Hitman 2: Sniper Assassin- The Last Yardbird

No women,no kids, right?

There are many different facets to the Hitman fantasy. For some people, the fantasy is fulfilled when we are given the chance to stealthy ghost around our targets and take them out without anyone knowing that we were even there. Some enjoy the run-and-gun angle, walking into a situation wherein you appear to be helplessly outnumbered and then proceeding to gun down everyone in your way. (The 'unstoppable force' approach). Some people, however, don't even want to get close to their target at all. They would prefer to take them out from a mountain top several hundred feet away. It is for the latter group that IOI designed their Sniper Assassin mode.

That isn't to say that one couldn't try their hand at sniping the targets from the main game, indeed, sniping is my favourite way to take down Strandberg from the Marrakesh level. However, many levels are not optimized for this approach. (Try lugging a high powered sniper around the tight halls of the Hokkaido facility and you will see what I mean.) IOI did try their hand at a sniper level in one of their extra levels that I mentioned earlier, but it was to unspectacular results. That mission, 'The Vector', only served to highlight how a sniper themed map was untenable due to the confines of the mechanics in the core experience. That was likely the reason why they decided to go a different way when they released 'Hitman 2: No Subtitle'.

When it launched, 'Hitman 2: No Subtitle' came with a dedicated mode that was designed from the ground up to feature fun and responsive sniper controls. This mode, called  'Sniper Assassin', boasted it's own dedicated in-built sniper interface, new bullet travel time, weapon sway, ammo types and collision system. All of these worked together in order to help create the ideal 'sniper fantasy' in the Hitman world. For the first time ever, every single type of Hitman fan could come away with something to be excited about.

IOI weren't approaching this mode with inexperienced trepidation either. In the lead up to' Hitman: Absolution', IOI (back when they were still under Square Enix) released a special preview of the game's engine in 2012 with an non-canonical side game called 'Hitman: Sniper challenge'. Here IOI did pretty much what they did with the 'Sniper Assassin mode'. They added new systems that benefited the sniping gameplay and retooled their map design efforts around creating a 'looking glass' world instead of a 3D interactable one. (This was when we started to see IOI's obsession with sticking rubber ducks all around their maps in weird places.) It seems that IOI were proud with the game too, seeing as how in 'Hitman: No Subtitle's Sapineza level, you can see that, side-character, Rocco is playing it on his desktop. (Oh, IOI and their Easter eggs...)

That wouldn't even be the last dedicated sniper game to feature the Hitman name, however, the 2015 mobile game 'Hitman: Sniper' was actually developed by Square Enix Montreal. In this game, players would find themselves given the same area level-after-level with new targets being added each time. Eventually, it became less of a puzzle and more a memory game, as you had to start remembering how to pull off specific kills and what time certain targets made themselves visible. There was also a zombie themed mode set in 'death valley' (funny), but the less said about that, the better.

What I'm trying to get across is, IOI had a couple of examples to examine when they sat down to work on 'Hitman 2: Sniper Assassin', and I think they really did learn from those previous games. Anyone can see the way that the level design leans of off what they established in 'Hitman: Sniper Challenge' but the weirdly specific challenges almost feel like they owe their existence more to the mobile entry in some instances. Whatever the inspiration, IOI pulled out all their stops to ensure that Sniper Assassin proved to be the premier Hitman sniper experience.

'Hitman 2: No Subtitle' launched with a single sniper mode map already in the game. Separate from the story of the main game (mostly) and presented in it's own menu (After a redesign) was the map: 'The Last Yardbird' set in Austria at an opulent mansion called 'Himmelstein'. For this map, IOI choose to make this gorgeous secluded mountain-top villa the star. 47 got to bask in the glow of the afternoon sun in his perch on an opposite mountain side whilst he looked over the exciting festivities for a beautiful wedding. (The kind that Instagram influences would kill to attend.)

Although you are never explicitly told to visit Himmlestein in the main game (Which is a shame considering how lovely the place is.) the lore surrounding the mission does have a surprising link to the tutorial mission of the original 'Hitman: No Subtitle'. You see, the tutorial had you reenacting the murder of Kalvin Ritter, an international spy known as 'the Sparrow', in order to prove to the ICA that you were skilled enough to join their number. As it turns out, he was only a member in a whole crew of avian themed thieves called 'The Yardbirds'. A group that are now in the crosshairs of the greatest assassin on the planet.

Prepare for a classic tale of betrayal and revenge as we delve into why 47 is out to kill today. You see, the Yardbirds were a well known heisting group back in the day that pulled off a string of high profile robberies wherever there were riches to be made. Their most daring heist, however, would prove to be their last. They hit the Shamal Casino (Yes, the same one from 'Hitman: Blood Money') only to find out that the money they took was the property of a violent criminal group who would stop at nothing to get their revenge. The Yardbirds decided to bury the money and promise that the last surviving member would inherit the millions. However, soon one of their number, Ritter, would be discovered dead on his private Yatch, and the rest of the members saw it as a sign they should seek retirement.

Since that fateful day, they have never all gathered in the same place. Except for today. For the first time their names and likenesses have been provided to the ICA as part of a contract; we have Dorian Lang (The Red Robin), Guillaume Maison (The Kingfisher), and Doris Lee (The Goldfinch). All of them have gathered for the first time in decades to celebrate the marriage of Dorian's daughter 'Elizabeth'. (Always liked that name.) Unfortunately, the best day of her life is soon to become her worst as her father and his friends (and entire security force, weirdly) have been sentenced to death by the former founder of the Yardbirds; Aleksander Kovac. (Maybe he's upset about not being invited to the wedding.) So It's up to the ICA to secure his greedy bid to claim the lost millions by murdering his former friends for him.

Off the bat, this level is different to any of the other Hitman level as it comes with a time limit. 47 only has roughly 15 minutes to kill all of his targets before one of them leaves, automatically invalidating the contract. (Talk about a fly-by visit.) Also, if the player manages to alert the party but fails to kill the targets, they can actually evacuate the area, instantly failing the mission. With all this in mind, careful Assassins will need to ensure that they are very subtle in the act of taking out and hiding the targets and their guards.

To this end, 47 has a few specialized tools at his disposal. And by tools, I most certainly mean super-special bullets. There is the piercing bullet that is capable of penetrating walls (perfect when combined with 47's sixth sense to see his targets through walls.) and the shockwave bullet, which is capable of causing area-of-effect damage. However, 47's normal bullets are just perhaps the most versatile. Somehow, whenever 47 fires his standard ammunition, the point of contact is always just subtle enough to draw attention instead of cause alarm. (Unless you shoot somebody. They'll definitely notice that.) This means that you can draw people's attention to get them in the line of fire for the perfect shot. (Now that's the work of a master assassin.)

The way that IOI designed their map for Sniper Assassin levels is more akin to a puzzle then even the main game, surprisingly. Sure, you can bluntly just headshot your targets in quick succession and then pick off all the guards as they try to flee, but the level is fundamentally designed to have you study the path of your targets and figure out timing and opportunity. Himmelstein is packed with skylights to shoot rooftop guards down, balcony's that lead down the steep edge of a cliff, and even some water features that are good at hiding bodies. (Apparently no one ever looks in the rivers.)

The targets themselves are kind enough to stay away from the crowds for most of the level, but they do have a tendency to stick annoyingly close to their personal detail. In Himmlestein this proved to be a bit of a problem as some people, like Doris, have very scant windows of opportunity, meaning that the perfect assassin would have to sit around doing nothing until she got into place for the perfect shot. I realize that this is part of the allure of the sniper, hiding in wait until the perfect moment, but it just feels so inactive compared to the rest of Hitman that I usually find myself becoming antsy and triggerhappy in no time flat.

I think that my concerns are the same that a majority of the community had when they got around to playing Sniper Assassin. This kind of content has it's fans, obviously, but it can a hard-sell for players who have there head in the main gameplay loop. I've seen many Reddit posts of people who seem to question the implementation of these maps and some of the core design choices. The biggest head scratcher for me and others, has been the fact that you are explicitly told to kill all of the guards. I realize that IOI felt the need to make the levels more involved, otherwise they could be completed in 10 seconds if you didn't care about being quiet, but the choice to mandate the slaughter of all guards seems so antithetical to Hitman law that it cannot help but alienate some fans.

