Hitman: Absolution

[Sir Legendhead]

I think my highest is 1.7 million in sniper challenge. I have no idea how people have 6 million+. The top guy on pc has 12 million and I think it's safe to assume he's a dirty fucking cheater.

Leaderboards always get hacked. Always. Didn't they have some kind of contest based around this one?

[TheRemedy]

I hadn't heard of one, but apparently one happened for UK residents. Top prize was a golden joystick thing and having your face digitized in every future Hitman game.

[Sir Legendhead]

Hour of streamed gameplay here, probably has some spoilers for the first mission. It's narrated by a few guys who I guess are devs? They're from IO anyway. I'm listening to it as I type this and it sounds interesting enough to post.

http://twitch.tv/joystiq/b/339610220

I hadn't heard of one, but apparently one happened for UK residents. Top prize was a golden joystick thing and having your face digitized in every future Hitman game.

I've played it a few times now. Haven't gotten good at it yet and my score is a fraction of yours. I like the mechanics though. Their version of detective mode is great for locating targets and the hair trigger/slow motion effect works well for lining up shots. It's pretty cool what they added as far as sniper gunplay, but I'm looking forward to the more methodical gameplay elements. I'm ready to take a syringe to somebody's soda bottle dammit.

[Sir Legendhead]

Now this is kind of clever.

[Arttemis]

Must have.

[Sir Legendhead]

Can't wait.

Really. I literally decided against waiting and bought a copy of Blood Money about an hour ago. Looking forward to that over the next week. Must be kind of a rare game now, it cost more than expected and took months to find.

[Stevil]

Nah, you can find that game for £8/$12 on eBay and on the platinum hits range. Pretty sure it's on Games on Demand, too. There's usually a trend where if a sequel is announced and/or close to release, people tend to boost the price of the predecessor to cash-in.

[Arttemis]

Yeah, Prototype went from $12 new to about $30 around P2's release.

[Sir Legendhead]

That probably explains the cost. Still took a while for it to show up in my area though. I've been checking on it occasionally for months and it just showed up the other night.

Pretty spectacular game regardless. And I got Silent Assassin on the Opera House, so yay.

[Sir Legendhead]

Conan O'Brien did a quasi-review (not sure what else to call it) -



While the video itself is entertaining, the game seems to have been actionized for a newer and less patient audience. In one part, Conan crouch-walks directly in front of an enemy without being seen. Most of the clip is him shooting things. A guy also gets put into a wood mulcher.

Glad overt violence is a more valid option this time around but hopefully they went a little deeper than that. The whole point of Hitman is subtlety, like in Blood Money where you set up all those elaborate death traps. Although I have to admit I'm not playing it in a very clever fashion myself. I went through most of the game last night and by the time I was done, I was just shooting people and running for the exit.

[Sir Legendhead]

Watching a target, planning how to take them out, executing on that plan and exiting without a trace feels outstanding, every time. It's a feeling that the Hitman series is famous for and one that translates beautifully in Hitman: Absolution. The signature kills are intelligent, too, forcing players to know all of the working parts that go into each level. One signature kill, for example, allows you to set up a scenario where a target is killed by another NPC based on your interaction with the world, hearkening back to the fantastic opera house level in Hitman: Blood Money.

Full review here (and I think they liked it): http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/18/hi...lution-review/

[Arttemis]

That multiplayer challenge mode sounds wonderful!

[arglactable]

I'm really glad that it looks like they've made a lot of options outside of their specific Silent Assassin signature kills actually viable this time around. My problem with the Hitman games has always been the trial and error nature of figuring out precisely how the designers wanted you to play the level instead of figuring out your own bad-ass method on your own. Every thing beyond their methods seemed to be actively penalized instead of rewarded. Blood Money presented a pseudo-sandbox, but frankly there weren't all that many ways to get through the level without it devolving into one long and incredibly awkward gun fight, partially due to the bizarre AI. I can't wait for this to get here tomorrow. The contracts mode sounds like sheer mad brilliance.

[ClownBaby]

From the reviews this sounds amazing, I forgot it was coming out so soon.

Regarding Blood Money, it's a relatively hard game to find. People are probably reluctant to trade it in. I got my original copy stolen and for over a year I couldn't find a copy of it but finally did.

[arglactable]

Well, it's more difficult to find it under 30 dollars in decent condition. Especially the Xbox 360 version, which is generally a decent amount more expensive. There is a boxed collection of all 4 games available on Amazon right now for 12 bucks and, if I didn't have most of them already and I weren't a poor college student, I would be all over that shit.

[ClownBaby]

Well, it's more difficult to find it under 30 dollars in decent condition. Especially the Xbox 360 version, which is generally a decent amount more expensive. There is a boxed collection of all 4 games available on Amazon right now for 12 bucks and, if I didn't have most of them already and I weren't a poor college student, I would be all over that shit.

You won't find it under $30 more than likely, that's the going price for it used anywhere and it has been for a long time. It's hard to find because nobody trades it in though, for good reason.

[arglactable]

Oh shit. My Gmail inbox currently has 47 emails in it. This must be a sign. And yes, that is more-or-less true, but often 30 dollars is the absolute low point for one that doesn't look like it was used as a Frisbee on more than one occasion. Used games make me so sad sometimes.

[TheRemedy]

The game (blood money) is also zero dollars on Squares streaming service.

http://beta.coreonline.com/

Just have to watch some ads.

[Sir Legendhead]

Man, FUCK Wal-mart. I drove out just now because I didn't want to wait 'til morning for my Gamestop preorder and guess what. They printed their store tags directly over the box art. Just like they did with Sleeping Dogs. Not a sticker. Printed. Tacky little cunts. So be warned about that. Did not buy.

You won't find it under $30 more than likely, that's the going price for it used anywhere and it has been for a long time. It's hard to find because nobody trades it in though, for good reason.

The Blood Money I got was like new for $30, with original case and manual. Worth it. I'm thinking the same as you, people just wind up keeping theirs.

I'm really glad that it looks like they've made a lot of options outside of their specific Silent Assassin signature kills actually viable this time around. My problem with the Hitman games has always been the trial and error nature of figuring out precisely how the designers wanted you to play the level instead of figuring out your own bad-ass method on your own. Every thing beyond their methods seemed to be actively penalized instead of rewarded. Blood Money presented a pseudo-sandbox, but frankly there weren't all that many ways to get through the level without it devolving into one long and incredibly awkward gun fight, partially due to the bizarre AI. I can't wait for this to get here tomorrow. The contracts mode sounds like sheer mad brilliance.

I'm not sure if the AI was as bizarre as it seemed. I didn't realize until recently how deeply notoriety impacts gameplay. If you let it get too high from mission to mission, NPCs have a chance to blow your cover regardless of disguise. When you're not aware of how the mechanics work, those moments can be distresslingly random.

And yeah, I'm enthused for contracts myself. There should be a Dtoid thing for that -- not an FNF but something like it. The thought brings out my inner Jigsaw. I wanna make deathtraps for you guys. <3

[TheRemedy]

Spent almost 6 hours playing and it may be time for bed. I like it a lot, but if you go in expecting another Blood Money you will be disappointed. It has elements of a old Splinter Cell and has some elements of Hitman, they definitely wanted to make a new game and that game is pretty damn good. But again, it's not Blood Money 2.