"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

It's an ok game that's not the equal of Blood Money.The broken disguise system is the most infuriating part of this game.Don a police or cooks uniform,for example, and be recognised by every cop and cook in the game...That's just ridiculous.I found myself unusually bored during play and despised the A-B areas with a passion.I had to stop every couple of hours just to motivate myself to keep going until the end.Contracts mode is good though and deserves multiple playthroughs,but I just couldn't be bothered.A very disappointing title.… 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.

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 is the sequel to Blood Money that fans have been itching for. In terms of game mechanics it

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

The fifth Hitman, is it the best or the worst. Well Absolution offers new stealth and the graphics are amazing but it doesn't match up to Blood Money. Hitman Absolution however is one of the best 2012 games. Great Graphics, Great Campaign, Great Characters, but there is a problem that really bothered me, the glitches and it was so annoying, I regreted that the developers didn't put in alot of work into the glitches and the game felt a bit rushed. But overall Hitman Absolution gets 7/10.… Expand

WE WAITED SIX YEARS FOR THIS? NO MA'AM!!! These AAA titles have been nothing but hyped up garbage so far, and Absolution is no different. After the brilliant Blood Money title, I was so hyped for this game. I mean they had SIX YEARS to make it right? RIGHT? Welp they basically through together a mediocre story, a BROKEN disguise system, and some COD elements and there you have Hitman Absolution. My only favorite part about the game was the mission where you have to take out the Nuns one by one (EPIC). But overall this game is just not worth your time or money. THANK THE VIDEO GAME GODS FOR GAMEFLY!… Expand

Hitman Absolution is the captivating experience that I've been waiting a long time for, a cross between gritty authentic stealth and wonderfully crafted action. I can understand some Hitman fans moaning about the latest installment as I'm not looking forward to the new DMC for the same reasons, however unlike DMC I only played the very first Hitman so to me innovation is welcome. There are flaws, the save system and shoddy AI being the worst of them. But on higher difficulties the AI get better, while the sensory perception and the Splinter Cell enemy marking system work great which helps makes this game appeal to a wider audience. If the haters try it, 80% I reckon on Hard mode would love it! Lastly some industry reviewers need to get a reality check, one in particular rated this 6.9 while rating Res6 8.8 and Black Ops 2 9.4? The gaming media need an urgent clean up, as it's poor that some media pick on IO while kissing the butts of bigger companies! Shame on you.… Expand

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

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.

I liked the previous hitman titles a lot more than this. Sure, the graphics are great and the gameplay is pretty good, but honestly there's nothing new about this game. It's kind of like the same old thing with a couple quirks here and there.

This is a game i rented from the video store and didn't expect much.But after playing the story mode with fun combat and stealth and the contracts mode,it turns out to be amazing.

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

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.

I loved playing this game, from start to finish I was entertained. They've made this game more playable for the casuals but still appeals to the hardcore hitman fans. Lots of playability and is in my top three next to walking dead and farcry 3 for 2012 game of the year.

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.

Like the other games, the story is well written, rather than being a reboot for the series, like other games tend to do, it fits in with the previous titles, therefore offering plenty of subtle material for those who have stuck with the game since the first in 2001. Agent 47 has been sent to kill former handler Diana Burn wood, who has taken the agency to its knees. At the point of the assassination attempt, which unfortunately is pure cut-scene, Agent 47 is told of a young girl, who he must save. This one moment turns 47′s world upside down, as he then becomes hunted by those who once he trusted. There are plenty of twists as players progress and the acting along with the writing offer a fairly mature story that doesn… Expand

hitman absolution was OK. It was my first experience with the series. Unfortunately, it didn't do a whole lot to draw me in. The game play was cool (very similar to Deus Ex: Human Revolution) but without an art style, soundtrack, or environments as intriguing, it just couldn't hold my interest for more than an hour and a half. Things I hated: getting deducted points for killing people and extremely repetative game play. And dumb AI… Expand