Usually, the player is heavily reprimanded for killing non-targets, as collateral damage is costly to fix. In previous games that would mean a deduction for your pay check, whilst in the new Hitman games it is a severe point penalty and an automatic disqualification for the possibility getting 5 stars in that run. (Hitman doesn't run on Assassin's Creed logic of "You can't kill civilians. But innocent guards doing their jobs? Yeah, kill them all day!") To throw that balance on it's head, and even to go far as to have point multipliers for the way you kill the guards, it almost makes you feel like your playing an entirely different game.

Once you clear that mental hurdle, however, Himmlestein is a particularly fun change of pace from the rest of the Hitman experience. Give it a chance and I think you'll be amazed by the amount of secrets and hidden effects that IOI managed to hide around this map, all despite the fact that you are operating from a fixed perspective. It's like a traditional brain teaser, everything you need to achieve your goal is there in front of you and all you need to do is actually see it.

I would wrap this up, however, I could never forgive myself If I didn't mention that fact that 'Sniper Assissian' also marks the first time in Hitman history that 2 players are capable of playing together. That's right, you can cooperatively take down the Yardbirds with someone else or compete for the highest score, whichever appeals to you more. Should you pick this mode you won't be forced to play as identical 47 clones either, (I'm so glad that we're past that point in gaming.) instead you get to play as one of two new ICA agents; Stone and Knight. These two will exchange in some incredibly dry banter as you snipe your way through the level. (such to the point that I'm starting to feel that 47's clinical apathy is catching.) I would provide a picture but I have no friends to play with, so have this video of me destroying Doris instead.

IOI's Sniper Assassin mode is an interesting beast that changes up the gameplay significantly whilst still managing to stay within the confines of the Hitman mythos. (for the most part.) I'll admit, however, that Himmlestein was not my favourite level. It felt too spare and hands-off for me. I mean, I have no qualms with waiting for an opportunity, but I prefer to be the one dropping the chandelier than be the one waiting for it to fall. (To make a reference to the old British comedy 'Only Fools and Horses') Luckily, I would get a map that was much more my speed next time around, but we'll cover that tomorrow.

Square's Marvel's Avengers

Avengers resemble!

To celebrate Spider Man being back in the MCU (I can hardly believe it!) I have decided to take another, more in depth, look at Square's Avengers now that we have some actual gameplay to look at. Previously I have been somewhat lukewarm to the title, perhaps parroting the general consensus, but I feel that there have been enough new developments for this title to warrant an evaluation upon my original opinion. (Whether that will change said-opinion remains to be seen.) FYI, I will be assessing footage from the almost 19 minute gameplay video that was released on the PlayStation Europe YouTube channel, so if you want to see the footage for yourself I suggest that you head there.

Just to recap, this is the project that Square Enix have been teasing for years now. Everytime people find themselves wondering why Marvel seems content on just dominating Hollywood and haven't tried their hand at the most profitable entertainment medium in the world, they've just pointed at Square and said "We're working on it, anyday now!" And Square have been throwing every resource they have at the project it seems. "What's that? 'Rise of the Tomb Raider' underperformed critically and commercially? Not to worry, Crystal Dynamics, we'll just roll you into the Avengers team! Huh? People didn't like the narratively stunted 'Deus Ex: Mankind Divided' and the way it neutered itself in order to setup a trilogy? Well, screw the 'Deus Ex' fans then, Eidos, we'll put that entire franchise on hiatus whilst we bring you on board with Avengers." (Maybe I'm projecting a little on that last one.)

With all the blood, sweat and tears that Square seemed to be pouring into this project, likely with the intention of creating something as applauded as the movies, you'd have thought that they'd be proud to show off everything at E3 this year. Instead we got a joke of a conference that was so pitiable and pointless that it ended inspiring all types of new concerns with it's vagueness. They'll be adding Antman for free after launch? What does that mean? He'll be added into what? How much are you thinking of charging for other heroes then? Is this a MOBA? Is this a live service? Will you stick heroes in Lootboxes? Where the heck is Hawkeye?

For months rumors and speculation ran abound about this game, as well as general complaints over the design of the heroes themselves. Square seemed to be going a different path from just copying the likenesses of the actors from the MCU (Despite this game piggybacking off the popularity of the MCU in every possible fashion.) and instead designed their Avengers to look like a bunch of creeps in fancy dress. (And why is Iron man's head so small!) Even to this day the public are still trying to shake the remnants of deja vu as the look at unfamiliar people and voices dressed in familiar attire and think: "I've just been in this place before!"

Fast forward to... 9 days ago? (Wow, Square really did a poor marketing this gameplay. I only found it two days ago by accident.) Finally the good folks over at Square Enix have deemed the general public worthy of looking upon the gameplay that made journalists all over the world go "Huh, this could be cool I guess." They released the footage to practically no fanfare and consequently the video I'm pulling my screens from has sub 500,000 views. (For an Avengers game? That's not a good sign.) Given all that has happened in the gaming world over the past two years, I can't be the only one wondering if this is pig-headed incompetence or plain subterfuge. Does Square have something to hide about this game? So far, I'd have to err towards caution, something about this game reeks of microtransactions and I just can't put my finger on what yet. We'll have to wait until May to see if this whole thing falls apart like I'm most certaintly sure that it will. But enough worrying about what might be, we have gameplay to look through.

This gameplay take place in the prologue section and is supposed to set the stage for the rest of the game. For those that have forgotten, and I can't blame you there, this Avengers game takers place years after a terrible tragedy that the Avengers failed to prevent. Somehow the Avengers got blamed for it, which is the kind of stupid nonsense that only happens in comics and movies, and now they must work together to weed out the real culprits and Avenge their fallen comrade; Captain America. (Who I'm sure is really definitely dead. That's why Square took time animating an entire fighting style and move set for him. So that he could die in the prologue and never be played again. Sure, I'll believe that...) This prologue should establish exactly what happened on that day so that we can see the terrible events for ourselves.

Despite that, these 18 minutes do feel a bit more like a stunt show than a story driven segment. The focus of the game appears to be around following each individual hero rather than painting the picture for the rest of the game. Therefore I will follow Square's example and go through the heroes one by one and explain what I think of how each one has been realized. Again, this is just what I can see from the provided footage, no one has played the thing yet so this is all we have to work with. Keep that ever present in your forethought.

First off we start with Thor. He appears to have been designed off a mix between Chris Hemsworth's Endgame look and a more traditional comic book interpretation; the result is a design that doesn't look entirely finished, but that seems to be running theme for this entire game so I'll just mention it now and move on. From a gameplay perspective, the combat seems to resemble something similar to traditional action adventure beat-em ups or, more specifically, Devil May Cry; with players fighting enemies in a small play space before being allowed to move forward. Square have gone out of their way to make that space feel less restrictive, however, by allowing Thor to use his flying abilities as well as having bodies fly out of the play zone. (Back in the early days of Action adventure they would just hit the invisible borders of the zone.)

Unsurprisingly, Thor fights with a combination of electricity and his Dwarf-star hammer, which he can use to knock people around the map for miles. Every strike of Mjölnir comes with a satisfying crackle of lighting that really sells the whole effect, and Thor's ability to juggle his opponents mid-air promises for some Dante-level combo streaks. I also noticed that Thor seems able to free-throw Mjölnir in whatever direction he wishes, resulting in the cool effect in the footage wherein he pins one man to the underside of an overturned truck whilst tussling with the others with his god-like tree trunk arms. (It would seem that Thor is still capable of knocking people an unrealistic distance back without his hammer.)

We really get a solid look at his powers once Iron Man joins into the fray. (Hi Nolan North. I can instantly identify your voice now.) Thor seems capable of drawing upon the heavens to fuel his lighting powers, much X-men's Storm, and use that to pull of some impressive looking moves. The highlight undoubtedly being the part in which he summons mini whirlwinds under each of his opponents (Okay now he is defiantly ripping off Storm.) and strikes them with enough electricity to light the southern hemisphere. (Yeah, those guys are dead.)

