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Hitman: Absolution |OT| Police do not suspect Blood Money is involved.

jimi_dini

Member
But dude even you said yourself that the AI was on easy! And if you carry on watching that BM clip he uses coins to an equally absurd effect. It is a funny clip for sure, but not an anomaly for the series' AI.

Like I added to my post already:
The difficulty menu doesn't list "improved AI", it just lists "AI reacts FASTER". Which means the AI will react exactly this way all the time. Contracts had totally different AI for the higher difficulties, but it doesn't seem to be that way in this game.

And if you can't see the difference between getting hit by a coin and a fire extinguisher, then I really can't help. I'm not even sure, maybe the AI in Blood Money reacted to coins getting throwing directly at them. I would have to boot up BM to try it out.

If the Absolution AI was done well, the AI would have raised an alarm in this case.
 

Papercuts

fired zero bullets in the orphanage.
Well, from what I heard from my friends who tried it, it is a quite dumb AI, yeah.
Still, this is basically a given in stealth games. It's not my main problem with it.

The AI in here changes based on the difficulty. I'm still not expecting anything crazy because as you said, AI in stealth games is dumb, I just think it's also dumb that people leap at this game for anything they see in a video like that segment, when it was just as bad in previous games in the series.

I'm not watching any of the other ones, so I have no real input on the apparent linear levels. I'm extremely experimental with these games though, so I'll see if they really did mess with the hitman formula and nothing I do works.
 
I liked what I played at E3. I knew then I was going to pick it up on PC. I have little worries that the game won't match my experience with it, especially with Purist difficulty. The only quibble I had was that Absolution was going to be without Jasper Kyd.
 
The AI in here changes based on the difficulty. I'm still not expecting anything crazy because as you said, AI in stealth games is dumb, I just think it's also dumb that people leap at this game for anything they see in a video like that segment, when it was just as bad in previous games in the series.

I'm not watching any of the other ones, so I have no real input on the apparent linear levels. I'm extremely experimental with these games though, so I'll see if they really did mess with the hitman formula and nothing I do works.

I'm experimental too, which is why I think I got the best out of games like HR and Dishonored, but I'm not gonna waste 50 bucks on this. I'd be glad to know I was wrong, though.
 

Zeliard

Member
I feel like this game is very likely going to be harder than blood money, especially taking purist into account. That's why I'm not judging based off early videos of some random guy playing, Absolution seems to skirt on the line of streamlining but has a lot of customization within.

I basically just go into it with very low expectations. I don't go into games expecting them to be bad, but just sort of not expecting anything from most of them the past few years. I go in with an open mind hoping that the game will pleasantly surprise me. And if it ends up sucking, then it doesn't become disappointing, since disappointment can only come when you've set a certain level of positive expectations.

If I ever became truly jaded with games, that's the point where I'd just stop playing them, because being a pessimist is no fun. But I'd be lying if I said that I still get hyped much for bigger-budget games. I just take a sort of low-key approach. If there's one way to kill any enjoyment you may have had with a game it's to get yourself overly hyped for it.

With Absolution, I never thought it'd be anything more or less than what RPS indicated in their hands-on preview months back. They said it basically featured a mix of linear Dumb Action levels and ones which have more robust Hitman gameplay, and evidence so far seems to point in that direction.
 
I am a sucker for anything violent and atmospheric set in the real world, so no matter how this turns out this is gonna be one hell of a redbox rental and possibly steam sale.
 

justjim89

Member
I honestly don't get what's wrong with loving Blood Money.
Also, BM made up for that with an actually competent disguise system and a great choice of levels.



Out of curiosity, why do you prefer H2?

A significant part of the reason is because 47 was an actual character with flaws, uncertainties, and a semblance of human emotion. He wasn't simply an avatar for the player. Granted, he did have that single moment of emotion when he called Diana a bitch, but one isolated swear word does not a round character make. And I'm not saying in SA he was some deep, three dimensional literary character, but he was something. And I actually enjoyed the story and the final level, much more than Blood Money's. Blood Money's final level was an awesome concept brought down by the fact that the game wasn't designed for shootouts. Shooting your way out of your own funeral is cool the first time. But by the 3rd, 4th, or 10th time it's simply an infuriating obstacle between you and completion. It was awful. That was a moment that could have used point shooting or a cover system.

All in all, I prefer Hitman 2 as a whole cohesive experience. I can't just replay a single level without replaying the entire game. Blood Money, on the other hand, is the kind of game I can play for a half hour at any random level and then go on with my day. I suppose that's the appeal of it, and it's a good reason to love it. Hell, I love Blood Money. It was my first Hitman game, and my most-played game on Steam. But to make it out as this perfect bastion of game and level design is a bit silly.
 

