This game is fantastic. 98/100. Some people complain about rubbish AI but I've had no problems with, no glitches at all actually. There are multiple, big open levels with various ways to play, carefully planned accidents or gory improvised kills, it all works beautifully under he gorgeous Glacier engine. Hitman graphics have always been top of the line and Absolution is no different. The soundtrack is of course, superb again. And the five difficulty levels really do vary, very easy to spot the differences, No-one can complain the game is too easy or too hard, just really stupid if they do, because the range of difficulty is great for newcomers, casual gamer's and hardcore fans alike. Purist is absolutely mental.

The only negative points; instinct is quite cool but nothing on the old map which i do kinda miss and the checkpoint system is basically useless, however you don't even get player activated checkpoints on the higher difficulty levels, so that really is irrelevant for most of the difficulty levels. Replay-ability is excellent with almost 300 collectibles/challenges to do, play styles, disguise collection, play style, 47 upgrades, and of course trying to get Silent Assassin on every level. Not to mention Contracts mode, 50,000 contracts and counting, this game really never does end!

Far Cry 3 is immersive, Mass Effect went out with a bang, and Dishonored was a unique experience but Hitman really is game of the year. It's darkly funny, over the top, beautiful, packed with detail and variety and can be replayed countless times. Best game ever.… Expand

This game is a stealth game (for you people that think it is a shooter), a great stealth game at that! The cover system is very similar to that of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and the guns are just for show really. This was my very first hitman and altough i would like to see more open levels and more accidental kills it is still a great enjoyable polished game everyone should play. So go buy it damn it!… Expand

Look, i'm not going to lie, okay? this game isn't perfect but it's one of the best games this gen imo and i'm not exaggerating, it's sad that most prefer to play generic first person shooter instead of actual good games like this, this game deserves a 9 but i gave it a perfect score to counter all those 0's coming from trolls that haven't even played the game.

Hitman: Absolution isn't perfect but it's one of the best games to release this, it's kinda sad that most "gamers" prefer to play generic, bland and crappy military first person shooter instead of really good games like this, this game deserves a 8.5 but i gave it a perfect score to counter all those 0's coming from trolls that haven't even played the game.

About a quarter of the way through and so far each mission gets better and more amazing this is my first Hitman game but the best part is it really sells the whole "taking some one out" and even better the whole "I have to get out of here and the entire city's police are out looking for me." If you're looking for a really cool game this holiday, can't recommend Hitman enough!!!

I have to say that this game is awesome. The immersion into the Hitman universe is for me always great, and "Absolution" has held true to the Hitman spirit.

Less sandbox and more linear play is for me an upside, as I enjoyed the game a little more, though I think it reduces the fun in replaying levels.

I find it pathetic that some folks still can't take off thier nostalgia goggles for seconds to review this game fairly instead of hating on it and giving it a low score because certain moment in the story that i won't spoil here annoyed them, it's sad to see games like this, Darksider 2 and Assassin's Creed III get bashed while generic military first person shooters get praised by the same people, this game isn't perfect but it's one of the best games to release this gen imo, great story, great graphics and gameplay, absolutely no bugs/glitches, just perfect.… Collapse

Welcome back agent 47 this game is absolutely beautiful and brilliant yea sure people will find crap to nitpick about but this is an action/stealth gamers dream come true this is a must play for fans of the the series and the genre all together stop what you are doing right now and go by this game.

Hitman: Absolution is a slow, methodical stealth game that out does it's predecessors. Killing his long time handler and fan-favorite of the series, Diana Burnwood, Agent 47's journey becomes personal, as it leads him on the trail of a girl named Victoria. Hitman : Absolution has most interesting plot in the series since Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, and is worth revisiting.

Starting off in Diana's large mansion, then to moving your way through the busied streets of Chinatown, the game features numerous locations all different from the last. Multiple paths can be taken in each level, leaving tons of variety in each level to be played an excessive amount. Also, the locales are all breathtaking thanks to IO's new Glacier 2 engine. If you're a avid Hitman fan, Absolution will not leave you disappointed. This game was completely worth the six year hiatus after Blood Money. Pick this one up.… Expand

This truly is an amazing game that deserves a GOTY award, Though it may not be exactly like game prior it's position in the series, it's not necessarily a bad thing. For instance Graphics, Story, and Ease of control are major enhancements that I couldn't go back to with blood money.