Next up perspective switches to the view of Tiny-Head, I mean Iron Man. This scene starts with the one thing that I was dreading the moment I saw that an Avengers game was being made; an on-the-rails shooting section. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against on-the-rails... in Star Fox; anywhere else and it is almost always just an excuse to be unforgivably lazy. In this instance, it doesn't look exciting or challenging in the slightest, it's the video-game equivalent of a CGI fest, a flurry of mildly impressive visuals that have no actual bearing on the player/viewer. As Iron Man, you are flying through all the impressive explosions instead of causing them. (God, I actually hate on-the-rails with a passion.) To be fair to Square here, the section doesn't appear to be long in this footage, but I worry about what we might get in later levels now that this precedent has been set.

Once we actually get control of Iron Man, things start to open up a lot more from a gameplay perspective. Firstly, flying. I think everyone is excited to fly around and shoot lasers to our heart's content. Secondly, the environment appears to be destructible. We got a hint of this when Thor was knocking enemies into trucks, but we actually get to see Iron Man blow up a truck with his chest-mounted Uni-beam. (Although, surely that counts as wanton destruction of public property. Just throwing that out there.) 

Iron Man's gameplay seems to feel more like a third person shooter than Thor's beat-em up style. We see Tony trading Repulsor blasts with gun toting badguys and turrets, and I can't help by conjure up memories of the Iron Man tie-in game from the last generation. (Let's hope this game is leagues better than that abomination upon mankind.) I will say that my initial reaction is that this gameplay does look more exciting then that-game-which-must-not-be-named, but I still think that Iron Man looks to be the least versatile hero out of the offering in this footage.

Now we have the chance to play as everyone's favourite wrecking ball; Hulk, as he rampages his way across Golden Gate Bridge in a manner that appears more harmful than helpful. (But I guess that's the Avenger's whole MO in this game.) I will admit, this is the character who aggrieves me the most aesthetically. (And I'm not just talking about the way that he dons Mark Ruffalo's purple shirt for some reason, or the way that his Hulk incarnation appears to be identical to the movies just with a slightly lower nose. Oh, and no facial stubble.) My issue is with the conflict of styles we see as Hulk fights. From the outside, this incarnation is built to be realistic; he moves with his bulk, carries weight in steps and is even coloured a more muted hue of green than in the comics (more akin to his depiction in the movies.) and yet, when he punches the enemy there is this inexplicably cartoony green flash every time. It seems like Square have no idea what direction they wanted to take this character and it ended up being a bit of an onscreen mess. (Wait, I said I wouldn't focus on this. Back to the gameplay.)

Unstoppable power is the name of the game when it comes to Troy Baker's Hulk, (Yup, heard you too.) and it is very evident in his playstyle. A lot of Hulks powers seem to revolve around sending enemies flying or picking them up and using them to batter someone else. The whole scene reminds me of a more dynamic version of 'Hulk: Ultimate Destruction', only that game had more environmental interaction whilst we have yet to see how that aspect is handled in Avengers. That being said, it's still pretty cool to watch Hulk slam two enemies into each other with inhuman strength or use his powerful clap shockwave from the comics. (It may have been in a movie at some point, I can't remember.)

What follows is a... on-the-rails running section, are you kidding me? Okay, in this instance it is more of a run-as-things-fall-apart-around-you section, which is more akin to the gameplay found in the modern Tomb Raider games. (I found Crystal Dynamics's contribution!) We see a whole lot of jumping and wall running, as well as launching off of curiously red ramps that tickle the edge of my immersion sphere. It looks a little fun, however this running bit does drag on if I'm being honest. Scenes like this, if we compare it to Tomb Raider or that Namakli level from 'Mass Effect 3: Leviathan', are usually only 30 to 40 seconds long, because the developers know that this kind of gameplay can get old fast. Here it lasts for almost two minutes, and you start to feel every second of it towards the end. Perhaps I'm being a little nit picky here, but I did find this section to be boarding on becoming boring.

The gameplay then puts us in the shoes of the man who looks like he spent the least amount of time in the character design lab, Captain America. (At least his gameplay looks pretty cool.) Square Enix seemed to know exactly what fans wanted out of playing as Steve Rogers, the ability to throw that shield around like a pin ball. We see Cap free throw his shield and watch is bounce of of people like a boomerang, and one moment wherein he charges his throw to have it clear the room before coming back to him. I will say that it appears that his shield is magnetized to Cap, rather than the natural trajectory of his throws working the shield around to him, but I understand that the change helps things remain somewhat believable, so I won't complain about this too much.

The rest of the melee fighting really did appeal to be in this scene, It seemed to be the same sort of 'action/response' fighting that was popularized in the Arkham games. Whilst we don't actually see Cap pull off any slick counters, each enemy does have a helpful marker above their head when they're about to swing so I think it's safe to assume that we'll be countering up a storm in the final product. Overall, I think that Steve has my favourite fighting style out of all the Avengers in this footage, as he is the only one who I feel like I could play for hours on end without getting bored, my close second favourite just happens to be up next.

After plowing through hundreds of nameless bad guys their leader steps out of a van, and it's... some dude in a mask. Am I supposed to know who that is? Oh, Taskmaster! (Thanks, Laura Bailey! I get it, 'All star cast' or whatever.) Black Widow's section consists of a multi-tiered boss battle with all the grandiose and pomp that one would expect from an Avengers property and I have to say, it's looked good. Yes, there was a little section of gliding around all the carnage, but it was short and sweet and just a cool; interim rather than the whole fight. We get to see Natasha use her iconic twin pistols (Does she even use those in the films? I honestly don't remember.) as well as her action-movie luck to battle all across the Golden Gate Bridge in spectacular fashion.

The action reminds me of the Firefly fight from Arkham Origins, which was my second favourite boss battle in that game. (Nothing beats the Deathstroke fight.) There is an impressive amount of changing things up in terms of fighting grounds before you even start the main fight, and even then things don't get too samey. We get to see a lot of Widow maker's agility as she switches between using her guns and batons, as well as some diversity in Taskmaster's fighting style as he mimicks the abilities of the other heroes. If you can get around the teeth-grindingly awful dialogue, this actually looks like a decent boss fight.

After we finally got a chance to look at Gameplay, I can understand the general feeling of "It's 'aight", from the gaming media. Avengers doesn't look like anything revolutionary that will knock your socks off, but that isn't what anyone was asking for. We just wanted a fun Marvel adventure that invoked the same one-to-one feeling between the player and the hero as the Arkham games did. (So it's good to see that Square seem to be borrowing some ideas from Rocksteady, there.) I will say that the dialogue didn't particularly seem snappy, despite the considerable voice talent behind the game, but I can overlook that as long as the game itself is fun and responsive.

The problem is, yet again, not what we've seen about the game but more what we haven't seen. Everything from this prologue has been a highly curated and linear gameplay chunk that is designed to highlight the strengths of each heroes design, however, we have reason to believe that some later levels will be interchangeable between heroes, so is this footage even remotely representative of the wider game? Even with this info blowout, and the plethora of interviews that the team has been conducting, there is still a crazy amount of mystery surrounding the core structure of this game and it doesn't leave people intrigued, it leaves them worried.

From face value, most of what I have seen from this footage alone looks promising. Captain America and Black Widow seem to be the most fun to play as, but the rest appearing to have some admirable quirks. I find myself worried as to how much lasting power this game might have, as well as to the strength of the storytelling. (If you can't even manage witty back and forth in the opening, how am I supposed to trust you to tell a compelling narrative?) There is a lot of time between now and release so maybe there is still time to clean up some of the rough edges, (get rid of the green tinge to Hulk's punches, for the love of god.) but I've seen enough demos to know that what you see is usually what you get with games like these.