Tookay

Member
*pushes you as you walk up a flight of stairs.*

*instantly dead*

You're a fucking dope if you cannot make a distinction between why people accept the occasional janky sandboxes of BM and why they subsequently may not accept the linear Splinter Cell: Conviction-ization of this game. Situations aren't comparable in terms of what each game was trying to achieve.
 

DukeBobby

Member
Considering your response to any negative criticism is "THIS IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING", this is really ironic. I can't even get offended at your empty insults.

If you would look through the thread, you will see that I've never once said 'THIS IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING' and I've responded to a lot of the criticism with my own thoughts. That's a lot more than you've done.

Anyway, what did you expect after that comment of yours?
 

Ciastek3214

Junior Member
It doesn't *suck*... it's just worse than the two that came after.
Oh, wait, you meant plot-wise? Yeah, it sucks.

It's not like the story was the most important in Silent Assassin. Which is not the case with this "cinematic", story focused game. And goddamn is the story fucking stupid.
 

Papercuts

fired zero bullets in the orphanage.
I'm experimental too, which is why I think I got the best out of games like HR and Dishonored, but I'm not gonna waste 50 bucks on this. I'd be glad to know I was wrong, though.

I'll be extremely disappointed if I really don't see multiple ways to complete all the levels, but otherwise I'm basically going into this game not expecting it to beat Blood Money, but just be an enjoyably Hitman game. Hopefully it manages that.

It's not like the story was the most important in Silent Assassin. Which is not the case with this "cinematic", story focused game. And goddamn is the story fucking stupid.

I guess it's a good thing that for the first time ever there's a mode other than the story missions, Contracts, which is 100% hitman gameplay.
 
A significant part of the reason is because 47 was an actual character with flaws, uncertainties, and a semblance of human emotion. He wasn't simply an avatar for the player. Granted, he did have that single moment of emotion when he called Diana a bitch, but one isolated swear word does not a round character make. And I'm not saying in SA he was some deep, three dimensional literary character, but he was something. And I actually enjoyed the story and the final level, much more than Blood Money's. Blood Money's final level was an awesome concept brought down by the fact that the game wasn't designed for shootouts. Shooting your way out of your own funeral is cool the first time. But by the 3rd, 4th, or 10th time it's simply an infuriating obstacle between you and completion. It was awful. That was a moment that could have used point shooting or a cover system.

All in all, I prefer Hitman 2 as a whole cohesive experience. I can't just replay a single level without replaying the entire game. Blood Money, on the other hand, is the kind of game I can play for a half hour at any random level and then go on with my day. I suppose that's the appeal of it, and it's a good reason to love it. Hell, I love Blood Money. It was my first Hitman game, and my most-played game on Steam. But to make it out as this perfect bastion of game and level design is a bit silly.

On the contrary, I think that the idea of giving 47 characteristics like that is -no pun intended- out of character. He was intended to be a killing machine: nothing more, nothing less. After I saw him for the first time in H2 I was left confused, and by the end of the game (thanks probably to the italian voice actor, who was the same of Sly Cooper - really inaedquate choice for 47) I could only think "What?". 47 is not intended to have a character. I'll leave that stuff to games that actually need it.
Of course, this is simply my opinion.
 

Seel

Neo Member
4 hours in , my impressions so far (PS3) :

+ high production values
+ nice Visuals
+ good storytelling
+ can use alomost anything as weapon\distraction

- linear levels (even china town is not as good as any level from blood money )
- melee QTE lol
- dumb AI
- cannot choose your weapons beforehand



decent game but this is not a true hitman game =(
 

Lothars

Member
You're a fucking dope if you cannot make a distinction between why people accept the occasional janky sandboxes of BM and why people don't accept the linear Splinter Cell: Conviction-ization of this game.
I think people are extremely overreacting about this game especially from all the options I am seeing from the menu's.

I don't think the information from youtube and the such is going to make a difference in some opinions since they were already dead set on thinking it's a dumbed down shit game.

It's the same posters that do it all the time, I will wait till the game is actually out to see how it turned out.
 

justjim89

Member
You're a fucking dope if you cannot make a distinction between why people accept the occasional janky sandboxes of BM and why people don't accept the linear Splinter Cell: Conviction-ization of this game.

That's not what I was talking about in that post, I was referring to some of the dumber aspects of Blood Money, which are equally as absurd as the fire extinguisher clips.

But thank you for the uncalled-for disrespect over my playful criticism over a toy, gentleman I've never talked to.
 
A significant part of the reason is because 47 was an actual character with flaws, uncertainties, and a semblance of human emotion. He wasn't simply an avatar for the player. Granted, he did have that single moment of emotion when he called Diana a bitch, but one isolated swear word does not a round character make. And I'm not saying in SA he was some deep, three dimensional literary character, but he was something. And I actually enjoyed the story and the final level, much more than Blood Money's. Blood Money's final level was an awesome concept brought down by the fact that the game wasn't designed for shootouts. Shooting your way out of your own funeral is cool the first time. But by the 3rd, 4th, or 10th time it's simply an infuriating obstacle between you and completion. It was awful. That was a moment that could have used point shooting or a cover system.

