Hitman 3 Review

IO Interactive set about modernizing and updating the Hitman series in 2016. The result was a great game that made a few mistakes. But the franchise has been on an upwards trajectory ever since. Subsequent DLC releases and a sequel ensured that the stealth series was here to stay.

Hitman 3 is the final act of this trilogy and obviously has a lot to live up to. The question is whether the new game is able to keep the same riveting gameplay without becoming stale. For the most part, the third installment is a monumental success.

Story

When Hitman 2 ended, Agent 47 was left having to figure out exactly what The Constant and the Providence were. The sequel follows up with the protagonist hunting them down, putting an end to their schemes once and for all. In previous titles, the story has felt like an add-on. More of a way to set the scene for the action rather than the main attraction. That is definitely still true with Hitman 3.

However, it now seems like IO Interactive has put more emphasis on the narrative this time around. The overarching plot takes more of a center stage. There are more cutscenes and things certainly tie together better than ever before. There are also lots of interesting little stories in the individual levels. Characters will discuss plans and strange events, while some levels have very intriguing plots of their own. Hitman 3 is still not going to win any awards for its story, but it is far better than what fans will expect.

However, in order to come up with a satisfying conclusion to the story, some sacrifices had to be made. The final level of the game is entirely linear. It feels out of place with the open nature of the rest of the series. IO Interactive’s Hitman reboot is not suited to this type of closed-off gameplay. Yet, it might be the only way that the developer could think of to finish the plot with a neat conclusion.

Giving players the possibility to do exactly what they wanted would likely make it impossible to end effectively. The narrative comes together in a conclusion that works well and ties up loose ends. It’s just a shame it comes at the cost of the open-world gameplay players are used to.