As you can likely deduce, I'm of two minds when it comes to this game. There are parts that intrigue and others that bore me, the key is figuring out which way the majority of the experience will lean. I suppose for the most part I'm just eager for this game to be over and done with so that Eidos can get back to working on Deus Ex. Which is certainly not what I should be feeling in regards to the very first Avengers game. The biggest issue, for me at least, is the fact that Square seems to have taken considerable steps to ensure that this game is not linked with the movies. Why? It's a multi billion dollar franchise with world wide recognition who's success is propping up your entire venture, why try to distance yourself from that? It makes it hard for me to care about the game and I think that translates to the audience too. Why do you think that Sony and Marvel got back together with Spider Man? Because people don't care about solo adventures anymore and they want their superheroes to be part of a wider universe. I realize that I'm comparing a video game to a movie here, and the situation isn't exactly one-to-one, but I still feel there are lessons to be learned from that scenario that Square don't want to see. We likely won't hear anything more on this game until next E3, so we'll discover how things will play out between now and then.That's when we'll see if Square have something up their sleeves that'll really sell this game to the masses. (I won't hold my breath.) 

Modern Warfare, Oldschool Problems

Ah shoot, here we go again.

You know, there is so much cool stuff happening in the world of gaming right now that I would love to talk about. I never got a chance to cover the announcement that Cyberpunk 2077 would be getting an online game or the brand new Avengers footage. But now Activision had to go and put their foot in it and I'm stuck talking about 'exclusivity' again. Ain't life just grand? Oh well, might as well get all this festering rage out of my system through the written word; buckle up.

Let's begin be ensuring that everyone is up to speed. September will see the release of 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare', no not the 2007 'Modern Warfare', the one with the terrorist attack in Piccadilly Circus. (Still not letting that go, Infinity Ward.) With this game, IW intend to bring the series 'back-to-basics', quite literally considering they're even reusing their old titles. This means gritty, realistic combat, vehicles and a stupidly fast time-to-kill. (The more things change the more they stay the same.) One announcement that garnered some praise, and interest from me, was the reveal that 'Spec ops' would be triumphantly returning to the game after eight years of absence.

'Spec Ops' was a mode that was perfected in 'Modern Warfare 2' in which players were faced with various different scenarios with very specific objectives. These little nuggets of game were absolutely perfect for someone who just wanted to a quick COD fix or some co-op fun. Plus, they were a perfect blend between being accessible and challenging, so that anyone could give them a go. Some of my fondest gaming memories is of going through 'O Cristo Redentor' with my dad so often that we knew each spawn by heart. (I'm not even kidding or doing a 'my father' story for sympathy points. We just both happened to really enjoy that game.) I think the best part about 'Spec Ops', the thing that really sealed the deal, was the way in which they all offered something entirely unique. There were maps in which you hunted hostiles, maps in which you snuck by hoards of enemies in the snow, maps that had one player use an AC-130 whilst covering the other, and even one which remade the classic Modern Warfare 2007 (Ugh, I hate that we have to do that now.) level; 'All Ghilied up' and sent you through it backwards.

The 'Spec ops' announcement was just another example in a long list of 'things we got right' by IW that was actually starting to get the attention of the wider public. Recent years have seen COD branded as 'uncool' and 'tired', as most franchises that stubbornly refuse to change their engine are. (What do you mean that The Elder Scrolls 6 will use the same engine again? For god's sake Bethesda, can't you do anything right!) However, this entry saw a brand new 'photo realistic' engine, the addition of a dedicated dark and gritty story mode that the devs seem actually proud of and moment-to-moment gameplay that early critics are calling "Okay." (That's high praise for a COD game!) At this point, everything is looking like 'Modern Warfare' will be a return to form that no one ever thought would happen, good press is finally being dropped on Infinity Ward's shoes, and now all they have to do is release the game and watch the sales roll in. But wait a minute. This is an Activision game, isn't it? Doesn't that mean some thing inexplicably anti-consumerist has to happen to sully everyone's hard-won good will? Why yes, yes it does.

Recently, during Sony's State-of-play stream, Activision thought it might behoove them to have their game make an appearance, seeing as how this would be the most highly trafficked gaming event until the release of said-game. It was there that a moronic announcement would be made for 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare', one that would set the Internet ablaze. Right at the end they spat in the eyes of two thirds of their fanbase by announcing that Spec Op's Survival Mode would be a timed exclusive for PlayStation. "But for how long" you may ask. Well, they announced that too. (Even though any PR manager worth their salt would have begged them not to.) It was on the same page as the announcement, right at the bottom and greyed out. 'Timed Exclusive Content Until October 1st, 2020.' Where do I begin?

Fans were understandably outraged at the prospect of being locked out of an entire gamemode. Activision have done this before, sure. Destiny had some Strikes that were PlayStation exclusive until Destiny 2 came out. (Just in the nick of time.) And any Activision Beta usually comes out on PlayStation first. Basically, Activision and Sony never miss out on an opportunity to trade saliva in the Janitor's closet like a couple of horny schoolkids. (Yikes, grossed myself out a little with that one.) But an entire gamemode? What an absolute kick to the nuts. Things got so bad that the Studio Narrative Director, Taylor Kurosaki, had to take to Twitter to defend the game. "Let’s be honest," He said in response to one incensed fan "'ruining' is an exaggeration. Survival is 1% of the game. The other 99% is simultaneous day and date across all platforms. I’d rather have everyone playing 99% of the content at the same time than 100% of the content some time later."

Okay, barring the actual lack of sense some of that made, (I'm assuming there's some sort of language barrier) let me explain why a lot of people are calling this statement out for being a load of crap. Firstly, "Survival is 1%". Unless the game has 99 other modes, that is just mathematically incorrect. More to the point, he is trying to point out that, whilst 'Survival' might be locked for some players, the rest of  'Spec Ops' is open for everyone. Which is a fair point, as is the response from the public. Many have said that, since the rest of community is paying for a lesser version of the game then the game should cost less on PC and XBox. That's only fair, right?

"But it's a timed exclusive!" Some have argued. "You'll get the content eventually." And that brings me on to my next point of contention, because they're right. Other consoles will get the game mode eventually. After a year. That's a little bit of a problem considering that Call of Duty is an annual franchise. For over a decade now, Activision have used a multi-studio tactic to ensure that a COD game is out every year at roughly the same time. This means that they get the £60 from their loyal base every year alongside whatever else they manage to wring out them along the way with DLC and Microtransactions. The effect of this is that every single COD game is forgotten about and discarded the moment the new one is on the slate. Therefore, by the time the rest of Modern Warfare's audience get the gamemode that is part of the package that they paid for, the core audience of the game will have already moved onto something else.

"But the gaming world is changing." They continue. "Now we have Live-services. Those games can be supported for years!" Which, again, is true. However, COD has failed to adopt that model again-and-again over the years. Things looked hopeful last year with Black Ops 4 when Treyarch announced that BO4 would be their "Most supported game ever." However that proved to be a straight-up lie last week when they announced that 'Dark Divide' would be their last operation for the game, effectively killing that game's support. Why should we expect something different for Modern Warfare, even if they tell us it will be? Activision are proven liars so we can expect the same treatment that we always receive from these people.

Then there is the comment that a few people like making; "You probably wouldn't play the mode anyway!" An affirmation to which I, personally, would like to call foul. 'Spec Ops: Survival mode' has been described as a 'horde-like' scenario which pits a team of players against waves of enemies to survive. Let it be known that I Love horde modes. I'm talking 'Love' with capitalization, with vehement passion! Ever since 'Gears of War 2' it has been my unspoken mission to conquer every single such mode by myself, or at least get as far as I possibly can. (Gears of War 3 did break me a few times.) Plus, you'll never guess what my favourite Spec Ops level of 'Modern Warfare 2' was? (At least when I was by myself.) Yup, 'Sniper Fi', the horde level.

I know I'm not the only one either. Horde modes are an absolutely art form and there are communities of people that flock to these game types just as fervently as I do. Heck, Grand Theft Auto Online literally just released some Ballas-themed horde maps to their game, proving that there is still a market for them to this day! Downplaying their purposeful omission from 'Modern Warfare' does an absolute disservice to the community and the consumer.

