Hitman Goes Hard

I’ve never really took the time to play a game in the Hitman series. I dipped my feet into Hitman: Blood Money but never went far. However, Hitman: Go for iOS and Android has fit the bill so far, and I highly suggest spending your measly $2-5 on a great puzzle game.

So you’re Agent 47 and your new assignment requires you to mundanely move along a grid to reach the goal to complete the level. Each stage—presented like a board game—is divided up into smaller levels which get increasingly more complex in different ways: new objectives pop up, like “Pick up the briefcase” or “Finish the level in 10 steps or fewer”. Completing these side objectives gives you more points, which in turn unlocks new stages.

You can approach each level differently, which is what I like. Agent 47 can choose to kill his opponents or leave them be—all while trying to remain hidden. It’s nice, but not something I haven’t seen. What I do enjoy is the small but important additions like new types of guards or tools. Each addition becomes an asset to help you beat a stage to 100% completion. You learn how certain opponents move or react, and when to use the tools provided. For example, early on you will find a throwable object used to distract guards. Again, it’s not like I haven’t seen this before, but you really have to make the right moves and take advantage of a throwable object at the right time to complete the harder levels at 100%. In general, the replayability is through the roof because you’ll be hitting the reset button many times for not being smart enough.

Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that this game’s a looker. You get a great, minimalist art style. It’s a very clean look that kind of reminds me of the décor seen in Mad Men or the 60s. I wouldn’t say this is the driving force behind the game, but it fits well with the simple gameplay.

If you’re yearning for a challenging puzzle game, this is it. It’s very interesting, far from mundane, and is worth your hard-earned $2-5.