Ryan Scott, Executive Editor: Everyone's buzzing about Hitman: Absolution. This isn't a series that's really gotten people talking this much before -- what's so different and/or awesome about this sequel?
Will Tuttle, Editor in Chief: You might not have talked much about Agent 47's previous escapades, but I'm a huge fan of the Hitman franchise. I've played every game in the series, and Hitman: Blood Money is still one of my favorite Xbox 360 games, though the fact that I played every mission multiple times just for its delicious achievements might have something to do with that. These games really reward smart thinking and good decision-making over fast-twitch reflexes, so I'm a bit surprised that you never got into them, given that Demon's Souls and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory are two of your favorite games. As for what's new, well, the answer is "a lot." Let's get to it!
Ryan Scott: Well, what's the story this time around? I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that Agent 47 is killing people.
Will Tuttle: The full story hasn't been revealed, but I'd say that that's a pretty safe bet. It sounds like Hitman: Absolution continues from where Blood Money left off, with Agent 47 on the run from the organization that once employed him, and I'd hazard a guess that he'll be trying to get even with those who wronged him. In the sequence I had a chance to check out, ol' chrome dome was in Chicago and on the run from the police force. The action kicked off in a darkened museum, where a weaponless Agent 47 had to survive using his wits, powers of stealth, and one new trick that he's got up his sleeve: Instinct.
Ryan Scott: For some reason, I'm picturing something akin to Batman: Arkham Asylum's Detective Vision. Am I on the right track?
Will Tuttle: Sort of, but Agent 47's Instinct isn't nearly as all-encompassing as Batman's Detective Vision, as and far as I could tell, you can't abuse it like you could the Dark Knight's special power. You see, the key to success in the Hitman series has always been scouting out the routes of the A.I.-controlled guards and enemies to avoid detection, or lay traps for them. Instinct cuts down on wasted time (and, really, I recall a lot of times when sitting and memorizing a guard's route felt like a waste) by showing a burning patrol path detailing the exact routes of any nearby targets, and giving Agent 47 the ability to see through certain objects to know which direction his chosen target was facing. By sticking to cover and figuring out enemy routes, the demoer was able to either avoid conflict entirely or take out pesky foes silently (and violently) before he was noticed. This definitely lends a nice predator/prey mechanic to the game, as Agent 47 now spends more time stalking and less time waiting for his chance to strike.
Ryan Scott: So what kind of ass-kickery is typically in store once you've got a target cornered or otherwise compromised?
Will Tuttle: I had the chance to check out a bunch of different types ass-kickery, from straight-up neck-breaking, to some absolutely brutal face-bashing with a stone bust that looked like it should have been decorating one of those classy libraries that houses many leatherbound volumes. And let's not forget the poor sap Agent 47 threw down a hole in the floor, even as the victim mused about how much it would hurt to fall down it. The real action started once Agent 47 took a human shield, something that (to my knowledge) he wasn't able to do in previous games. The entire time, the titular hitman had his arm around the guy's neck, with the poor hostage begging for Agent 47 to spare his life. And you know what? Agent 47 actually did, although that may have been due to the fact that a squad of cops opened fire on the two once Agent 47 had taken down enough of their compatriots. From there, it was off to the races, as he tried to get away by any means necessary (including dropping a massive chandelier on some of the remaining policemen with one well-placed shot).
Ryan Scott: Can you blend in with crowds or otherwise disguise yourself to throw off pursuers?
Will Tuttle: Yes, it appears that you can still do both of those things, although I only got to see the crowd stuff right at the very end of the demo. After the museum chase, however, Agent 47 found himself pinned down by a police chopper in a sprawling rooftop pigeon coop. This sequence was pretty intense, as 47 had to move from cover to cover while avoiding the copter's searchlight. The fact that feathers filled the air and obscured his view every time the craft's machine guns tore through pigeon cages (mmmmmm... squab) didn't help matters much, but it certainly looked awesome. Anyway, at the end of the coop was a single cop on rooftop duty, presumably trying to keep an eye out for the object of the police's manhunt. He didn't do a very good job, as Agent 47 made quick work of him once he wandered into the shack to investigate the chopper pilot's claim that the target was inside. Once Agent 47 donned the cop's uniform, the real challenge began.
Ryan Scott: Well, let's end with a flourish: Tell me about the grand escape.
Will Tuttle: Agent 47's exit was grand indeed, as it featured one of the more interesting kills I've seen in a video game. After donning the beat cop's uniform, our hero cut across the roof (ignoring the pleas for a status report from the chopper) and entered the first apartment he came across... which just happened to house a paranoid hippies running a major pot-growing operation. Not exactly the best place for a cop, but 47 mercifully spared them while slowly making his way to the exit. Before he could head out the front door, a cop busted through and began asking him who he was and how he had already gotten into the apartment. Sensing that his cover was about to be blown, Agent 47 grabbed the closest implement of destruction, braining the cop with a still-smoking glass bong. From there, he coolly walked out the door, through the throng of police downstairs (though the intensity ratcheted up a bit as one cop recognized his old friend's uniform and called out to him whilst following), and disappeared into a large crowd on an adjacent 'L' platform.