Though I do miss weapon attachments. (I do understand why their gone)

Good god this is so badass! They really nailed it again! From story to gameplay it is just perfekt! Really worth the money and the score 10/10!
If you havent played the 4 other hitman games then do it! The story from this is after all the other games

PERFECT GAME. The best Hitman ever. Nice story, no bugs, nothing wrong with this game. HITMAN 4 EVER! I think it is the best game of the year, but we have to wait to far cry 3. But until now, hitman is the best.

Das Comeback des Jahres

2012 gab es so manch ein Spiel, einige Remakes oder weitere Fortsetzungen von bekannten Titeln, die es jedes Jahr gibt, doch wenig neues. Hitman Absolution ist eine Fortsetzungen einer tollen Reihe, die wirklich neues sowie bekanntes, altes zu bieten hat. Man konnte fast nur positives hier lesen, was einfach daran liegt das Hitman Absolution ein komplettes gutes Spiel ist, wo einfach das Gesamtpaket stimmt. Der hohe Wiederspielwert oder die tolle Atmosphäre sowie die tolle Technik, die einen fast vermuten lässt man spielt ein Next-Gen Titel, sorgen dafür das Hitman Absolution eins, wenn nicht sogar das Top Spiel des Jahres 2012 ist.

Dieses Spiel ist nicht nur für Fans der Reihe ein Pflichtkauf… Expand

Waiting for 6 years ... 6 years of painfully having to just honestly hope for the new Htiman to come out and is it worth it ?
YES ! All the negative critics you will be reading is from , -buthurt- Hitman fans that never understood the concept of Hitman games obviously. It's about choice , tactics and taking your time in order to create an impressive chain of things that happen before you in the sandbox , all of that has been kept in Hitman Absolution , it's just been adapted to a more modern setting , with missions being cut up in different pieces which in one hand allows today's aging consoles to not experience a single hickup doing play , AND keeps the player on his feet giving him different environments constantly ! Graphics , gameplay , a 15x better story than the previous games in the series and spot on incredible amounts of replayability makes this game give it a 9.5/10 , truly something every games that doesn't have their head stuck too deep up COD's a** should try and play the hell out of , cause I sure am!… Expand

Fantastic game that allows to finish/kill your target in many different ways, in this sense it is similar to deus ex human revolution. It has a very cool point systems that awards for completing a task a certain way and there many awesome challenges you can complete during your missions. This game is not linear because it allows you to be creative with your kills. The trolls that left bad reviews are the ones that have not played the game… Expand

Truly feast to eyes and treat to mind, totally mesmerizing and breathtaking experience, there are only few games which stays in you mind for months and this is one among them, hatts off to its creator...it was indeed pleasure, playing such a marvelous GAME....it has got a "WOW" effect....

This is the overlooked game of the year.

In a rebuttal to the negative critics I would say that the Hitman developers has not sold out to be a 'low rent MGS game' or a game that tries to be other action games or the ridiculous false claim that you spend 80% of the the time not assassinating people but watch them get killed in cutscenes - all these claims are not true after playing my first round of Hitman: Absolution.

I have played all three of the previous games: Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Hitman: Contracts, and Hitman: Blood Money so I am a huge fan of the Hitman series and would know if IO has deviated from its formula. And I have to say that IO interactive somehow unified all the gameplay ,environment, and story elements from these three games and put it into Hitman: Absolution. The game has everything Hitman fans liked. This game played like a dream(on every level) and a big break from all these so called GOTY shooters. Another element of the game I liked is how they integrated a score system comparing your score to the average US score and World score. Very rarely would I want to play an action game again(even if it is GOTY) but this gives players incentive to be even more cautious and stealthy more so than Hitman: Blood Money.

This is the definitive Hitman game. My only complaint is that Jesper Kyd was not the music composer this time.… Expand

I personally loved this game. And mind you that this is coming from a hitman fan since Contracts. The AI for me was pretty realistic, there were maybe 1 or 2 moments where I was really wondering how the computer detected me but overall I liked the levels a lot. Your play style greatly influences the amount of points you recieve. And of course the silent assassin gets you the most. Overall, fantastic game.… Expand

THE GAME IS GOOD IN ALL ASPECTS ESPECIALLY THE KILLING THE AI AND ALSO THE GRAPHICS ARE EXCELLENT THE ONLY CON OF THE GAME IS THE STORY CUZ THE STORY IS SHORT OR IS NOT THAT INTERESTING NOT THE BEST HITMAN GAME EVER BUT IF YOU LOVE STEALTH YOU'LL LOVE IT THIS GAME IS A 9.5 FOR ME SINCE THERE IS NO 9.5 IN METACRITIC I GIVE IT A 10!!! -----akashpunkfanno1

WHAT A GAME! The graphics are outstanding, with a solid 30fps in all the situations, the game history is amazing, the best game that you can buy in the begin of 2013.

