To those that give this game a bad review, I just wanna say... you don't know what good games are! This game is just amazing! Great graphics, great music, and a great storyline. Just an amazing game.

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.

I gave this a 9 because it is a great game, not a 10 because hey' no game is perfect (apart from zelda oot, resident evil 1.2&3 final fantasy 8 and MGS 1.2.3&4) Anyway, Hitman absolution is a great game by today's standards.
The levels are NOT one big open world like it has been in the past is what people are saying and by some respect they are right in saying this.
HOWEVER, the levels are still quite big with many things to see, find, and do in them. The difference is that you start a level and exit elsewhere you don't exit in the same place after killing the main target. Hitman has always been single levels and a main objective where as this may not have a main objective on SOME levels however you have to get from one place to another without being seen, this can be fun, but when you try for the extras it is challenging and when you try for a silent assassin rank on purist mode it can be **** annoying.
if people are on the first part on level 3 (apartment block area) then thats the reason for the bad score, the mission was very bland however the game grows on you believe me i have been a hitman fan for about 10 years nows (since 2 silent assassin) Blood money was a great game and the graphics were poor and buggy even though I love the game.
For example remember when you used to fibre wire some unlucky guys neck? Yep? Well remember when they used to spin flop to the floor? Oh you do! Well this game has no bugs.

This may not sound like it should be better because of that I'm saying its more "realistic" for a Hitman game.

I think square enix deserve credit for this game what with the garbage they have released since let's face it ff10 when the company was know as squaresoft and eidos made hitman themselves.

Trust me if you are a fan of the games you will love it, there will be a part of you for about 3-4 hours that will feel pity for yourself and you will reminisce about how it used to let you just get on with it without the extra features you have now.
Then you will get over it and enjoy the game.
There are challenges which make the game more fun to try and beat your friends score and the contracts mode I am yet to play.

Honestly blood money only needed an up to date engine but this has a cool story, graphics are good and it is fun to play and a game that is replayable. Square be proud of this and I look forward to seeing another hitman but please oh god please sooner then 7 years time.

I would have picked this game up over resident evil 6 (read the start of my review) black ops 2, dishonoured, doom 3 bfg, boring lands 2 sorry borderlands 2, and even halo 4 which I am a retard because I bought the special edition thinking it would have some good stuff inside and not just a lame avatar outfit and the edition cost me £70 :O

Square please concentrate on making more hitman games and not stuff like final fantasy 13 part give us your money again please and Kane and Lynch 2 dull days.

Fans of hitman I am sorry for sidetracking but don't be fooled, meta critic is a free review site and anyone can rule how a games score is affected. Ever liked the hitman games? Then buy this one too!

Oh and lastly my leader board score for Chinatown is rank 47 in the world lol what are the chances....50/50 actually now that I think about it.....… Expand

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, absolutely no bugs/glitches, just perfect.… Expand

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.

Perfect Hitman game. You'd be silly to think otherwise, it's a masterpiece from start to finish and with contracts mode added there is always even more replay ability over the constantly changing world around you.

like with any game, there's good and there's bad, the shooting could be a bit more refined... that's about my only gripe, bottom line if u play this the way its intended... a stealth sneak by unseen and get out with no trace u were there, then the game its nearly perfect but if u go for more action its still a very good game, the best Hitman game to date by a large margin.

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

I am registering to metacritic to write a review for this game - just because there are too many weird negative reviews that do no justice what this game is. Have people lost their minds?

The game is excellent. I recently bought and played Dishonored, Max Payne 3, Mass Effect 3, Skyrim and Fallout 3. Max Payne 3 was a boozed-out slugfest, and very formulaic. The game missed the spirit of the earlier Max. But still, not a disaster. But not great. Mass Effect 3 - I had fun playing it. Don't care for the save the galaxy crap, but like a true fan, liked the first few levels, especially the one on the Turian planet, and a few characters. Wasn't 'outraged' by the ending. Skyrim - didn't care for the dragon crap, but had some fun playing the main mission. Fallout 3 - was too grey and monotonous. Dishonored - was the game I liked the most of the lot, but thinking back, there are parts which didn't move me much. What was great about Dishonored were the character models, the artwork and the level design esthetics. I liked the climb-back from Corvo's downfall, where he gets dumped in the Flooded district amidst the Weepers.

