User Reviews (1 - 11 of 86)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Fell short of my expectations

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: October 29, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I never played the original "Hitman" because it had no in-level save function, but I was eagerly awaiting the release of "Hitman 2". It definitely takes a leap forward as far as being the "thinking man's shooter, and it has a handful of levels that are so good, they make the game worth buying. This game falls short in a few crucial areas though.

The AI for this game is extremely tough, and the best I have ever seen. Not when it comes to firefights, but when it comes to remaining undetected. Doing anything suspicious while you are disguised will almost certainly get you caught. The AI is so sophisticated, that you will arouse suspicion if you carry an unusual weapon. For instance, if the guards in the area normally carry AK-47's, and you're carrying a sniper rifle, you're going to get attacked.

For the most part, the graphics and animation for this game are great, as well as the music. The voice acting is great. "Agent 47" is simply a great main character for a video game. He's like Garrett, from "Thief", except he's big and bald. The graphics are so detailed, that you can look at shadows on the wall to see what weapon you are carrying. Some of the environments look astonishing, like a snowy mountain valley at night, and a penthouse apartment overlooking the big city.

There are some truly fantastic levels in this game. These are the parts that exceed the game's lofty expectations. This is the only game where you can sneak past 25 guards and kill your "mark" without firing a shot, and then sneak out. In this game you can pose as a flower delivery man, a doctor, a Russian soldier, a bodyguard, a patient, a pizza delivery boy - the list is endless. The variety for completing these levels is also endless. You can frequently find circuit breakers and shut all the lights off, and in one level, you can start a false fire alarm to distract everyone. Using lots of stealth requires immeasurable patience (not to mention tolerance for reloading your saved games), but it's worth it. I love that feeling of devious satisfaction that you get from nonchalantly walking out of a building past the clueless guards (right after whacking their boss). The "professional" kill is a feeling that no other game has.

Unfortunately, every time that I was ready to fall in love with this game, it would throw out a stupid and poorly designed "commando" level that spoils the "Hitman" theme. There are some really bad levels in this game that appear to be in there just as filler. They generally involve the "boss" being so well-guarded that the only way to complete the level is by gunning down everything in sight. There is one level where you have to kill a guy who is guarded by four thugs in the room, and then plant something on his body. The only way to finish the level is by killing all of them. This ends up being absurdly easy, since your "hitman" can take more bullets than a tank. There is another level where you have to avoid a bunch of snipers who can somehow see through your disguise from 1,000 feet away. Thus, these bad levels are impossible using stealth, and way too easy using aggression. It's poor level design.

The storyline for the game is weak. It's too bad, because the game could have been better if it had an exotic plot to match all of the exotic locations that you go to. "Deus Ex" and "No One Lives Forever" succeeded at this, but this game fails.

The interface and the controls generally stink. It's probably due to this game being a multi-platform game, instead of just a PC game. The camera is very unresponsive to the mouse, unless you crank the mouse sensitivity up to the highest setting. When you do this, it makes the menus almost unusable, because of the hypersensitive mouse. The mapping function is mediocre and underdeveloped. The maps look bland and ugly, like something you would have seen in a game made five years ago. This game sorely needs a mini-map, but as-is, there is only a map screen. When you look at the map, you must remain stationary, but your enemies continue to move. This becomes annoying when you are trying to plot a path to avoid the guards.

Should you buy this? If you are a huge fan of the first "Hitman", or if you enjoy thinking man's action games like "Thief" and "Deus Ex", then you will enjoy this game. It still gives you an experience that no other game can give you. The great levels in the game make it worth playing through its faults.

Cool

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: March 18, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This is such a cool game with a lotta levels ,,and time spent for me on this was big. well worth the $$ as is blood money also. why did i wait so long?

HITMAN 2: Silent Assassin......or Rambo II

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 30, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I agree with what PC-Gamer said about the game (series). It's a couple of steps short of being a great game. I think the fundamental idea behind the game is good. However, it needs alot of work.