Absolutely superb. No I'm not someone who has been sat around waiting for the next hitman game, no I'm not prone to giving out TENS , check my reviews. However H:A is, in what it tries to do, flawless. It is simultaneously beautiful, engaging, enthralling, immersive, disturbing, funny, cheeky and bloody. It thrives on allowing the player freedom and creativity. In this world of ultra-hype and ultra-letdown ( hello cod, ac, etc) this is a refreshing and welcome reminder of what a great game can be. This may slip under the paid-for reviews but don't let it slip under yours- patience or carnage- you decide. I'm serious this might be £35 you actually don't regret.… Expand

Yes, it truely is Hitman:Conviction but so what? I love the Hitman series AND the Splinter Cell series. What seems to upset a lot of critics, is for me a marriage made in heaven. Though I understand the wrath of all the Hitman purists out there who miss the austere multiple-choice design of the first 4 Hitman games I also totally see the developers point of view. Come on guys, they can't simply repeat themselves. They have to try something different. Apart from personal taste, the production values are incredible. The game looks fantastic, the story is great - pushed forward through GTA style cutscenes - and it plays like butter. Just 1 point short of perfection due to some annoying bugs (like ie visible grid on medium depth of field) and DX crashes.… Expand

I'll keep this simple: Graphics are amazing, ridiculously good (which makes sense because of the also ridiculously big 20gb file size). Gameplay is still great, a lot more linear and a bit easier than previous Hitman games, but still amazingly fun (and long). I reccomend this game highly :)

Hitman is one of my favorite stealth franchises of all time and it's back. Hitman Absolution is the fifth game in the series and the first true next gen Hitman title. The story in HA starts off right where blood money left off and that's great for fans of the series. The story is intriguing and has many twists and turns to keep you interested. The graphics are truly something to behold and I like a lot of the bloom effects. The game has a very distinct art style and more games should create their own style. The gameplay is classic Hitman, you can tackle the objective in many different ways. I suggest if your decent at stealth games that you play the game on hard and work your way up from there. The normal mode is just too easy and the AI seems dumb then. The AI is very good on hard mode and I don't even want to know how hard the game would be on purist. The stiffness of movement from previous Hitman games is gone and the game plays very well. The gunplay has also been improved in case you get in a ruff spot here and there. Overall Hitman Absolution is a great game and was definitely worth the six year wait.… Expand

all i can say is that the wait was worthed and worthed to full price. why? 30+ hours of single player and you can have 60,100 hours because theres a insane ammount of ways to do your objective you can play each level in hundred different ways and so you can replay and replay and have new experience. the downside is the disguise system isnt what i was used to be, but lets be honest here, on previous titles it almost made you like in god mode, now it works but you've limits, its meant now for last resort and sudden situations where you stumble into an enemy. you can't choose loadouts on SP but you can on contracts mode, wich is the same of SP but you've more freedom. lenghty, fun and sandbox....... you'll find yourself playing it for years!!… Expand

hitman is an absolutely great game. yes it is very repetitive but truly great. it has a great plot great missions and a brilliant peformance from agent 47. all your targets are horrbile nasty buggers who deserve their cummupence and the levels are so vast with so much to do and the game is one of the hardest ive played on ps3 in a generation where games are becoming very easy. while the ending isnt great it sets up the for a sequel which has already been announced which i am looking forward too. while the campaign is of a decent length contracts will keep you playing. it is a great mode and the amount of contracts avaliable is never ending and while some of very easy some are very hard and contracts is gonna be crammed in 6mounths time. creati your own contracts is also very fun and competing with others for the best score is great load of fun. overall absolution is a great game with bothe brilliant singleplayer and multiplayer modes which ewill keep you going for a long time.the amount of possibilities in both modes add to time spent. some will not enjoy this and will go in all guns blazing and that is not the hitman way. this wont appeal to fps fanatics and it is not essential but it is a great game which i reccomend.… Expand

