If you're a fan of the series, you know what you're going to get - and you'll like it.
User Rating: 8.7 | Hitman: Contracts XBOX
Hitman: Contracts is the third installment of the Hitman series, which stars the bald-headed, sociopathic hired-gun known only as Agent 47. It is a delightfully hedonistic trip into a seedy world most of us only imagine from afar. The game plays exactly like those which came before, with little to no change to the controls or to the various game interfaces. It is this consistency that shines through in the series, although some might perceive this as one of the game’s weak points. Graphics are very good, with the shadows and ambient lighting adding to the dark mood which is ever-present. They are certainly not flawless, however, and the difference in quality between the environment graphics and the active graphics is noticeable (for example, some walking and running can look silly.) However I really enjoy the details that Eidos and IO incorporate into the Hitman games, such as the tattoos on the bikers, the masks on the guests at the masquerade rave, or the intricate carbon-fiber weave on 47’s sniper suitcase. It is little touches like these that give a positive overall gaming experience. Game play sounds are pretty good, but definitely not state-of-the-art. The arsenal of weapons 47 will come across has a vast array of reports, avoiding that plague-like syndrome of some shooters which causes all weapons to sound exactly the same. Also, it is nice that the characters you meet speak the languages of the country from which they come, which creates a more authentic atmosphere. It is the music, however, that is the high note. Dark, ominous, sublime; can’t begin to say enough about the composer’s work (Jesper Kyd) which you might be familiar with from "Freedom Fighters" or previous the Hitman title "Silent Assassins." His soundtrack really adds to the overall gaming experience, and there are certain situations where the music makes the difference between just playing and being thoroughly immersed. Where this game stumbles is enemy AI. Enemies are fairly stupid, and totally pre-programmed to walk the same paths, say the same things, and stop to investigate the same shadows over and over again. Now in a game such as this, where stealthily poisoning someone’s milk or strangling them in a toilet stall is what is required of you, it is necessary to have your targets be on somewhat predictable schedules. But Contracts fails to achieve a totally realistic experience (as do the rest of the Hitman games.) When the same guy goes to the bathroom every 5 minutes, frankly it gets a little silly. It is not a rarity to find a spooked civilian running back and forth aimlessly throughout a hotel lobby, not attracting any attention whatsoever, or to surprise someone who will run into the corner of a room and simply stand there. It is things like this which detract from a potentially wholly positive experience; it is difficult to totally immerse yourself in a game when you are saying “Huh???” to yourself time and time again. With that said, I love this game because it successfully does what you want it to do. If you want to stalk your mark and carry out a silent hit, you can. If you’re the twitchy type, and want to splatter anyone who moves, you can. The story is enjoyable, and provides for a fun game in which you are actually interested to see what comes next. Contracts picks up where Hitman: Codename 47 (the first installment) leaves off, which will be familiar to fans of the series. The missions you are contracted to carry out are usually long and multifaceted, so one is not left feeling unsatisfied after it’s all over. To fans of the series, I’d say Contracts is a definite rental, maybe a purchase (despite a lack of initial replay value, it is fun again after some time.) But then if you’re already a fan of the series, you already know it's quirks, and you look past them. 
