I have previously stated my inconquerable fandom for the Hitman franchise, specifically 'No subtitile' , and how I would like to explore that fandom in detail at a later date. Well, today is a later date, so lets go nuts. Just to recap, 'Hitman: No Subtitle' is the latest series of Hitman games spanning what will become a trilogy in a international spy-esque thriller. IO Interactive structured their game to focus around a handful of extremely detailed, and replayable, levels that take you from the heart of Paris to the middle of the Pacific in a slow burn conspiracy driven narrative.
The star of these games is undoubtedly the expertly crafted locales which you visit in each mission, each worthy of their own blog. So they're each getting one. That's right, I intend to break down what I feel is special and unique about each level to discuss what works, what doesn't and perhaps glean a little insight into the world of level design as I go. Also, I feel it is necessary to say that I will include spoilers in these blogs. (Even if the slow progression of the narrative means that, even 2 games in, there isn't all that much to spoil.) With all that out of the way, let's jump right into 'The Showstopper'.
At the beginning of 'Hitman: No Subtitle', The player character (47) arrives at the ICA facility in the middle of an undisclosed snowy-mountainous location and must start proving himself in order to join the International Contracts Agency in a couple of prequel missions. These are presented as elaborate stage-and-actor recreations of famous hits that the player must recreate whilst adding their own spin to it. These missions are really great tutorials, but they are also both fully available as part of the free demo that IOI offer, so If you want the lowdown on them, play it yourself. (It's certainly worth your time.)
Things really start to pop off when 47 is flown out to his latest mission in the Palais De Walewska in Île Saint-Louis, Paris. Your targets are former oligarch Viktor Novikov and his ex-supermodel partner Dalia Margolis; faces behind the Paris Sanguine fashion show and, behind closed doors, ringleaders of IAGO. Whilst Viktor wows audiences with his "Pretty dresses", Dalia runs a secret information auction upstairs in which they barter off security breeches to unscrupulous entities from all over the world. Recently, they acquired a NOC list of British undercover agents and the M16 have hired the ICA to unsure that it never gets sold. In comes the player.
The Palais De Walewska is a typical revolution-era french mansion bought to life by IOI in all that Parisian glory. It is a grand and intimidating locale full of high ceilings and long rooms, bolstered by the fact that you are infiltrating this location in the middle of a high-profile fashion show. (Sometimes I get the impression that 47 intentionally picks the worst day of the week to attempt his hit just to impress Diana.) You'll find the palace and it's grounds absolutely brimming with elites as they saunter about drinking their wine and nattering about dresses, never paying attention to the startlingly bald man who seems to resemble half of the staff.
I particularly love some the aesthetic choices that IOI made for this location. The event itself takes place at night, meaning that the entire mansion can be illuminated by spotlights and fireworks, highlighting the 'important-public-event' angle. Although, their work with lighting really comes to shine (Puns!) when we're talking about the main stage area (Which is the palace's front courtyard converted into a pseudo-indoor area with a large tarp.) The stage is lit with bright blue lights while the rest of the room is left atmospherically dim, drawing attention to the catwalk. This is particularly effective as you start to infiltrate the upper floors, slinking in the shadows whilst slightly illuminated from the glow of the spotlights. Later on, there is even a moment wherein an important figure takes the stage and the entire lighting scene switches to an arresting crimson, shifting the mood whilst letting players know that this is their moment to strike.
This map also does a wonderful job of utilizing sound to highlight the space and scope of the event. Ambient chatter and party noises flood in as you walk down the introductory red carpet to the fashion show, as one would expect, but they are soon drowned out by the droning flood of the stage floor. Again, this is the centerpiece of the event (And the big distraction for the IAGO auction happening upstairs.) meaning that whether you are in the mansion, you can hear the music from the stage practically shaking the ancient walls. This is particularly suspenseful when you find yourself in the attic rooms above the showroom. Here you are tasked with infiltrating a packed and tight space whilst accompanied by the faint noises of the party below.
Before I move onto gameplay, I feel the need to emphasize something that I mentioned earlier. This is a game built, from the very core, in order to promote replayability. I don't just mean that IOI threw in some alternate paths and an alternate ending, patted themselves on the back and said "There you go, infinite replayability." I mean that they painstakingly approached every aspect of design in the knowledge that players would be repeating them over and over again. This means that these levels are as much designed as a simulation of the gameworld as much as a sandbox for players to mess around with.
This plays out by making the entire world operate by it's own schedule that is primarily NPC AI driven. (With a few location and time-based cues thrown in.) This means that as a particular NPC enters a locale he may influence another NPC and so on. In 'The Showstopper', we see this when Viktor enters the dressing room that is currently occupied by his chief designer Sebastian Sato (Who, incidentally, hates Viktor's guts.) Sato has to break from his routine in order to take a verbal lashing from Viktor before passing on his disgruntled attitude to the models. This robust, almost clock-like system, means that players can really have some fun by messing around with some routines. For example, by inserting a coin in the diorama set behind Sato, you can set him off and make him go outside in order to grab a pack of cigarettes and have a smoke; time this just right and Viktor will have to go outside himself in order to rebuke Sato, leaving him open to whatever might happen outside. (Such as a fire extinguisher falling out of the sky.)
And I'm just talking about the ways in which players can manipulate the system to create their own opportunities, IOI in built many satisfactory opportunities for players who prefer to stick to the rules. For example, the primary purpose of that diorama distraction is in order to have Sato isolate himself so that the player can silently take him down. Once Sato completely disappears without a trace, Viktor will have to take the stage himself. Usually, once the fashion show ends Sato appears on the stage to give a scathing summary of the show. (With a smile, David. Always with a smile) However, with him gone, Viktor is forced to take the stage, opening him up to a couple of truly spectacular assassination opportunities. True showstoppers.
Seeing as how this was the first real hit that players of this game would get their hands on (And the only hit for a couple of months due to the original game's episodic structure.) IOI made sure to offer you two targets with very different levels of accessibility. Being the face of Sanguine, Viktor endeavours to make his appearance known throughout the party. He appears at the top of stairs in a grand fashion when you first enter and spends the rest of the evening schmoozing with guests whilst making a circuit of the palace grounds. This means that the player can be so tantalizing close to him without being able to do anything due to the party's-worth of witnesses surrounding the both of you. Dealing with Viktor is all about isolation or traps. You either kill him in a place where no one can see or in a way that no one can trace to you.
'Hitman: No subtitle' had the lofty goal of reviving the beloved franchise whilst elevating the 'Hitman fantasy' to all new heights. Paris was the first step on that road and it was an incredibly strong offering, strong enough to sell me on the entire game before it was even fully released. IOI managed to summon their insurmountable level design talents on a fantastic opening level that ran players through the basic Hitman gambit. The moment anyone played Hitman they knew that they were partaking in a product borne through serious amounts of love, care and skill. Never before had it felt so good to be an assassin. (And this is coming from a former Assassin's Creed superfan.) But somehow, we were still yet to see just how ambitious IOI were intending to be with this new Hitman. That wouldn't become clear until their Sapineza mission, more on that tomorrow.
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