. That has been the key to enjoying big-budget games this generation.

Yep, specially from a franchise that has been on hold for so long. I wouldn't exactly expect "Hitman 5" for my own sake but I still expect a good game.
 
Smaller levels, SIgnature Kills (tm), brute force encouraged.

90%.

If you read the actual review instead of bullet points that are taken from paragraphs, you might not see how glowing it is, ending with:

"The Hitman games have always been about toying around in murder-filled playgrounds and Absolution is the very pinnacle of that philosophy. The campaign is huge with barely a single chapter that's off the boil, each containing hours of alternative kills, pick-ups and easter eggs."

They praise Contracts mode a lot and say even on its own the campaign is a winner.
 
I never said this. I said reviewers don't know.

As for the negative stuff I don't know what else to say but deal with it. I've seen a lot of the same people in every Hitman thread nutting over the game and that's fair game, then so are my comments.

The most bubbly thing I posted was Absolution could by my game of the year in the disguises video thread. People have had to deal with you saying you speak for all Hitman fans and how shitty Hitman Conviction will be.

Your fueled negativity combined with actual entitlement is what makes you a target in discussions.
 
I never said this. I said reviewers don't know.

This is just my opinion but I think reviewers should review the quality of the game, not whether it is a proper sequel. Obviously it should be noted in the review if the game differs greatly from previous iterations but ultimately the overall tone should be about the game in question, not the legacy.
 
I like how adding in more options and making something a bit mote different than a 2005/2006 game means it's casual. Your "hardcore" only mentality is fueled by agendas that are really odd and flawed, for you it would be treason to admit you enjoy any casual game.

Not true, I enjoy assassin's creed!

That never started as a deep, complex game though.
 
As one of the biggest fans of Hitman I have to say to you, the series really never was that complex and of inimitable genius as you claim it to be. It had a great, simple concept that it polished over several flawed iterations to a high point. That's really not all that hard or amazing.
 
Not true, I enjoy assassin's creed!

That never started as a deep, complex game though.

I never played the first Hitman, but Hitman 2 and Contracts are very very far from being complex. Main components of Hitman 2 and Contracts:

Disguising
Drag bodies
drop _____ in _______
Pick up and leave with ________


As far as playstyles go Hitman 2 and Contracts are also very simple. Disguising in Hitman 2 is very challenging though, I usually have to pop guards that brush up against me and hope no one notices me dragging the body away.

Contracts had much better atmosphere and upgraded components from Hitman 2, but it's very identical.
 
I never played the first Hitman, but Hitman 2 and Contracts are very very far from being complex. Main components of Hitman 2 and Contracts:

Disguising
Drag bodies
drop _____ in _______
Pick up and leave with ________


As far as playstyles go Hitman 2 and Contracts are also very simple. Disguising in Hitman 2 is very challenging though, I usually have to pop guards that brush up against me and hope no one notices me dragging the body away.

Contracts had much better atmosphere and upgraded components from Hitman 2, but it's very identical.

They were mainly difficult in their strictness. Your cover blew pretty easily.

Funny enough, Blood Money already did 'dumb down' hitman a lot. Human shields were extremely overpowered and the accidents let you combine it to dispose of people over railings in a lot of levels. Doesn't stop it from being one of my favorite games, though.
 
They were mainly difficult in their strictness. Your cover blew pretty easily.

Funny enough, Blood Money already did 'dumb down' hitman a lot. Human shields were extremely overpowered and the accidents let you combine it to dispose of people over railings in a lot of levels. Doesn't stop it from being one of my favorite games, though.

The problem with accidents in Blood Money is that they're way too easy to pull off and you can cause one anywhere with a ledge. The newspaper articles should've pointed out if there were a string of ledge deaths across the United States.
 
I loved Blood Money a lot, and I'm excited for this one. Based on what I've read, the changes don't sound THAT bad. While I loved the freedom in Blood Money, having to start again and again was sometimes tedious. I'm sure I'll play Absolution, find the difficulty setting that suits me, and have fun with the moment-to-moment gameplay like I did last time.

They may have dumbed it down a bit (probably a necessity in these times) but it doesn't sound like they ruined it or anything, at least to me. We'll see I guess- I still plan on getting the PC version day 1.
 
All very high reviews.......looks like im going to pick this game up later.
I just hope the game is long enough to justify a day one purchase....any word on the length of the game?

One of the worst AAA games of the year.
Unless im mistaken MP3 and RE6 are fighting for that title.
But whoever wins the other gets an honorable mention....both very sad cases.

Replayed 3 times already. ;-)
g0UKO.jpg


i thought the cutscenes were skippable? or is that only in arcade mode?
i could swear i could skip cutscenes. maybe its possible only on PC?

Nope not on console not on PC, definetely not Arcade mode.
They were used to hide loading screens....but the campaign ones were so bad id rather just stare at a loading screen.

Then the gameply.......not worth the pain....I tried on X360, PS3 and on PC.....there was no way for me to enjoy this game.
 
They were mainly difficult in their strictness. Your cover blew pretty easily.

Funny enough, Blood Money already did 'dumb down' hitman a lot. Human shields were extremely overpowered and the accidents let you combine it to dispose of people over railings in a lot of levels. Doesn't stop it from being one of my favorite games, though.

I never even took someone hostage as a human shield aside from the tutorial lvl.

And what do you mean restarting over and over? Unless you are playing on the highedt difficulty you can save a few times during the mission.

Mp3 compared to re6 as worst games of the year? Lol wtf am i reading mp3 is one of the best games in years. The gameplay not worth the pain? You must suck at videogames.

Re6 is a complete turd.
 
I'm gonna read that Games Master review.

But man, the OT is gonna be a storm of fuck.

I know, but it's gonna be redeemed when Derrick plays the game and realises that it is the greatest game he's ever played in his life. He will then apologise to the whole of GAF for ever doubting the game.
 
I know, but it's gonna be redeemed when Derrick plays the game and realises that it is the greatest game he's ever played in his life. He will then apologise to the whole of GAF for ever doubting the game.

I think if he played the game and he enjoyed it, the cognitive dissonance would be so severe that his head would explode.
 
I know, but it's gonna be redeemed when Derrick plays the game and realises that it is the greatest game he's ever played in his life. He will then apologise to the whole of GAF for ever doubting the game.

Don't be silly, Derrick can't enjoy games.
 
Does anyone know if the PC version is Steamworks? It's £19.85 at ShopTo for the retail version so I'll buy it there if it can be activated on Steam.
 
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