I really am someone who loves the Hitman series. I found every previous Hitman game either great or brilliant.. Of course, this game is different than previous Hitman games. If this game wasn't called Hitman, it may have been perfect. But is was called Hitman, and as a result it was a minor disappointment, but overall if was still a phenomenal game. There is tons of replayability in that you will constantly be trying to either better your score, attempt to get a silent assassin rating or simply complete challenges. You may even just enjoy the atmosphere of a level. This game wasn't spot on with all of it's features, with the Instinct feature occasionally crippling the exploration, one of the key elements of the Hitman experience, but if you learn to adapt to how this game works, you will find one of the best games on the PS3.… Expand

This game is awesome , at the start people said it was gonna be to easy , well they were wrong this game is still hard as the old ones! No bugs , it has an interesting storyline , AWESOME gameplay and camron12 says we spend 80% of the time not killing (Thats not true) and hitman game is about patience 8If you wana be stealthy) or you can just pick the 2 pistols and just start killing everyone

I have long been a huge fan of the Hitman games ever since I played Hitman 2 on the XBOX, so you could imagine my disbelief at having to wait for another hitman title so long after the last instalment, Blood Money (which was released back in mid-2006). I also had initial fears that the promised updates and nuances to the gameplay of Absolution would dilute the core gameplay - so I'm more than happy to report that Absolution not only is a superb game, its a cracking return to form for Agent 47!! Graphics and sound are beautifully handled (even if the cut-scenes can be a mite grainy), the plot is given huge emotional gravitas (the weight of which is carried by some well-known voice actors, all of whom do a sterling job), and the gameplay is the solid Hitman gameplay, laced with unusual moments that are handled smoothly, and rather than introduce anything new to the gameplay that hasn't been seen before, they are well-thought-out flashes of realistic brilliance, that only serve to up the tension and make you feel that your actions do matter. Absolution is a slight change to the formula, but its a welcome one, and even if you're not a fan of the Hitman games, I do urge you to try this title out at least. The equivalent of a gripping pageturner.… Expand

So you are undecised about buying the game?
Did you played the previous games? NO? Buy this one then. You'll love the experience and it's definitely one of those products that will leave you thinking that your money was well spent as so much challenge and content (including the Sniper Challenge mini-game) can be found in it.

But if you loved Blood Money and expect some of the same? GO TAKE A HIKE YOU MORON. Have you read Bloodmoney 2 anywhere? Haven't you seen the extensive videos released many months before the release date? You want more Bloodmoney GO INSTALL IT AND PLAY IT AND STOP WHINING.

Now... the more correct puntuaction would be 8,5. Here's my negative points concerning this game.

1. The decision of the developers of dividing a level into sections is not of my pleasing. But it would be OK if they managed to let the actions to be carry onto from one section to another, affecting the behavior of the NPCs in each section.

2. Many times i felt that the I.A. should be more dynamic. Big AAA games must always push the boundaries of gaming mechanics, and that wasn't met.

3. Little details like the Mary Poppins effect (try to hide a big ass gun in your coat and pass through a disco bouncer... i think there's a petition in EIDOS forums to bring back the Sniper Case), and little stuff concerning the realism of the experience.

AH... and forget the complaints about the user-activated checkpoint system... A TRUE HITMAN PLAYS IN PURIST MODE were none of that %&?# is available.

Surely one of the best of 2012 and my personal GOTY.… Expand

Damn, 47's is back with a load of style :D Graphics are nice, gameplay is nice and it has enough replay-value in comparison to all the other bestselling-crap like CoD etc. out there; you're free to play it your way (voilent/sneaky/professional). I am not missing anything (but a map ;). They even added a surprisingly useful online-mode to compete in and create contracts! Get your hands on it, this is how sequels are done the right way!… Expand

O único jogo Stealth que você mata alguém e pode não ser notado, a interação com o cenário ótima, não presenciei um único bug, e o modo Contratos bem divertido.

Don't believe the blatantly poor reviews some of the users are leaving, how you can give this game a 4 out of 10 or lower when 97% of the professional reviews are extremely positive, that right there should cause you to immediately disregard those bad reviews.
Hitman Absolution is a great gaming experience. The team at IO have taken the formula from previous installments and then perfected it. As always, the options are plentiful for 47, now there is even more choice, and more opportunities to employ them. Now you can do things like climb out windows and through vents for shortcuts, or just use the fantastic cover system and disguises to slip right past your enemies.
Graphics have a unique feel and are very pretty, especially lighting, shadow, and textures are very well done. The environments that show off the graphics are just as lovingly crafted, authentic, and fun to run around in and interact with. Writing and voice acting are another strong point for this game, its satisfying just to wait behind cover and listen to an interesting(and often hilarious) conversation.
All in all, between the fun and tight game mechanics, great story and characters, and so much variety in both gameplay and environment settings, thus is one that you will enjoy all the way through and then some. Great job IO and Square Enix!… Expand