First off the enemy AI is out to lunch. Enemies will flip out on you at times when it feels you're doing everything right (prompting the often used WTF phrase for the game), and are happy-go-lucky at times when your clearly up to no good. Many times you can upset the enemy by doing something wrong or being in the wrong place only to rectify the situation completely by a change of clothes which many times is done in a dead end room or hallway. If the AI was any good enemies should get at least a little suspicious of a 6foot5 bald dude (oh yeah...UPC tatoo) now wearing a change of clothing coming out of the same place/area the enemies just chased your character (Agent 47) into. But no, everthing is kosher with them. To make matters worse sometimes enemies catch you in the act of changing into the clothes of a victem you just killed only for them to stand there and go "hmmm...is this right?". Sometimes you can actually get away with even that just by walking out of the area. One level in particular had problems with AI. Basically the idea was that you needed to come up with a Pizza delivery boy disquise and had to take out a Pizza boy for it. I found the best place to do that was in the bathroom while the delivery boy was taking a whizz. Nobody else was in the bathroom at the time so no one would immediately see a crime and then report it. Killing him was no problem. Changing into his clothes was no problem. But, the second you go to drag his body to a more secluded location everybody goes nuts. From the map system you can see how all security make an immediate beeline from across the building to the bathroom you are in to take you out. After trying this a couple of times I opted not to drag his body anywhere; taking a risk that someone would walk in on it. No one ever did. I find that with both the first and second Hitman I have to "work around" the AI like that. I hope they totally changed the AI on Contracts.

Although the map system has been greatly improved and simplified over the first Hitman I personally think that having a "satellite" dynamic feedback on every individual on every floor (inside and outside) is stupid. It really makes the new feature of looking through keyholes in doors(for enemies)laughable. I hope they have removed this in "Contracts".

Another thing I dislike is the report card you get at the end of every level. You get ranked on how aggressive you were in the past level (the more aggresive the poorer the score) and how stealthy you were (the higher the better). Although I don't mind being ranked on my performance in the game, this system allows players to finish levels with horrific scores. In another words they can go through the level shooting at almost everything in sight. Personally I think that defeats the purpose of the series. If you want a shooting fest you shouldn't expect it here. I would prefer if it was more like the original (I said more like it, not just like it, because that system was not without faults either). If you can't finish the level like something resembling a "Silent Assassin" you shouldn't get past it. You should get shot to pieces in a real hurry. Unfortunatly this is not the case. You just get a bad report card and move on.

I like the addition of the tool shed; a place you collect all of the various weapons available throughout the game. Unfortunatly many of the weapons are unholsterable and have to be carried out in plain sight of everyone else in order to be collected. If you are seen with it causing an alert (very likely) your score goes down. Also such weapons have to be carried out of the level one at a time. So you have to gamble with which weapon you leave a level with, hoping ones you have discarded will be available later in the game for you to collect. For example the first level allows you to collect a Golf Club and a sniper rifle. But you can only take one out. I have yet to see another occurrance of either weapon later in the game.

I also liked the use of more appropriate costums in this release. Gone are the days of a 6foot5 caucasion chineese waiter (in China) delivering poisened food to unsuspecting targets.

Eventhough I liked the levels of the first Hitman better (I thought more time was spent on them, ie plant leaves moving out of your way as you pass by) I also liked some of them here. St.Petersberg, for example, was done pretty well.

Overall I have to say I liked the original (despite the extra lives system) better then the second. I hope that Contracts is considerably revamped over Hitman 2. This game is not bad, but it could of been better.

Suspenseful!!! (4 1/2 stars)

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: September 12, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game is one of the most intense and suspenseful gaming experiences I've ever had. You are a hitman for hire trotting around the world and taking care of business. There are 20 missions, tons of weapons, great music, and again, some VERY intense gameplay.

Gameplay: I can't say it enough--suspense and intensity! The game is designed to be played in whatever way you choose. You can go in with guns blazing (which works much of the time, depending on the difficulty setting) or you can lurk in the shadows, behind corners, and within a variety of disguises. The game encourages you to use stealth and rewards you for being strategic and limiting "collateral" damage. Most missions will allow you to take out your target without harming anyone else. However, there are a few missions in which you'll have to send more than one person to the morgue. Much of the gameplay boils down to surveillance, getting disguises, staying away from guards (and most civilians), dragging and hiding bodies, finding and disposing of your target(s), and escaping. The real fun comes with choosing a strategy for the job and all of the tension created when you're sneaking around and trying to avoid being discovered. The only quirks I experienced with gameplay was the oversensitivity of the guards on a few occasions. Otherwise, this is a very entertaining game. It lasted me about 40 hours on expert (medium) difficulty.