All in all, I prefer Hitman 2 as a whole cohesive experience. I can't just replay a single level without replaying the entire game. Blood Money, on the other hand, is the kind of game I can play for a half hour at any random level and then go on with my day. I suppose that's the appeal of it, and it's a good reason to love it. Hell, I love Blood Money. It was my first Hitman game, and my most-played game on Steam. But to make it out as this perfect bastion of game and level design is a bit silly.

Honestly I like 47 as this weird autistic robot killer. Sets him apart from other video game protagonists in that they don't feel the need to try and generate sympathy for him. His completely amoral nature frees the player to pursue any path they want. The barcode on his head and the almost demonic sounding "Apocalypse" by Jesper Kyd highlight his otherworldly, fabricated nature.

I made a post in another Hitman thread about how the levels in Blood Money all shared a common theme. I like that. I like it a lot. In fact I'd take that thematic depth over a long plot if I think the plot is cheap drivel. Blood Money is voyeuristic and sleazy. Silent Assassin just bores me to tears. I couldn't give a shit about Russian generals or Japanese mafia bosses.
 

justjim89

Member
On the contrary, I think that the idea of giving 47 characteristics like that is -no pun intended- out of character. He was intended to be a killing machine: nothing more, nothing less. After I saw him for the first time in H2 I was left confused, and by the end of the game (thanks probably to the italian voice actor, who was the same of Sly Cooper - really inaedquate choice for 47) I could only think "What?". 47 is not intended to have a character. I'll leave that stuff to games that actually need it.
Of course, this is simply my opinion.

I can certainly understand and respect that viewpoint, and it illustrates why we occupy two different camps. I'm glad to have reached a better understanding of one another's point of view.
 
On the contrary, I think that the idea of giving 47 characteristics like that is -no pun intended- out of character. He was intended to be a killing machine: nothing more, nothing less. After I saw him for the first time in H2 I was left confused, and by the end of the game (thanks probably to the italian voice actor, who was the same of Sly Cooper - really inaedquate choice for 47) I could only think "What?". 47 is not intended to have a character. I'll leave that stuff to games that actually need it.
Of course, this is simply my opinion.

Every level in Blood Money is about the dark secrets hiding behind beloved or seemingly innocuous institutions. Hence the name. Notice how many of the locales are tourist destinations. People are lining up to experience things that are built on lies and death. Their seemingly benign nature is a construct, just like 47. That's why he's able to blend in so easily. Modern capitalist structures are just as amoral and lacking in human compassion as he is.
 
Blood Money a series of flashbacks too.

Different kind of flashbacks. Contracts started in medias res, when the action was already going. In BM's flashbacks, you're able to see 47 preparing for the hit.

Every level in Blood Money is about the dark secrets hiding behind beloved or seemingly innocuous institutions. Hence the name. Notice how many of the locales are tourist destinations. People are lining up to experience things that are built on lies and death. Their seemingly benign nature is a construct, just like 47. That's why he's able to blend in so easily. Modern capitalist structures are just as amoral and lacking in human compassion as he is.

Oh, yes, I see your point here. Good thinking!
 

Papercuts

fired zero bullets in the orphanage.
Explain to me how the Contracts mode is 100% gameplay.

You pick any level and go around to make your own target(s) and decide how to kill them. Or you could take on someone's contract and see if you can fufill it the way they did, or better.

This lets you pick any level, even the 'linear' run for your life level and shows that the level itself seems pretty damn big. If you're the kind of person who liked killing off levels with a knife dressed as santa claus, this mode is pretty much the best thing they could have done.
 

Ciastek3214

Junior Member
This means that one of the 7 so called "assassinations" isn't one, although the trophy description says so. :( It's rather boss fight.

Pretty much. I can't wait till tomorrow. Someone will upload the rest of the walkthrough and I will find out how stupid it'll end, and then I'll have a good laugh.
 

derFeef

Member
This means that one of the 7 so called "assassinations" isn't one, although the trophy description says so. :( It's rather boss fight.

Thanks for the spoilings.

Pretty much. I can't wait till tomorrow. Someone will upload the rest of the walkthrough and I will find out how stupid it'll end, and then I'll have a good laugh.

Wow man, people really watching videos of a pirated game so they can mock those who are going to buy it?
 
Does anyone know when GMG usually gives out keys for preordered games? I've only purchased from them one other time and I'm wondering if I'll get my key in time to preload the game on Steam.
 
I prefer Hitman 2 over Blood Money because it's an actual challenge. It's a more inconsistent game because it's longer and still features some of the lesser elements of C47 but I enjoy the ruthless difficulty in attempting to Silent Assassin the game.

