Hitman: Blood Money is a game that came out on PS3 and Xbox 360 around three years ago making it the forth installment of a series that I hold very close to my heart.

The Hitman series chronicles the life and works of professional killer clone Agent 47 – a largely silent protagonist who has never had any reason to regret his chosen line of work. In previous titles, Agent 47 laid waste to many unfortunate souls, including a number of his clone brothers, as well as his creator, before running away to Sicily in order to get away and become a gardener in Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. The events of Blood Money come some time after the events of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin and deal with what 47 does best; killing silently without leaving a trace. Outside of the character himself, the story of the Hitman series has always been a hit and miss. Blood Money’s over-arcing plot of a journalist with stupid haircut talking to an ex-FBI agent about cloning and super soldiers does little to inspire. However, as a means to revisit all 47’s high points of the previous years, it serves its purpose.

Surely the story shouldn’t matter as long as the gameplay remains solid. Unfortunately the gameplay is the most likely aspect the divide people who play the Hitman series. On the face of it, Blood Money appears as a fairly broken third person shooter with stealth mechanics. To play the game as a balls to the wall shooter is a largely unsatisfying affair. Then again to play it like a balls to the wall shooter is somewhat against its design philosophy. The best way to approach these games is as a macabre set of contextual puzzles. As has always been in the Hitman series, at the start of each mission you are given one or several targets; people who must be dead by the end of the mission, preferably without anyone noticing. The formula is largely unchanged in Blood Money, although this is the first title where 47 can platform somewhat. The levels are well thought out and provide plenty of creative ways to achieve your goal beyond shooting the place up. It is a lot like a point and click adventure game where you rub up against different objects in the hope chandeliers will fall, or a barman will give you an aphrodisiac. All of this without mentioning unbridled joy the garrote.

If there’s one aspect of the Hitman games that I can’t gripe about at all, it’s the way they present themselves. Without the thick layer of context and setting, the games would quickly fall victim to their list of shortcomings. Granted, there’s the odd character movement here and there and rag-doll physics could be viewed as a little grotesque, but it all pales into insignificance the moment Jesper Kyd’s soundtrack rumbles in, rising and falling with the action. The glacier engine that has powered the Hitman games before returns in Blood Money looking better than ever. Most importantly of all is that 47 is still the character we know and love; its been proven time and time again that accomplished voice acting is all it takes to transform a character into something so much more – see Captain Price for another perfect example.

Closing Statement:

In summation, I’d be the first person to admit there was a lot wrong with the Hitman games previous to Blood Money. What returns in Blood Money is the dark heart of the series which made the gameplay so very rewarding. Its’ more prevalent than ever; the sheer amount of replay value to be found in constantly re-exploring some of the levels is astounding, and silent assassin ranks don’t come easy, making them all the more satisfying. It’s a mixed bag and definitely not one that going to please all, but those who persevere will be rewarded.

Score: B