Hitman, I would place at the top of this entire pile. As a gamer, you'd always think how unrealistic many of 3D FPS settings always have been. How most worlds we saw shorn of detail, had no objects you could interact with, had all kinds of HUD hand-holding interface elements. In short, the lack of realism that would cruelly distract from the gameplay one enjoys as a gamer, but can yet not convey to the casual onlooker because what confronts him or her is the stark unconvincing unrealism. All that is gone with Hitman. Imagine bustling crowds as far as the eye can see, or imagine rustling corn shoulder-high in a field, or a mid-western US small town junkyard - you'll be there. One can only imagine a Deus Ex set in such a world.

Of course, there are small glitches and distractions. But you have throw yourself into a game and enjoy it first. Your rating score is useless otherwise. That is what most of these low scoring reviews here represent. Bunch of insincere, complaining seekers of nostalgia, if anything else at all.

Hitman is a landmark game that deserves gamers' appreciation. It has its flaws - perhaps the weird save system (can be downright frustrating if you goof up and get yourself killed) and the structuring of the story narrative where control is taken away from the player on occasion. But who gives a damn if the game works? The 'cinematicism' does not, and cannot detract from the game.… Expand

This review contains spoilers. I'm like halfway trough the game now, and I have to say that everything about it is what I was expecting if not even more. Some might say that it is linear, and yes they are right in some aspects but I'f you look trough it there is a bunch of choices on how you are going to get from A to B, for example in the Hotel level there is 3 entrances with their own distinct way to get trough. And thats what I like about Absolution or the hitman series in general. The story is also very good in my honest opinion, maybe a little dumb here and there but it works and you get interested in the characters. Oh and I might add one epic scene from the Hippie level in the chapter "Run for your life", it was so unexpected to see police men starting to dance making the way clear to get out.… Collapse

Epic game this is for me the best hitman game yet the story keeps you hooked from start to finish.The stealth game play is awesome and makes you think really hard on what to do next to accomplish the mission.The rest of the game is just as epic.The controls are smooth and really easy and quick to learn.The graphics is very impressive and the entire game put together is fantastic

Time to wake up, people. Take off those Last Gen Hitman pants off and accept the future. The last entries to the series were good, for the first 3 times you complete it. There was no replayability in the past games other than playing the levels over and over. I'm a huge Hitman fan and i'm happy to see they made changes to the franchise. The gameplay is more organic, responsive and less stiff. The visuals are gorgeous and i can't wait to see the next gen Hitman game use Glacier 2 on the next gen consoles. When it comes to the value and replayability of Hitman: Absolution, fear not. The singleplayer campaign takes you around 15 hours if you explore and think of new ways to dispose of your target. There are 20 levels to do your murdering in and these levels can also be utilized in the new ''Contracts'' mode. (To be honest the first time i booted the game up and saw ''Contracts'' i thought the game came with Hitman: Contracts, which was the third entry to the series) In ''Contracts'' you can make your own hits and put them up for others to play. These contracts can have specific weapons used to dispose of your target and by killing the target with that specific weapon, you get bonus cash as a reward. The game is all around a Hitman game. The people that moan about it ''not'' being a Hitman game because it's not Bloodmoney are a bunch of morons. Times change, game engines change. Hitman: Absolution is not only a stellar Hitman game but also a great stealth/action game.… Expand

I had to register in order to write a review appropriate for this game that I've yet to read. Hitman: Absolution offers a linear story that is much more story driven than previous iterations. Whether or not that is a different approach for earlier Hitman games is irrelevant due to the fact that IO interactive knew what they were going after and nailed it. The intensity of 47's role as Victoria's protector makes it all the more engaging in my mind. I find that some of the missions, Hunter and Hunted for example, were far too long to be a single mission but the way they broke them up by parts that all have individual scores makes replaying them sound a lot better. One other legitimate complaint is the disguise system; I know they attempted to create a "third party" factor for optimal incognito but it took it a little far. Dress as a cop, fellow cops call you out almost instantly if you don't instinct prior to being in their line of sight. Dress as a goon or any disguise that is part of a group of people and they'll be suspicious of you and the only way to solve that is by either "hiding" by doing a task that fits that identity or using instinct. While it makes sense, seeing as you should know the people in your clique, it got a little out of hand during some missions. Back to the key points, Contracts mode is a perfect addition to Hitman, much better than a limited multiplayer like other stealth based games attempt. I don't know if it's just me, but I love being able to queue other peoples contracts and figuring out ways to do it better myself. I will admit a true downfall is only being able to purchase upgrades for your safe house is via an offshore account that is funded for completing contracts. That's no issue for me, but for people that lack internet connections would really get old of grinding IO's contracts for money I'd assume. Now I'm currently on mission 15 out of 20 on Purist, and I've not found nearly any glitches or unusual bugs, contrary to people claiming so. The only problem I've had was on mission 14, I had a hard time getting the QTE for subdueing to proc on a goon. Overall this game is phenomenal and I sincerely recommend it.… Expand