The offcial Reddit has also been ablaze about this issue of late, and some Infinity Ward developers have had to wade into that cesspool as well, in order to defend themselves. One of these responses was some canned PR crap that isn't worth the cerebral effort to rebuke, whilst the other was a heartfelt "Hey gang." message that poked at the community's empathy bone. (Being an empathyless individual, I just found the whole post vomit inducing.) The user, going by the name Joel, used his comment to tell the world how diverse the gang at Infinity Ward are and how dedicated they are to making great games. Then, instead of addressing the issue at hand, he made a weird left turn into toxic comments and how they hurt his fee-fees."We all have a pretty thick skin here but yeah it can kind of get to you. Believe me we keep it professional but of course people that pass by my office from time to time can hear me through the walls:)"

Reading this whole thing did leave me feeling a little confused and distracted. Don't get me wrong, I offer my sympathies to them having to go through that situation, (As much sympathy as I can muster for people who are literally paid to do this.) but I couldn't help but feel a little emotionally manipulated by the whole thing. I don't know. Maybe I'm just a terrible person. (Okay, I'm definitely a terrible person.) I'm sure that the buck stops with Activision in this situation and they were the one's that brokered this gross deal with their beau Sony, but the biggest loser in this situation is very much the consumer. I understand that the developers face some bile that is far beyond reason in some instances, but they still get their paychecks at the end of the day, I'm sure they can stomach some inane rambling from some of the more unhinged people online. And if they can't, perhaps they should avoid the Internet a bit. That's the thing about listening to feedback, not all of it is positive, nice or even constructive. (Gah, they've pulled me off topic again. See!)

I'd like to say that all of this backlash will shake the light into Activision and have them withdraw this nonsense, but this is Activision we're talking about; nothing short of The Rapture will quell their greedy antics. This deal is a forgone conclusion and everyone will have to deal with it whether they're happy about it or not. There have been some calls to host a boycott over the issue, but we all know that'll never happen. Not to a degree that'll hurt Activision enough to have them listen to their consumers. Call of Duty is one of those games that has entered the general public zeitgeist and so boasts an army of day-one buyers who will pick up the game regardless of all the behind-the-scenes nonsense. (because they just don't care.) Once again exclusivity has kicked consumers in the nuts and there is nothing we can do about it. Sometime I hate loving gaming.

Hitman 2: The Ark Society

Still think this is maintenance?

Alas here we are, at the end of our road. For a while now I have been maintaining my very first series of interconnected blogs wherein I covered all the individual levels from 'Hitman 1 & 2: No Subtitle' and celebrate what I love about each and every one. Ultimately, this has been an exercise in gleaning a little bit of knowledge about game design from the masterful folks over at IOI, and to that end I feel quite successful. Looking back, I feel there are places where I could have been a little more critical, but I think I covered most of what mattered when it came to these game's levels. Now, however, we are at the end of the line. So let's jump right into it.

From the information gleaned around Whittleton Creek, 47 was able to learn that Janus and the Constant were due to meet face-to-face for some event known as The Ark Society. Diana recognizes the name as referring to a cabal of super-rich elitist doomsday preppers but doesn't know of the location herself. Luckily, Lucas Grey's personal hacker Olivia is around to direct the team to bug Janus' coffin. Whilst Providence bring Janus' body to the meeting, thinking him to be the inside man working against the foundation, (like Diana told them) 47 and Lucas Grey track the body all the way to... an undisclosed island somewhere in the pacific? (Lame!) However there is a complication.

Seeing as how Providence now believe that the former Constant, Janus, was working against them all along, the Partners suspect that anyone close to Janus could be a potential risk. And who could have possibly been closer to Janus than the man he hired as his replacement, the current Constant? As a precaution, the Partners pressure the Constant into injecting himself with a poison nanochip that can be set off at any moment. This is discovered by the team just before they arrive on the Isle of Sgàil, where the Ark Society is being held. Their man on the inside (Wait, they have a man on the inside? Then why the heck did we have to go through the last mission if you had someone close to the Constant the entire time?) informs them that there are two killswitches for the Constant's bomb, and unbeknownst to him, they have been granted to the possession of two young Providence agents at The Ark Society. The newly appointed chairwomen; Sophia and Zoe Washington.



At this point the parameters of the mission shift. (and it's not just because IOI couldn't envision a Hitman level without the objective to kill someone.) Grabbing the Constant is no longer their primary concern knowing that he can killed remotely, now they had to prioritize taking down the Washington twins too. Lucky, these twins just happen to be terrible people. Raised to be irreverent socialites, Zoe and Sophia have dedicated much of their lives to being thrill seeking treasure hunters who traipse around the world with their band of trigger-happy mercenaries in search of riches (Which they already posses by-the-by) whilst caring little for the cultural/human cost of their thoughtless blundering. As Diana says "Collateral damage they may be, but safe to say, they have it coming."

Once again, IOI have tasked themselves with creating a level that is laser focused to conjuring the air of finale about, in it's every bone; and to that end the Isle of Sgàil is very successful. Borrowing from Situs Inversus' Hokkaido, The Ark Society takes place at the dead of night on an island amidst turbulent seas. You can practically feel the chill of the air as your speedboat jets in under the light of the moon. The most significant difference between Hokkaido and Sgàil, that I notice, is the different thematic approach from a technological standpoint. Hokkaido's map was a state-of-the-art medical facility built in the isolated mountains tops whilst Sgàil is an old Scottish sea-fort that has been renovated into the most exclusive masquerade ball on the planet. IOI went from high tech to low tech with this level.

IOI clearly took some inspiration from other properties when it came to designing this level, most prominently being 'Eyes wide shut' (although, don't expect an orgy.) Every guest and member to The Ark Society is required to wear a mask and suit concealing their identity and preventing rumors from starting (Although they'll apparently make an exception for 47 if he happens to rock up dressed as a flamingo.) There is also an incredibly well hidden Tomb Raider Easter egg that, if I was to go into it here, would turn this entire blog into a walkthrough.

Traversing the map is particularly fun for this level, as it is designed to be very methodical and straightforward from the ground up. (Although there are shortcuts, obviously.) As a guest, you are permitted to walk around the keep of the castle (Which is now a lighted drinks area) as well as the ceremonial burning money pit in the courtyard. (These are very pretentious rich people.) However, Zoe and Sophia spend their time amidst the higher tier levels of the Ark Society, so players are encouraged to work their way up the promotional ladder the old fashioned way, by knocking out your superiors and stealing their clothes. (That's how promotions work, right? I've never got one.) Logically, this will mean that players will progress through the level in a quite linear manner, very different to other Hitman levels and a welcome change of pace for folk like me. (Plus, you can go your own way too if that's your thing.)

I will admit, however, that the targets themselves are rather weak this time around. That isn't to say that Zoe and Sophia don't demonstrate their given personalities throughout the level, because they do, but rather that their personalities are confusing similar. Neither target feels sufficiently distinct from one another as they are both self important socialites who seek psychological dominion over their peers. It is actually uncanny how similar these twins are. I suppose one difference that could be spoken about is the fact that Zoe appears to be more involved in the running of the Ark Society whilst Sophia seems bored by the whole affair and would prefer to be out relic hunting again, but I'm grasping at straws here, on a personal-level they are identical.

I will commend IOI for bringing a slew of great assassination opportunities for these two anyway. I guess it makes sense, seeing that this level was the grand finale, but the amount of effort thrown into the opportunities still impress me. One of my favourites was the "...Now you don't" one in which you exploit the grandiose pageantry of the Ark Society to teach Zoe a lesson about fire safety. A lot of her assassination revolve around drawing her in with the busywork that maintaining the society demands before killing her off in a big way. Sophia, on the otherhand, has a few more personal assassination opportunities that require isolating her before pulling off something imaginative. (I won't hint at anything in particular, I'll just mention that the penthouse floor has a functional iron maiden in it.)