Finally, Hitman is back! Now in Absolution, we can see this franchise enjoy all the goodness of the 7th console generation. The environments feel more alive, the graphics are quite impressive and the animations are more fluid, therefore, more comfortable for the controls; specially the shooting, which in the previous games needed to be avoided at all costs because it would most likely cost you your life. 47 looks better than ever. The work regarding his creation is simply fantastic. He looks very sinister and David Bateson did a magnificent voice acting as always. Not only that, we now see a different side of 47: a man who is not only a ruthless killer, but someone who actually has some personal interests and complex moral dilemmas. The gameplay feels more Splinter Cell (Conviction to be more specific) than Hitman, which may disappoint Hitman's most purist fans, but if you liked Splinter Cell: Conviction you will most likely enjoy Hitman: Absolution. One of the reasons the gameplay seems more SC than Hitman is that the disguise system is extremely complicated to use, because getting a disguise causes more harm than good to the point where it becomes pointless since guards will discover you anyway, forcing you to sneak by them. The saving system could have been better since it won't save your progress in certain checkpoints, so you'll have to get to the next mini-cutscene if you want to stop and play later without loosing what you've done, and since advancing may be quite difficult, it becomes frustrating. The story starts great, but as it goes on, you can notice that the writers struggled to keep it moving, so they used the same plot device over and over again getting old quickly. The other flaw in terms of story are some of the main villains, who are too cartoonish to be taken seriously (a group of women dressed in silly fetish outfits headed by a Lil' Kim copycat, a Texan stereotype and Machete on steroids). Not to mention their cringe-worthy dialogue and the fact that they are so fool they can't be feared. They would be Ok for a Robert Rodriguez movie, but in this case, they take you out of the otherwise creepy and dark atmosphere of the game. Jesper Kyd's music is deeply missed since it really got you immersed into 47's universe. Not saying that the music in Absolution is bad, it's just not as good as Kyd's. Overall, I'd say Hitman: Absolution will have fans very divided in terms of gameplay. You'll enjoy it if you like stealth action in general or you won't if you expected the classic Hitman formula.… 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

I hated the fact that the security guards and everyone got suspicious of everyone, like they knew everyone or had every idea of a Hitman lurking among them. I love the action, the stealth, but it made no since of how I couldn't move 3 feet without someone getting suspicious of me. Just let me move around and have the AI more unaware. Challenging though...

This game has divided Hitman fans, some think it's a bold new step for the series while others think it has ruined it. I am a fan of the past games and while I think it is a more than competent game in its own right there are several things that have left me feeling disappointed. On the whole it is a good game, the glacier 2 engine gives the visuals a much needed overhaul, the levels are entertaining and diverse so that each place feels different and interesting to play, and the different levels of difficulty offer an experience for new comers or real Hitman veterans. There is no multiplayer which is a good thing, as this really isn't the type of game that fits multiplayer or needs it. In its place is Contracts mode that allows players to create and play each others custom missions, as a creator you choose who the targets are, how they should be killed, which weapon to use, along with many other parameters. The best thing about it is that the creator must be able to complete the contract them self before it is created. It's very well done and provides a lot of scope for players that want to make challenging contracts for each other. I would have enjoyed the game a whole lot more than I did if it wasn't for the following things: (1). The disguise system is mostly redundant - In previous games you could don a disguise which allowed you access to restricted areas, if you did anything strange or you hung around too long near an enemy they would become suspicious. In Absolution, anyone wearing the same outfit as you is immediately suspicious of you. Now this is understandable if you happen to take out a security guy on a small manned team, they would know you were an impostor. But when you are street vendor or police officer in a crowd of over a hundred people, you think "How the hell do you know I'm not a real cop? Do you know EVERY cop in the city?" On the harder difficulties you might as well not bother at all as the disguise will grant you barely 2 seconds of anonymity before you are clocked, the system also contradicts itself at times to. One level places you in a courtroom mid-trial, you can halt the trial, knock out the judge and wear his clothing then resume the trial. No-one even notices you are a completely different person. (2). The game has a great variety of weapons, but unlike previous Hitman games you cannot choose your load out before a mission. Now this does loosely tie into the story, but it just feels like another method that the game design quashes your creativity in how you approach missions. (3). Methods of killing or subduing NPC's which should be silent or almost soundless will still be heard. This isn't a major problem but you will have some times where you have just shot someone with a silenced pistol or choked them, then random NPC #12 who was in the next room with music blaring supposedly heard what happened. These are picky issues but they really do spoil what could easily have been my favorite Hitman game to date. The game is still enjoyable to play and far above many other games released around the same time, should they patch the disguise system issues I'd easily give this game a 9.… Expand

As an old Hitman Vet, I have to say that this is the worst game in the franchise. Redicilous, childish story, not any freeroaming, extremely streamlined maps (gaurds, dumpsters etc is placed at very convinient places). This is not the hitman I used to love. Its a mix between hitman, splinter cell, and various other games.

The detection system sucks, you re enemies have ultimate mutant megavision. I strangled a guy in the toilet, no one around, but everyone in the vicinity instantly knew exactly where I was the second he died. It's as if you don't complete things the way the game intends it brands you with a YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG and makes it impossibly hard to finish.