So yeah...as a long time player of hitman...I do understand what the fuss is about. However...as a long time player I immediately put this game on hard. Glad i did since I watched my roommate play on normal and it seemed ridiculously easy. All I gotta say is that you "so called" old school fans need to get your panties out of a bundle and play it on a harder level. Yes it was a disappointment that it wasn't as open as the others but it was pretty much the same formula. I was bothered that they took out the sand box form but most levels have way more than one way to kill your target much like in blood money! Get over yourself and play the new game for what it is. The stealthiness is there if you use it.… Expand

This game was great in all aspects. Obviously the plot of Blood Money was so good that was nearly impossible to make it better, but this game it's so good. Don't trust anyone that say he liked the previous ones and give this one a score less than 7... The most of the complains here are just ridiculous or fake.

Let me just say I love the hitman series. This is not hitman Blood Money 2. It does take parts from the previous hitman games and combine it into one game. For me, i wouldnt want a blood money sequel with improved AI and new storyline. It then would be a COD game where you just change little things in sequels. I believe the story is really good. I find it keeps me into the game more than blood money. The design of the levels are amazing along with the graphics that go along with them. The gameplay is fun. It is not like blood money but it is still good. You need to be sure to look at the notebook and look at the many ways you can kill your targets. Contracts mode is a plus. People are so creative with their assassination missions. I give the game a 8 out of 10 but because it seems like people gave it a 0 out of 10 because the game isnt a blood money sequel, i gave it a 10/10… Expand

"Absolution" is a great game, but it's certainly not the Hitman game many were expecting. It plays a lot more like the Splinter Cell series. The game is much more polished then previous Hitman games, with almost zero glitches and bugs to be found. It controls wonderfully, too. Even though I much preferred the freedom of the previous entry "Blood Money", I found that I could not go back to it after experiencing the huge technical advancements that "Absolution" has over it. The levels are very well designed (except for a couple) and there are plenty of ways to achieve your goals. The levels are smaller and less interesting than the levels of "Blood Money", but they are still well designed. If you like the idea of a more cinematic experience and welcome some major changes, then you'll certainly have a lot of fun with this game. I know I did.… Expand

Almost perfect game! Exceptional graphics, even on the dated consoles, very good replay value and good story. I've also bought this game for PC, just to support the developers!

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

I might've been one of you who dislikes this game. I'm a big fan of the old series and still think they're a great concept that needs better execution. I was slightly disappointed with the action-oriented, linear route Absolution takes. But I can't dislike this game. I luvs it. It's not Blood Money 2 and once you get around that, it's a great game that tries to do a lot and does most of it right.

The graphics are pretty, especially for console standards this is quite a looker. If you're bored of brown/grey shooters, Absolution presents you with a refreshing array of environments, both indoors and outdoors taking you from a gothic interpretation of a modern American city to a quaint desert oil town. It's all wonderfully cliched, pulpy and over the top and nicely done. Most of all the story never really gets in the way. Cutscenes don't overstay their welcome and the script never reaches for dramatic heights it can't reach. The level of design and detail in the environment makes it feel like you are visiting proper places and not just levels in a game. There's a lot of ambience altough this sometimes translates into a pretty heavy handed bloom-implementation that makes it seem like 47's skull actually gives off light. In other areas it's used to quite beautiful effect.

Controls also see an upgrade and feel tight and responsive. You're always in control of Hitman's actions and reactions and it all works right. It can even be played as a very competent and entertaining third person shooter if you want, altough you'll miss most of the fun.

It looks great, plays great and it's not a run-of-the-mill commando-shooter. In fact, the game is at it's best when you don't shoot anyone. It becomes a giant moving puzzler. This is finally a proper stealth game, where you can ghost your way through all the levels (often in multiple ways!). There are always multiple approaches and the environments are littered with deadly tools and potential death traps. All you need to do is go in and get creative.

