A guilty pleasure with common flaws known from the previous Hitman games. Nevertheless the best one so far.
I have to admit that I never came further then the second mission in the original Hitman Codename 47 back in 2000.
But not because the game wasn't fun or absorbing, the reason was that although it gave the player freedom in how a mission could be solved it also wasn't very obvious how things in this world of hitman would work out.
So it ended up in a try and error orgy. However the game was still enchaining.
I mean, hey you're an assassin.
But it was also the cool athmosphere with very stylish graphics and a well done soundtrack. I still remember the music playing in the first mission, Hong Kong.
But I don't know if I remember it because it was that good or because I played the level six hours before I was able to finish it, just kidding. ;)
Ok,
what is so good or bad about Hitman Contracts?
Well,
first I have to say the athmosphere. I like the darker setting of Contracts which a perfectly supported by the ambient soundtrack and the moody levels.
You ever heared Paul Anka's "Put your head on my shoulder" while you were standing in a room with a... ah, well let's not spoil the creepy stuff.
Just play the second mission and you will know what I'm talking about.
Than we have the basic gameplay mechanics which are mainly unaltered since the first Hitman game.
You will have some freedom on how you solve the various objectives in a mission and sometimes there are two or more ways to have the objectives completed.
But like the prequels it mostly ends up in you beeing detected and beeing shot at.
Thats because the AI is not very accurate. Sometimes you manage to get past some guards with the right disguise and sometimes you just notice that they shoot through two doors while they not even see you.
But these "bugs" do not happen very often if you keep on doing your stuff stealthy.
Another reason for the try and error is that you have to figure things out on your own.
So you just found a bottle of poison... hmm... where do I put it?
But despite this try and error it is very rewarding when you finally complete your objective.
Further you have minor flaws like repeating speech samples from guards or bystanders and some animation inconsistencies.
But that shouldn't distract you much from the main show.
If you consider playing this game, I have a very important advise for you.
Play it in Expert Mode!
That is where the game has it's strenght.
Unlike normal, you can't just shoot your way through the level.
You will have the chance of shooting your way out of one or two hot spots but you won't take tons of damage. This will keep you on the right track and shows you the game in a way it was expected to play.
The normal setting gives you nearly unlimited health and guards won't detect you most of the time.
Thus the game will end up in a medicore shooter and thereof we have enough out there.
Ask yourself these simple questions.
1. Do I like stealth games?
2. Am I a patient person?
3. Assasins are cool?
If you have three yes here, than go out and buy the game.