From a storytelling standpoint, IOI exceed once again as every room seems to be designed to teach us something about the Ark Society. Even going in, you'll likely be unsure as to what a cabal of super-rich influential doomsday preppers would look or function like, but as soon as you enter the Hyperborea room and see their plans to colonize Titan in the event of an emergency, things start to click together in your head. They're just like normal preppers, only richer. Zoe and Sophia's stories are linked so closely with the Ark Society that it is hard to separate the two. IOI made them both into relic hunters and the Society just happens to hold the largest collection of original relics in the world, (Something about a cultural preserving movement.) which is just one of the clever ways that the creators tied these two together.

The Ark Society is also just a really fun level to mess around in. (It takes place in a giant sea-bound castle, of course it is!) You'll find broadswords and battleaxes to have some fun with, as well as working cannons (that all seemed to be ponited in directions that they really shouldn't be aiming in.) and even a full suit of armour (Which, as you can imagine, makes 47 look pretty darn suspicious, should he choose to wear it.) My favourite part, however, is using these incredibly rare relics (Relics that can be compromised if they are so much as touched without gloved hands, according to a couple of workers.) and immediately smashing them over the heads of rich dicks. There is this Khaṭvāṅga that makes for a decent blunt instrument and an ancient Aztec necklace ("It belonged to Montezuma himself!") that doubles as a very effective garrote wire. My favourite tool to play with in this level, however, are the 5, incredibly delicate, Fabergé eggs in the level. (Or 'Filigree' eggs as IOI decided to name them.) There is something incredibly cathartic about picking up a $2 million piece of jewellery and smashing it over someone's head for no reason whatsoever. (Never let me near real-life relics.)

The Isle of Sgàil is both a fun and very climatic level. It may not lay on the difficulty like Hokkaido did, (Unless you've resolved to do it Silent Assassin, Suit only on Master difficulty. In which case; good luck.) but it provides the atmosphere and setting that subconsciously informs you of the high stakes of this finale. I also appreciate the *optional* final objective to threaten the Constant with a killswitch and walk him out of the castle to your escape boat. (It has to be optional or SA/SO runs would actually be impossible.) It's always fun to have a curve ball objective thrown into a Hitman level, and being forced to keep someone alive is about as curvy of a throw as you can get in these games.

So there we have it, every single level in the base game of Hitman 1 and 2, analyzed and discussed ad nauseam. All the other levels from 'Hitman : No Subtitle' were just reimaginings of those levels usually at a different time of day with a new target thrown in. However... Hitman 2 introduced a whole new kind of level with their 'sniper assassin' maps that might be fun to talk about, and they also introduced two new maps which, not only explore brand new locations, but actually continue the main story a little bit further. That's right, we ain't done yet. Next week we'll look at a different type of Hitman map as we brush up on 47's sniper skills.

Hitman 2: Another Life

Like I said, it's a longshot.


Once more into the fray with my blog series about delving into the level design of 'Hitman 2: No subtitle'. This next level is an interesting one, as it is the only level in Hitman 2 that I harbour genuine distaste for and, unlike with Colorado, I'm unsure as to why. Perhaps things will start to elucidate once I dive into it with my analytical lens on. Before I get started I have a disclaimer of sorts to say, as usual. Firstly, Spoilers ahead so bare that in mind. Secondly, I would like to preface this blog with an observation I've made of the entire mission roster.

I'm starting to realize, from doing this blog series, that there is a pattern in the way that IOI creates their content. It started as a passive, "Oh look, this one is similar to that one." but now that I think about it, every single map in Hitman 2 plays upon the same ideas that they bought up in 'Hitman : No Subtitle'. Paris and Miami are both highly publicized event maps. Sapienza and Santa Fortuna both feature sleepy towns that are seem to represent their respective countries. Marrakesh and Mumbai are both busy metropolitan environments. And as for Bangkok and Hokkaido... well, you'll see. It's as if IOI are specifically making their levels to cater to each and every type of fan in their respective wheelhouse. (Hence why the, not so popular, Colorado level just got remade into that short introductory mission in Hawke's Bay.)

Now that's out of the way, on to the revelations; and, oh boy, are there some big one's today. (Prepare for a metric butt-ton of story) After Colorado, all the back in Season 1, there was a brief cutscene in which it was revealed that the Shadow Client (Now known to be Lucas Grey) knew 47 on a personal level. It didn't take much deduction to figure out that the reason why was because they were both subjects on the Ort-Meyer productline. (This are all lore tidbits that date back to 'Hitman: Codename 47', I'll probably write a blog about it sometime down the line.) Fast forward to today, and 47 tracks Grey to the facility in which they were both raised. He is about to execute the Shadow Client when Lucas shows him the matching scars on their hand, plus the pair of child's handprints that had been left on the wall in their old bedroom. Despite having undergone extensive treatment in order to make him forget, 47 manages to break through his mental block and recall the name of his old friend; Not Lucas Grey, but Subject 6. (Seems someone got ripped off by the 'mind wipe' company.)

In the next scene we see that 47 has managed to drag Diana all the way down to Romania in order to meet Lucas Grey. (That must have been a tense private jet trip.) There Lucas and his hacker, Olivia explain the the inhumane experimentation that made him and 47, was headed up Providence, and that those two had consequently made a vow to dismantle Providence when they had the chance. Diana whips that dead horse about the ICA being 'neutral', (Despite the fact that the ICA have been accepting Providence contracts for the past half a year) and 47 has to shut her down with his tacit approval to the operation. Afterall, he already promised to do this long ago, and 47 never misses a target.

Lucas explains that Providence is organized through the efforts of a group known as the Partners, but their identity is a secret to everybody but one man, Diana's one Providence contact; The Constant. In order to reach him, however, they must go through the first man to hold that title, a retired Russian spy master known as; Janus. (He named himself after the Two-faced roman god? Well, he doesn't sound insufferable and pretentious at all.) After some research, which I can only assume consisted entirely of a google search, the team discovers that he has been stationed in the little all-American town of Whittleton Creek, wherein he enjoys the protection for an army of live-in guards. This leaves 47 with 3 objectives, yet again; He must kill Janus, Nolan Cassidy (Janus' head of security), and uncover information that would lead to tracking down the constant.

With all the world-travelling that Hitman games do, there are still some themes that IOI return to every now and then, themes that sometimes become beloved. Whittleton Creek is a map that is designed from it's very bones to hearken to the themes of Suburbia that fans have loved ever since Blood Money. Heck, they even reference it in the name. 'Hitman: Blood Money's suburbia level was entitled: 'A New Life', whilst IOI called this level: 'Another life'. They very much wanted to wear their influence right on their sleeve with this particular mission.

When you think about the connotation of an idea like this, you can understand why both the fans and IOI wanted to revisit it. The idea of a perfect, white-picket fence, American dream-esque image that is torn apart by the presence of one deadly assassin is intoxicating. It's the same idea that bought us one of the most effective scenes from Terminator, (Which, now that I think about it, was removed from the theatrical cut for some inane reason.) and the 'Tranquility lane' section of Fallout 3. We just can't resist the idea of taking something seemingly perfect and ruining it with wanton and excessive violence or cruelty. It is akin to the 'call of the abyss'; it is something that we shouldn't want to do, but we do anyway. Perhaps it is our way of projecting flaws into the flawless and proving that perfection doesn't truly exist, so that we can feel better about the inadequacies of our own life. There is a reason why the call it 'The American dream'.

That being said, this is a very pretty and expansive map. The design philosophy behind a suburban playspace is the possibility to be able to explore several lived-in home spaces and see into the lives of the residents. This was the same philosophy behind the Himmapan Hotel in Bangkok, but I always thought that IOI had failed to bring the idea to fruition in that level, whereas here I feel it is fully realized. If you can bring yourself to leave the gorgeous orange hue of the Autumn street, you can find snippets of other people's lives in the attics and garages that you visit, like shades of entirely unrelated lore. You may find something as inconsequential as a rockband set in someone's garage, and something as disturbing as a serial killer's toolkit in an old woman's basement. All of that is simply waiting for the player to explore.

