Hitman video impressions

At a recent Square Enix preview event, I was able to get my hands on the first episode of the new Hitman game from IO Interactive arriving March 11th. After the more limited, controversial Hitman: Absolution, IO took a step back from story and a step towards sandbox. The new Paris level is massive, bigger than any in Hitman's history, and brimming with creative ways to infiltrate and attack assigned targets. It's hard to say right now whether or not a bigger sandbox is a better sandbox—the more opportunities available, the more trial and error to find them all. And a few components, like controls and graphical fidelity, feel a bit dated and unrefined. But it still feels like a return to Blood Money-era Hitman, where player freedom and creativity matter more than anything.

James is stuck in an endless loop, playing the Dark Souls games on repeat until Elden Ring and Silksong set him free. He's a truffle pig for indie horror and weird FPS games too, seeking out games that actively hurt to play. Otherwise he's wandering Austin, identifying mushrooms and doodling grackles.