I'm about halfway through this title and it has been a really fun game. I was surprised at the amount of negative reviews for this game and they all fell into two categories: The first group loved previous Hitman games and Absolution to them has different gameplay and is a "corruption" of the franchise; the second group are gamers with some obvious agenda since they've mostly never reviewed any other games and reviewed EACH PLATFORM of Hitman 2:Absolution with a 0. That's desperation… Expand

As a long time Hitman fan i was skeptical when i heard of some changes. But i must say getting the chance to play it for myself has put those to rest, great assassination missions padded out with fantastic levels in between which further the story. Loved every minute

Simply Outstanding, a great game for the patient gamer... if you like COD id steer clear of this one. Great graphics and an excellent story. I love the experimentation and freedom this game gives you. Simply a great game and well worth the money. BUY IT

**Spoiler free review**

This is the first time I have ever reviewed a game, which should give a good idea of how great I think this game is.

For those who don't know, Agent 47 is the main character, a cold blooded assassin who (historically) has little morality and will kill whoever is in his way of a paycheck. He has a history of killing a diverse group of characters, including drug dealers, a priest, businessmen, and even a Vice President once. But this time, for the most part, Agent 47 doesn't kill for money. He does most of his killing, so far in my play through, to protect a young woman. This is very unusual for Agent 47, but people change just as much as the times do. This threw me off at first, and to be honest, the story could be much better. Without giving any details, you will soon realize the storyline goes off on wild ends and does not make much sense at times. For example, Agent 47 is on the run for a large portion of the game, so why would he care about protecting a young stranger while his own life is in danger? A woman whom he barely even knows??? Some would say Hitman Absolution is trying to show Agent 47's "good side" but UMMM, this man is a hitman lol. I love the Hitman series and have played every single game of it, but the storyline here might be the worst of the series. With that being said, the action and gameplay more than make up for the weak story. You can be a holy roller and kill ONLY your targets, or go H.A.M. and kill whomever you want. This game can be a sadist's bloody fantasy, as the violence and gore in this game is over the top. In a good way.

The sound is also perfect, and while the music could better, the sound effects are heart stopping. The sounds of bullets hitting flesh are maybe the best I've ever heard in a video game, and the amount of dead bodies you can pile up will either impress you or make you want to throw up. YES, the game is THAT realistic. There is a level which things can get so bloody you're not sure if you're playing a game or watching a bloodbath unfold before your very eyes. Voice acting also isn't too bad, with conversations being pretty funny at times.

In short, this game is not as good as Blood Money, but it is easily the 2nd best game of the franchise. The only reason I have Blood Money as better than Absolution is because it is more PURE Hitman, solo missions in which you have a target and take him or her out. I don't like how so much of the story has Hitman running around and simply dodging cops, isn't that what cut scenes are for? Anyway, this game is still a classic due to its intense realism and twisted world, which is very engaging. A solid 9.4 out of 10 stars. BUY IT you will not regret it.… Expand

I think this game is very designed. This my first Hitman and it only this year game, which could surprised me! And I thinks that this game will game of the year!!!!

What a great game! Wow! I wanted to play a Hitman game since the first one. It was above my expectations. The story was very weak, but I'm a huge gamer, and the level design was one of the best I saw in my life.

Hitman is a very good game, however in this game you dont play for the violence but for the very satisfaction of a job well done. I would give it a solid 9 out of ten. I am on the 12th level and I am enjoying the game play. Its challenging and it forces you to try different things to complete the mission. How you complete it is entirely up to the gamer. It does take a while to ease into the game, thats probably why people felt it necessary to give it a negative score. In Hitman you will be rewarded with patience with a higher ranking score. To sum it up, Hitman is a certainly and engrossing game but may not be for everyone. You just couldn… Expand

This game is a blast. I've never had so much fun bashing people's skull in with a brink. You can pretty much pick up and use anything as a weapon. You can throw objects in an area to distract an enemy, or you can throw a knife and kill an enemy. You can also kill you main target in clever ways, like sabotaging a remedy to help cure hair lose with fire paste. Contract mode is a nice little addition in which you can create or play other peoples contract. I've barely touched contract mode, so I can't really give an opinion on it. My only minor complaint is the disguise system. Even though you can have a mask on, people will still detect you, which can be annoying, but that complaint is very minor. All in all this is a very fun game, and I highly recommend it.… Expand