Exploration certainly is the name of the game here, as both Janus and Nolan Cassidy are situated on opposite sides of a decently sized map. I think that this is where my gripes with this level begin, as between the targets is an inordinate amount of dead space. I do understand what IOI was going with here, especially with the 'intel gathering' objective that they introduced specifically for this level. IOI wanted to encourage players to explore and naturally pick up on the clues they needed to discover the location of the Constant. However, this does make the level seem sparse and lacking in purpose most of the time. A lot of these locations don't even have NPC's hanging around them, meaning that the level is lacking in potential for interesting escalations and/or user generated content.

Despite my issues, I will admit that the leaning towards exploration has definitely benefited the storytelling of the level. As 'Another Life' is lucky enough to only feature two targets, IOI had more time to design level-based Intel for you to discover more about your targets dynamically. Or should I say; Target, as IOI seemed to know where they wanted to invest the lionshare of their, and the player's, attention. Nolan Cassidy is a mostly storyless character with his only claim to fame being the fact that he used to be chief of security of 2005's Vice President, Daniel Morris; Who, incidentally, 47 kills in 'Hitman: Blood Money' (Yay, another past game reference!)

Seeing as how 'Another Life's preamble is designed to point out how significant of an influence that Janus had on 47's early life, it makes sense that IOI wanted to waste no opportunity for the player to learn more about the man, although these opportunities can be fleeting and hard to connect. I'm sure many player's who forced their way into the bedroom in the 'house for sale' never found out why there were signs of a murder scene having happened in there. I suppose that knowledge is the reward for the attentive. A few of the opportunities open up details about Janus too, one in particular has the player work in order to set off Janus' nostalgia bone, forcing him to ramble on about the 'good old days' from the cold war.

The opportunities have their own unique charm to them as well. Many of them aren't as flamboyant as you would find from some other Hitman levels (Like the one where you fed a druglord to his pet hippo) but they are no less explosive. (Sometimes literally.) My personal shout out goes to the opportunity wherein you gas Nolan Cassidy's base of operations with insecticide and then... well, do whatever you want to with his unconscious body. Again, it's not flashy, but it is open ended enough to allow for some creative murder opportunities.

'Another life' is a perfectly decent Hitman level, but one I find myself revisiting it very rarely. I feel that the map lacks a life outside of it's main targets and the catering towards the 'investigation' elements of the mission is the culprit. I won't pretend that the balance between making an engaging level and a flexible one is an easy one to strike, but I've seen IOI do it before and I know that they could have done it again. Sadly, they didn't here, and it really does ruin, what would otherwise be, a fantastic level. But, not to worry, as next time we will be diving into the exciting finale for 'Hitman 2: No Subtitle' in 'The Ark Society'. See you then.

Hitman 2: Chasing A Ghost

Not a trap. An invitation.

Another day, Another retrospective on a particular level in my a favourite Hitman game. I must say that I am particularly fond with this mission, specifically the ways in which IOI manages to subvert expectations of a Hitman experience. Although opinions on this level do differ wildly so I'd encourage you to keep that little grain of sodium chloride handy as we delve into our search for a ghost. But first, a disclaimer. This is a series in which I go through all the levels of 'Hitman 2: No Subtitle' and assess what works, what doesn't and learn something about game design along the way. (Oh, and there will be spoilers.)

Chasing Ghosts picks up after the dissolution of the Delgado Cartel. The militia have just published a video outing the existence of Providence (A video that we never get to see, for some reason.) and the ICA's hackers (Wow, those dudes must be working overtime at this point) have managed to trace the source of the video to corroborate with some of their previous leads. So far, the ICA have discovered that the Delgado Cartel were using their counterfeiting services to forge IDs for the militia, one of which grabbed the attention of the analysts as it belonged to Wazir Kale, a legendary pirate who is referred to as 'The Maelstrom'.


Kale and his team terrorized the seas for several years before one disastrous tanker operation, and now the ICA have reason to believe that the man was personally responsible for the murder of a Providence agent in Shanghai, alongside two of his former crewmates. One operative is the self-proclaimed Queen of the slums; Vanya Shah, and on the other is prolific Bollywood action film director and star; Dawood Rangan. Profilers have assessed that these three likely make up the eastern cell of the militia and, as such, all are based relatively close-by to one another in downtown Mumbai. Providence want these three eliminated post haste and as long as their money is good, the ICA will obey. There is one wrench in the plan, however; Wazir Kale himself is something of an urban legend in Mumbai and no one knows what he looks or sounds like (Or at least they didn't until he narrated a hostage tape.) That means that 47 must discover the identity of this target before he can end him. (I hope he's getting payed extra for this.)

This is one heck of a big undertaking for one assassin; three targets, two high profile ones and one veritable ghost. Such an heavy workload would require a heavy amount of play space to accommodate it, luckily, IOI's Mumbai doesn't skimp out in that regard. Much like Marrakesh, Mumbai is one the most sprawling, and initially confusing, maps in all of Hitman 2, with no shortage of crowds, market stalls and Tuk Tuks strewn about the place for atmosphere. Having had no personal experience with anywhere in India, I cannot speak for how accurate this overwhelming locale is, but I have enough faith in IOI to assume that significant research went in on their part to make the place looks authentic even if it isn't quite accurate.

 As an unashamed fan of the grandiose, I respect IOI's ambitious attempt to capture three distinct styles of the Indian metropolis with the way the handled the level layout. Players will find themselves hunting Rangan inside of a work-in-progress skyscraper that doubles as a budget movie set; stalk into the market district and an old train yard, in search of Vanya Shah; and delve into the slums and sewers to track down the mysterious Maelstrom. All this diversity is achieved within one, sprawling, game space, and for my part I find that very impressive. However, just like with Marrakesh, due to the size of the level, plus the fact that most targets exclusively reside in guarded areas, there are small chunks of dead, or underutilized, space.

From a gameplay perspective, many criticize this level for being obtuse, which I would argue is fair. It is one thing to ask people to hunt three targets inside of a huge play space, but another thing entirely to hide one of those target's identities as well. Personally, I love the challenge this introduces as you can't just single in on the man and work your way towards him like you always do. This makes sense when you address the layout of the level too. Vanya is surrounded by her royal guard, requiring heavy amounts of stealth in order to reach, and Dawood works on a closed movie set, calling for a little bit of infiltration. Kale, on the otherhand, wanders the streets, confidant in the fact that no one knows his face. He rarely even needs a guard, preferring the relative safety of constantly being in the public. Funnily enough, the only way to isolate him is to pull strings to draw him into heavily guarded areas, throwing the usual Hitman formula on it's head.

Also, I've said it before but it must be reinforced that the characterization of the targets in Hitman 2 is spot on. Although one might think that it would be hard to establish distinction between three separate targets, Mumbai pulls it off with style. Whilst I usually prefer the manner in which we learn more about our targets through executing opportunities, this level instead has you learn about it's targets (Or rather, just corroborate the information that you have already learnt) through exploration and eavesdropping. You can read about how corrupt and sleazy Dawood is, or you can infiltrate his set and listen to how the lead actress is complaining about him writing in a kissing scene for himself, in the action movie he is directing, and staring in, loosely based on himself. (It's nothing but turtles all the way down!) Or alternatively, you can just peep upstairs and see the hostage that he has, tied up and dangerously close to a vat of cement.

This time the IOI team did put extra effort into ensuring that there are a lot of lore elements to be discovered in the incidental world, too. Much of Wazir Kale's past is a mystery to everyone, but you can still capture ample amounts of ambient chatter theorizing on legends about the man. Plus, those that are interested can go on a little scavenger hunt for a collection of voice recordings (That Kale himself recorded for some unknowable reason, before scattering them across Mumbai like he's freakin' Shenron) detailing his actual rise to power. I do like this different approach to handling world lore, but only as a method of changing things up, not as a permanent replacement to the more natural exploration that previous levels enjoyed. The whole 'collect-a-thon' style of dishing out side info reminds me too much of the Assassin's Creed Series. (Or any Ubisoft game in general, for that matter.)