Visual: Very well-done. The weapons look and act realistic, and the settings (St. Petersburg, Malaysia, Nuristan, India, Japan, and Sicily) are all attractive and convincing, with weather effects, region-appropriate language, and great architecture. The graphics are not state-of-the-art, but they are still quite good and create immersive atmospheres.

Sounds: The soundtrack by Jesper Kyd is probably the best I have heard in a game. It is orchestral, but fits the atmosphere of the game very appropriately. It also adds tension at the right times and does give you the sense that you are doing your deeds in faraway places and different cultures. The voice-acting is good, and people talk in the appropriate languages. All weapons sound as they should. Even the sound of the footsteps of your assassin are determined by whatever terrain he is walking/running on.

Replay value: I definitely intend to play this one again, since there is more than one way to complete the missions. Also, the more strategic and secretive you are, the higher your rating and rewards.

All together, Hitman 2 is an excellent game for anyone who likes stealth missions and intense gameplay.

THE HITMAN FACTOR!!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: September 27, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Hitman was a hit cause it brought about a new meaning to gaming by intruducing 47 to the world.Its excellent levels,good storyline and irritating toughness makes it as crazily as possible-A WINNER.Then Eidos brings the sequel.HITMAN 2 and i got to be honest wih anyone who reads this review.This game is worth playing.There are a few control issues and it does get a bit tedious as you advance thru the missions,but you'll be so addicted to the game that to get a silent assasin rank you have to replay every level again devising 2 or 3 stratigies using elements in the game itself.That makes HITMAN 2 another winner.There are huge levels located in excotic places.Every level is different.Even the 3 st petersburg missions have different atmospheres.There are decent no of guns and snipers and an excellent storyline.

MY FINAL COMMENT
Play this game even if you are new to the hitman series.IT WILL get boring after you FINISH the game 4 times

i love this game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: October 03, 2005
Author: Amazon User

this game is awsome if you like to be stealthy, you can just all out kill people but its more chanllenging if you go stealth.

Hitman 2 = Awesome

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: April 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game isn't very long but definitely not a waste of your time. It is challenging, fun, and somewhat customizable. What I mean is you can beat the level however you want. $300,000 per hit. No rules. One condition. Excellent.

Hitman 2: It's twice as nice...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: May 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Poor old 47, he can't get some peace and quiet.
Since his last game, 47 has turned into a catholic and has retreated from the agency to a nice garden shed at the back of a church. So things seem peaceful for our hero...

But then some italian gangsters appear and kidnap his friend and mentor Father Vittorio, demanding £5,000,000 in two days.
This leaves 47 no choice but to return to the Agency and plead for help.

The best bit about Hitman 2 is that the developers have kept the best bits of the first Hitman game and have improved on the niggles that appeared on the first game. Aiming has been improved with a first person mode, and you are now rated on your preformance.

The ultimate aim of the game is to find Vittorio, then to kill the scumbags who kidnapped him! You can play this game in many ways. You could go in gung-ho style and shoot all things that breath, or you can use stealth and sneak in, kill and sneak out.

There are plenty of unlockables and the difficulty of the game is very challenging.
If your looking for a shooter which forces you to think rather than blast, then buy this game.

It won't dissapoint.

Great Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: June 19, 2004
Author: Amazon User

All of the choices you can make are just amazing. There are at least 5-10 ways to complete every mission. Nice graphics and gameplay, I would definately recommend it to anybody who likes 3rd or 1st person shooters (as you can switch between the two if you like). Love the Hitman symbol. Great game overall.

HItman

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: June 22, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I have never played the first hitman but i bought this game on advice from a friend. This game is on of the best games that I have played. the missions might be short and the death secenes might be overdone. For example if you shoot someone in the foot with the M95 (a 50 cal. gun) he will die. I do know that and fifty cal gun is powerful but i thought that it would just blow off his foot. Also if you run it is a death sentence. But over all the game is great. It is a game in which you need to plan approach carefully. Or you can go in with your ballers and slaughter everyone in the level. But if you are going for a silent assissan rating you need to be careful. The game is awsome and the replay value is high it is worth the money.

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next 

Actions