People lament that the old brainyness of Hitman is gone, and that's true in a way. But that was also the old games' point of frustration. If your plan went wrong, all you could do was start again. Absolution achieves something quite remarkable in throwing that old template away. This is the first stealth game I've played where no matter what goes wrong, you can keep playing. Once enemies are aware of you, the cat and mouse that ensues is a lot of fun and there are a million and one ways to lure, subdue and kill your enemies.

The game rewards and actively encourages experimentation and multiple plays with a smart unlockable system. So really, once you get past the fact it's not Blood Money 2, it's a great game. The story attempts to be a Rodriguez style grindhouse affair and doesn't really succeed, but who cares... it entertained me more than the grumpy faced, let's save the universe wannabe grimy and intelligent pulp most games have. It's all trash, Hitman at least admits it. In this world, everybody is a perv..so a hitsquad of latex clad nuns makes perfect sense. The story never gets in the way, it just serves the purpose of taking you from location to location, and Absolution offers great variety here to the point that when you do get to the inevitable industrial area/mine shaft/factory environment all other games have, it's almost a welcome distraction... almost.

It's not perfect. It's cheesy in places, the characters are hard to like. It's also not the game hardcore Hitman fans expect and even I would still love to see a hardcore open-level stealth game like Contract return to consoles. But IO also isn't the biggest studio and they need to turn a profit, so some concession would have to be made. I'd say they made them very elegantly and if you take all the fan-sentiment out of the picture, they delivered a highly enjoyable, smart, colourful and beautiful game. The polished exterior hides a great stealth 'em up that not only accommodates a staggering variety of playstyles, but lets you switch between them on the move.

If you're passing up on this one because some old fans are angry it's not the game they wanted, you may be missing out. In terms of just the amount of fun I've had, this is my best game of 2012… Expand

The best Hitman title since Silent Assassin. It's always hard to see a great work receive negative comments due to the respondents being of a limited mindset. Hitman Absolution offers a vivid, creative and highly enjoyable experience which I am very glad to have had. Despite a few easily patchable problems with enemies re-spawning where they shouldn't after a stuff up and reload, the game-play is consistently varied and engaging. The title does not compensate for the player's incompetence, and that's exactly why it has received some negativity: people get upset when they can't have their health regenerate or reload their save from a second before they last screwed everything up. Hitman Absolution is a true Hitman game and not a modern-day hand-holding five hour jaunt like most releases of recent years. Absolution is at very least the second best game in the franchise, and anyone who says differently is kidding themselves.… Expand

This is a great game, so well crafted from the story, to the gameplay, to graphics and art style. I've played many of the other Hitman games and in truth this is the game I believe Square Enix always wanted to make in the first place. This game is so good I truly did not want to finish it.

When i heard that a new Hitman game was coming out, i was certainly looking forward to seeing the result after playing blood money. Another chance at playing as the infamous agent 47, silent assassin and contract killer was not to be bypassed. The game was not a disappointing to say the least. To start with, single player. For me, the game lived up to its surprising standards established by the trailers, giving me yet another re playable experience of garroting unsuspecting guards and 'accidentally' executing more than my fair share of targets. The single player is definitely worth playing first to get to grips with what i think is an improved control system, offering more ways to incapacitate or kill people with a wider range of household weaponry than before. As for contracts mode, it was an exiting experience to create my own unique challenges, if with a limited number of environments. If your looking for a fun game to thoughtfully murder people in imaginative ways, then Hitman: Absolution is well worth the money. It definitely deserves 9.0 out of 10.… Expand

The new Hitman game has been waiting for 6 years and finally released! Fortunately, I was not disappointed (we). Bring your gaming to the old Hitman level, can not easily be put down, so good. Only one bad thing in the game. The enemies are easy to spot because you killed a man For example, get changed clothes and we put in a box and go to the next target, you noticed. I do not understand why. But this is a great game but not a game of the year, I think the fourth is placed before him, Far Cry 3, Assassin's Creed 3, and Sleeping Dogs.… Expand

I really enjoyed the game... It's the best Hitman! But there are a few bugs. It has a good story, good characters and it's really hard!! It took me so long time to finish this game I feel like a silent killer while playing Hitman

Silent, gritty, dark and funny. IO Interactive have hit the nail on the head, with this great stealth/shooter, although the formula has changed in some way which may alienate some fans, but those who have been there from the beginning like us and many alike, will know this was the best direction for the series to go. With the same stealth mechanics from blood money with a few missing this is still 'One of the best!' stealth games we will see in this lifetime with great attention to detail. Agent 47 is back with a vengeance… Expand