Comparatively in Blood Money I just threw my infinite supply of coins at people as I coasted through to SA rankings.
 

Ciastek3214

Junior Member
You pick any level and go around to make your own target(s) and decide how to kill them. Or you could take on someone's contract and see if you can fufill it the way they did, or better.

This lets you pick any level, even the 'linear' run for your life level and shows that the level itself seems pretty damn big. If you're the kind of person who liked killing off levels with a knife dressed as santa claus, this mode is pretty much the best thing they could have done.

Yea but I liked in Blood Money that I wasn't told to have fun and goof around in a clown suit. It required imagination. But that may not be a good enough argument. How about this, the fact that the player is dictating the targets means the game cannot design the maps around any specific choices the player will make, so there's a high chance it'll be unbalanced as hell.
 
I prefer Hitman 2 over Blood Money because it's an actual challenge. It's a more inconsistent game because it's longer and still features some of the lesser elements of C47 but I enjoy the ruthless difficulty in attempting to Silent Assassin the game.

Comparatively in Blood Money I just threw my infinite supply of coins at people as I coasted through to SA rankings.

I prefer an easy but free-er game like BM than an hard but unforgiving and closed game like SA. Don't get me wrong, I prefer a game that's harder, of course, but SA was excessively restricting and unforgiving. It didn't really make you say "Let's try a new method", quite the contrary.
 

DukeBobby

Member
Pretty much. I can't wait till tomorrow. Someone will upload the rest of the walkthrough and I will find out how stupid it'll end, and then I'll have a good laugh.

It's almost as if you're hoping that the game is bad. If a real Hitman fan disliked the way the game looked, they would be disappointed, not 'excited' to find out that they were right all along.
 

Ciastek3214

Junior Member
Wow man, people really watching videos of a pirated game so they can mock those who are going to buy it?

It's not like it's forbidden to watch them. I have yet to see any of them deleted. As for mocking, are you really going to buy it for story? I would say in this case the story redeems the game actually, it's entertaining.

It's almost as if you're hoping that the game is bad. If a real Hitman fan disliked the way the game looked, they would be disappointed, not 'excited' to find out that they were right all along.

It's completely not that, you missed my point, or I worded it poorly, I don't care for the story in Hitman games, and I don't think most of the fans do, it's just there. From what I've seen, and there's a big chunk of game on Youtube, the game is trying to be all emotional and cinematic, and it FAILS.
 

justjim89

Member
It's not like it's forbidden to watch them. I have yet to see any of them deleted. As for mocking, are you really going to buy it for story? I would say in this case the story redeems the game actually, it's entertaining.



It's completely not that, you missed my point, or I worded it poorly, I don't care for the story in Hitman games, and I don't think most of the fans do, it's just there. From what I've seen, and there's a big chunk of game on Youtube, the game is trying to be all emotional and cinematic, and it FAILS.

From what I've seen, the story seems pretty serviceable. I'll likely enjoy it, though certainly with no shortage of tongue in cheek. If the game was always going to be limited in the ways it seems to be, at the very least they've done something interesting in regards to narrative and characterization.
 

DukeBobby

Member
It's completely not that, you missed my point, or I worded it poorly, I don't care for the story in Hitman games, and I don't think most of the fans do, it's just there. From what I've seen, and there's a big chunk of game on Youtube, the game is trying to be all emotional and cinematic, and it FAILS.

Oh, ok. My mistake.
 
It's completely not that, you missed my point, or I worded it poorly, I don't care for the story in Hitman games, and I don't think most of the fans do, it's just there. From what I've seen, and there's a big chunk of game on Youtube, the game is trying to be all emotional and cinematic, and it FAILS.

Just because the game didn't have the story up to this point doesn't mean it shouldn't try to make a more chesive narrative. I actually enjoy where all the reviews are leading, ending the game with
47 death and Victoria taking his place
would be glorious.
 

Ciastek3214

Junior Member
From what I've seen, the story seems pretty serviceable. I'll likely enjoy it, though certainly with no shortage of tongue in cheek. If the game was always going to be limited in the ways it seems to be, at the very least they've done something interesting in regards to narrative and characterization.

Hitman series are supposed to be about this guy who is stone-cold killer, genetically engineered to be perfect killing machine. They had little to no story, and when it was there, it was just so we can have an excuse to kill somebody. This game however goes completely against that, trying to convey emotions in 47 and the player, and it does so badly, in a form of badly acted, badly written cutscenes that just slow down the game and fuck up the pacing. And the story is so sci-fi goofy (it always kinda was, but not to this extent), that it just makes you laugh or at least smile at the goofy characters, and it makes 47 stick out like a sore thumb. It's like you're playing (or watching in that regard) a completely different game.
 
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