There's no thread for the Hitman series? Seriously?

Hitman: Codename 47 released in 2000
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin released in 2002
Hitman: Contracts released in 2004
Hitman: Blood Money released in 2006
Hitman: Absolution due for release in 2012

I always wanted to play the previous Hitmans before Absolution came out, but never succeeded to find them, because old games appearantly don't exist in stores where I live. BUT, I recently stumbled upon Blood Money for super cheap during an "old games" sale. (I got the first Deus Ex and Fallout 2 there too) I absolutely love it! I really really hope to find the first 3 too, if not I'll request it to a friend who goes abroad.

Anyway, discuss this wonderful game here.

I'm a big fan of the HItman series, though I did not play the first game (Codename 47). I think that Blood Money was the best in the series, though I was introduced to the franchise by Silent Assassin (an excellent game). Unless they screw it up, I will almost certainly get Absolution.

It's really a shame that it has taken them 6 years to come up with a sequel. This kind of wait raises expectations, but also risks losing the fanbase. A developer takes a big risk in skipping 2-3 generations of gaming technology. Anyhow, Absolution is on my short list of games for 2012.

If you're not opposed to its use, Codename 47 and Silent Assassin can be found on Steam. It should be noted, though, that while the basic gameplay ideas remain the same, there's a significant difference between each game, as major features are added/removed/changed. For example, the first game has no in-mission saves at all, but allows you to run about freely at full speed while in-costume without raising suspicion.

Whereas in the second game, you can just be shot at random for no apparent reason. Contracts found a happy medium.

Apparently, you don't need to stalk out everywhere near your target.

For example: You walk into a bathroom at a restaurant where your target is dining, a guy is using the urinal and you proceed to snap his neck. Another guy walks into the bathroom, he sees you and the body. Before he can sound the alarm, you fire one shot into his head with your silenced pistol and proceed to hide the bodies in a cubicle. Then proceed to carry on the mission.

I've played all except Codename 37 too. (And Absolution of course.) Started with Contracts and went back for Silent Assassin.

No, there are reasons. They're just incredibly petty.

"GASP! That officer is running! KILL HIM! KILL HIM NOW!"

"A waiter on the second floor? OPEN FIRE!"

"There's a guy dressed exactly like us, wielding the same weapons we do, and whose every physical feature is hidden under his standard protocol uniform and balaclava. CHECK THAT BASTARD'S ID NOW!"

Okay, I guess sometimes there were no reasons.

Blood money is awesome, I love how much flexibility I have with the missions. I can either go Tony Montana on everybody or I can go Silent Assassin which is hard but fun at the same time.

Yeah, Hitman 2 had some flimsy disguises. Had to be standing still and far away from everyone else, unless it's suspicious for someone in that outfit to be standing still, which it always is, as is the place you're standing in. On the other hand, you were far more fragile in the first game than in subsequent ones, which didn't work out so well next to the lack of saving. I hate you drug-lord-killing-level.

All of this reminds me that the AI routines are the greatest flaw of the Hitman series. There are indeed times when guards seem to know things that they shouldn't. And there are times when they don't seem to know things that they should. If the developers keep the open level design of Blood Money, the exotic locales of Silent Assassin, and sharpen up the AI, Absolution should be a great game.

Love the games, and own all of them. I bought Codename 47 last year around this time. Did anyone else notice that a lot of the missions from that game were reused in later games?

Yeah, they decided flashbacks would be fun, but since I've never played C47, it was all new to me. They need to stop using hotels, though. Really, why has it taken six years for a sequel?


Anyone else spend an inordinate amount of time in Contracts's Chinese Restaurant getting into the brothel in one piece? It has a younger version of the asian prosttute that 47 rescues from that stupid ass Japanese castle in SA!

That was a reused mission from Codename 47. And yes I found it pretty difficult, I usually just end up running and gunning on that mission. And don't even get me started on the Japanese castle.

I'll admit one of the reasons I liked these games so much was the ability to disguise oneself in other's clothing and the ability to drag a person's body around. I was amused by such. The games are good by their own means, but that's what really stood out to me.

I have to say this is one game series I have been really interested but sadly have never played

The Hitman games are awesome.

I have no idea where my Contracts game is. I loved that cover. I must have lent it to someone and I forgot about it.

Contracts is my favourite but I sold my copy when my original x-box died not knowing it could potentially be played on the 360 ... I have blood money and I miss dual weislding having 460 weapons at 1 time and being able to lean

also enemiesi n contracts had a larger arsenile than pistols and you could and would die

Contracts is mainly a rmake of every previous game with 1 or two levels that were new to that game (I read a wiki on it a long time ago)

I don't remember having that problem in SA, which is my favourite. The only Hitman I didn't play is C47.

I'm a big fan of the Hitman series. Well, I'm not much of a fan of SA which I consider to be the weakest game in the series, but the others are very good!

The problem I have with SA is simply that there are too many military levels in the game. I don't want to fight the military, I want to sneak around in some public hotel/casino/resturant/whatever and silently take out a target without anyone noticing, not fighting hi-tech ninjas out in the winter wasteland. IOI released two SA demos and those were the two best levels in the game, so to buy the full game the week it was released turned out to be a mistake. SA did arguably have the best soundtrack in the series, though.

It wouldn't be hard to get into them. All the games are cheap to buy. I haven't played any of the earlier ones before Blood Money but Blood Money is so much fun. There's a lot of freedom that you can do in Blood Money, you can kill everyone in the level, or just the person/persons that you need to kill. It's a fun game, kinda short but it has good replay value and 4 difficulty modes that add even more to the game.

I've lost count on how many times I've played Bloodmoney (and started yet a new run just a couple of days ago). It just is that great.

Which brings me to how I wonder how Absolution will end up with its streamlining... http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/112442-IO-Refuses-To-Be-Dictated-To-by-Fans I mean, apparently no thinking required at all anymore... just follow the colored line of choice along which the devs guide you by the hand.
(unless there is something to it that'll lessen the negative impact that I've missed...)

Yeah, Absolution looks like a joke.

It seems they're following Bethesda's lead with the quest markers and all.

That yellow brick road needs to have an option to turn it off.