It is in Mumbai's opportunities that IOI made some of their best strides in innovating their formula. You see, as these targets are all part of the same team (Despite how separate their individual lives are) many of the opportunities for this level include playing with their relationships in order to cause them to meet. There is even one opportunity in particular wherein 47 can, for the first time ever, assist someone else in performing the hits for him. (Way to outsource, 47.) I love it when IOI gives us the chance to take out two targets at once, and Mumbai is full of these opportunities in droves, and many more besides.

In conclusion, Mumbai is another strong, yet a little bit divisive, offering from Hitman 2. It changes up some of the formula from past levels whilst simultaneously crafting one of the biggest maps in the series. Unfortunately, that ambition does work against them in some minor regards just as it had done before. I did enjoy the level for all it offered, alongside the general feeling of 'Jet-setting' that Hitman 2 seemed to be nailing so far, although I did understand that desire that some held for some a less exotic locale. It seems that IOI understood that desire too with their next location, but we'll cover that next time.

Hitman 2: Three-Headed Serpent

No one's untochable.

In many ways, I see Hitman as my own personal James Bond Adventure. It's all about jet-setting to exotic locations to perform clandestine actions whilst concealing your true identity. Of course, 47 doesn't boast deep-seated insecurities and mistrust that can only be quenched with an unending string of one night affairs, but 3 out of 4 ain't bad. In that vein, the idea of travelling to the tropical jungles of Columbia in order to assassinate a drug lord is absolutely up me street. So I'm going to go through this level, as I am wont to do, and assess all that I adore, dislike, and am ambivalent towards. (And perhaps learn a little bit about game design as I go.) Oh, Spoilers, by the by.

After the deaths of the Knox's, the Shadow Client, who's name is revealed to be Lucas Grey, activates his Colombian contacts thus setting off the ICA hackers. (Those unsung heroes!) The agency have deduced that the militia are using the drug smuggling lanes of the Delgado Cartel in order to get their way around the world unseen. Diana, therefore, decides that the best way to cripple the militia's movement to dismantle the entire cartel. (Nuclear option much?) To this end, 47 has to "Behead (the) three-headed serpent." of Rico Delgado, Andrea Martinez and Jorge Franco. Rico is ambitious and eager to raise the Delgado name back to the heights is was at before the mysterious murder of his uncle; Fernando Delgado, back in 2004. For this goal his has recruited his childhood friend Andrea, former advertising executive turned Cartel spin doctor; and Jorge, a brilliant but troubled chemist who is on the verge of developing his very own, and I quote, 'super cocaine'. (Okay Dee, you're just making these mission briefs up off the top of your head, aren't you?)

So far so 'Ghost Recon: Wildlands', however, instead of dedicating the next year of his life to slowly killing off minor captains of the Cartel, like the US military opted to do, 47 instead decides to rock up to the Delgado's home address and do it all in an afternoon. And so we end up in the quaint Colombian town of Santa Fortuna. This has to be one of my favourite locations in Hitman., (Jeez, I feel like I say that a lot.) because of the way that IOI managed to flawlessly capture the aesthetic of a small South American town. There's so much to note, from the iconic boxy shape of the buildings and to saturated orange of the bricks. The feel of the town also borrows from the lazy, laid back vibe of Sapienza; quite different to the hectic excitement of Miami's race track.

In the design of Santa Fortuna, you really get the sense that IOI wanted to make a map that had much more of a variety to it's locations than any previous one, which is difficult to do when you are working with a limited, and ostensibly focused, game world. However, one merely needs to explore around to see just how diverse the parts of this particular map are. You have the village itself, with it's aforementioned lazy attitude and low guard presence; the unkempt jungle, with it's tall plants, running streams, and roaming death squads; the Delgado Mansion, which looks exactly as you picture a drug lords mansion looking; the Coca plant fields, with fields of pickers, protective gear wearing guards and more high vegetation to stalk around like a raptor; and the underground tunnels, home to Jorge's 'super cocaine' lab and a huge Bond-esque submarine hanger. Those are just the main stand outs too, I haven't even mentioned the small construction site, the fishing district or the ancient (Mayan?) ruins.

IOI really did want to make sure that they made use of this space when it came to planning out their character routes, which is why we have 3 targets that are positively strewn across this map. Rico is in the mansion, a high security area (obviously); Martinez is in her office, although she frequents the village to walk amidst the commoners;  and Jorge frequents the Coca fields, his lab and (With a little encouragement) the jungle too. Just through the plain act of completing the main quest you will find yourself having been whisked around the breadth of the play space, but even then there will be much you haven't seen. Some of my favourite player-made contracts and escalations have been featured here, and uncovering this maps two secrets have been perhaps my favourite challenge runs. I would call Santa Fortuna some of IOI's best work, and pray the look back on this map when they get around to (The already confirmed) 'Hitman 3: (Presumably) No Subtitle'.

The main mission targets are very special compared to some of the previous ones I've bought up, (or at least two of them are.) because, for the first time ever, we have people who's backstory intertwines with our own (Not in the 'Ort-Meyer' way, but in the 'I murdered your family' kind of way.). The most obvious connection is the big man himself; Rico Delgado. Hitman fans might remember the Delgado Cartel from the 'Hitman: Blood Money' level: A Vintage Year. That mission has you infiltrating the vineyard/coke factory of Don Delgado and killing him and his son. (In a mission that I swear 'Killing Eve' ripped off.) That's right, 'the mysterious death of (Rico's) uncle' that is mentioned in the mission briefing is actually in reference to your own assassination 15 years beforehand. I love how much this connection fills out the wider world of Hitman for fans in a way that feels rewarding to discover.

But, not only is there a reference to Blood Money, there is also a direct link with 'Hitman: No Subtitle' regarding Andrea Martinez. You see, way back in the first Hitman level; The Showstopper, you might remember how Dalia Margolis was running an illicit information brokery upstairs. Many high profile individuals were present with the intent to buy some sweet knowledge, a few of whom became recurring Hitman background characters; one of whom became a main character. Sure, back in Paris Andrea Martinez didn't exactly resemble her main mission counterpart, but she is the same person. IOI just didn't need to dedicate the resources to make a random NPC look high quality back then. (Who do you think they are, CD Projekt Red?)

When creating a world that is full of so many moving pieces like Hitman is, the little details that are put in go a long way to bring the whole thing to life. Back in Nightcall, I commended the choice to have, former side character, Pam Kingsley report on the aftermath of some of your hits (Like how the Cassandra Snow novels skyrocket in popularity after you murdered their author.) Actually bringing old NPC's back as targets helps to push that to a whole new level. Heck, I still think it's cool that Rico's brother, Hector (Who is related to a couple opportunities in this mission), turns up in Miami with that Sultan who keeps popping up.

None of that extra work means that IOI Skipped out on the core experiences, however. Opportunities are still as fun and rewarding as ever. Once again we have a slew of opportunities that take advantage of little character quirks as a way to get close to the target. Martinez works the local populace? Then find a way to lure her onto the construction site so that she might have an accident. Jorge is a paranoid perfectionist who won't delegate work? Mess with his supply chain in order to bring him running. In fact, the weakest link of the targets is, surprisingly, Rico himself, as there are no real discoveries in any of his opportunities. One thing I did like, however, is the way how in this mission, every opportunity could be completed in such a way that, if you don't kill them, you actually end up brightening their day. This leads to a challenge that tasks 47 with assisting everyone in the village (Before killing his targets) and consequently unlocking a very unique, and very fitting, exit animation. I won't spoil it, but let's just say that it brings a welcome touch of Disney to a game about mass murder.

Santa Fortuna is another strong level by IOI, showcasing how they did not limit themselves by choosing to ditch the episodic level format. As a big fan of the last game, I also enjoy the way that IOI choose to mirror some elements of the first game's levels without copying them. Miami was a huge public event, just like Paris; and Santa Fortuna was an exotic, chill, residential area with a mansion, just like Sapienza. Would they continue that trend by recapturing the organized chaos of Marrakesh for their next map? Find out tomorrow when I continue.