The previous Hitman games kinda gave you a sense of "You are the hitman, take him out as you please"… Expand

R.I.P my beloved Hitman. Other hardcore franchise that became casual. My worst nightmare came true. Where should i start ? Well, EVERYTHING in this game reminds me of SC Conviction. "I need to save my daughter" - says Sam Fisher. "I need to save Victoria" - says Hitman. " I'll hide behind crates and jump over them"' - says Sam Fisher. "I'll do that too!!" - says Hitman. "I'll escape from people of the government while trying to save my daughter that was arrested by strange people" - says Sam. " I'll escape from people of the Agency and Police while trying to save Victoria that was arrested by strange people" - says Hitman. The franchise lost it's personality (so as the main character's charisma). Hitman now is a clone of Bruce Willis, not even resembles the methodical and cold killer that we all love. The graphics are pretty good (the stages SADLY aren't sandbox anymore now) but the gameplay is SC Conviction with disguises. A disguise system that f#cks your ass without vaseline. Everytime you use the disguise to fool someone, it requires a LOT of instinct. Instinct is difficult to gain so... yeah, you play Eidos's way (crawling around and taking down ordinary thugs like a f#cking spy or something) or you don't play at all. There's no more fun in killing people because the game gives you too much hints! I tried to up the difficulty a bit but i got f#cked by the stupid disguise system that destroys any strategy. Oh i forgot one more thing! The "instinct" mode works as the detective vision from Batman Arkham Asylum! That's awesome, right ? We have hot nuns exploding hotels and the Agency putting armed soldiers on the streets, causing panic and taking over the motherf#cking country! WOW! The missions where i can, actually, assassinate people are so few that i don't even remember them! There is also a mission where you are FORCED (that's right man, "on rails" style) to shoot things! Oh guys, I miss so much a FPS option to play with Captain Price and Robin while i'm riding on a horse with bazookas on a Third World War against the Agency and Makarov! Just what i expected from a Hitman game! Time to cry, fans of the old Hitman, he will be remembered. God bless his soul.… Expand

Don't be fooled by shiny graphics of Hitman: Abomination (or Assassin's Conviction: Saboteur & Lynch - Retardation), there is nothing good besides graphics. Gameplay is totally broken & dumbed down, its not even hitman anymore, everything we loved it for was removed, only some barely working rudiments was left. It is yet another Conviction, but worse, everything you hated in Conviction, Saboteur, Assassin's Creed and Kane & Lynch in terms of Stealth and gunplay is here, concentrated in extreme doses that may kill you. Also lensflare madness, started by Kane & Lynch 2 and continued by Syndicate is here, head of 47 shines like supernova explosion to blind you from truth - THIS GAME IS UTTER TRASH. It not just abandoned old Hitman gameplay, its simply broken everywhere and doesnt work, and its so primitive and generic. Let me list you few of many game design flaws: 1) Saves doesnt work, once you restart checkpoints every NPC & object will be respawned, your stats would be reset to state of beginning of level, so you better to restart level completely and dont die or exit until you finish it. 2) Disguise doesnt work, its connected to stupid INSTINCT MANA that could be gained by killing and hiding bodies, or not gained at all on professional modes. Without using instinct, which magically removes suspicion, your cover will be blown in 5-10 second from 30 meters. So you are forced to use instinct in any mode, but cant on pro modes, and without instinct there you would not be even able to blend into area. It only barely working on easiest mode. 3) Pro modes and especially PURIST - broken and rushed addition, game was not designed with these modes in mind, these modes not balanced at all, they simply locking features for retards, without even thinking that game designed that way so it cant be played without INSTINCT, and without thinking to compensate somehow lack of these features. It cant be played on PRO mode if you want to use disguise, blown covers makes game really frustrating, and pushing you to reastart, which will lead you to flaw 1 - broken saves. On pro mode you will have only option to use covers Conviction style. 4) 80% of game is linear stealth cover shooter, only about 20% of levels reminds old Hitman games sandbox, but they all made using generic objects and repetitive pattern, lacking about 80% features you had in previous game, so its simply boring, primitive and most likely you will screw up trying to go Silent Assassin way. 5) AI is deaf and blind, totally dumb, glitching a lot. They dont see and dont hear anything except for you in disguise or killing. 6) You cant select inventory for levels and only limited to very few objects you can find on level. Most of unlocks and tools useless and can be only used in contracts mode. 7) Due of nature of stupid prerendered cut-scenes, where 47 appears only in his suit or any pre-defined suit, once cut-scene over you will loose your disguise and default suit will magically appear on you, same happens with guns, you enter the room dressed one way, but after cut scene you dressed another way. Really stupid, even cheapest games from 90th era never had such a flaw, Hitman 1 was better than this. 8) Scoring makes no sense, its not what it used to be in previous game. You are encouraged to do not stealthy things and some stealthy things not awarded at all, other non stealthy things not punished. 9) Level design is very bad, it may look good it terms of art, but its really bad in terms of gameplay logic. Every possible guard have always dumpster nearby to hide their bodies, how handy... for retards, very few, like 3-5 objects that allows you kill somehow are available per level, generic dumpsters, fuseboxes, pits, balconies, there is no unique content that we saw in Blood Money or previous Hitman games, every gameplay object is just a copy-pasted repetitive trash. 10) Whole instinct gameplay is retarded and must be removed from game, but instead it was not even removed from purist mode. 11) UI is huge, ugly and was designed by captain obvious, why in the world you need to have giant icon of equipped weapon or disguise if you can just look at hitman's and see his weapon and suit? 12) You cant peek through keyholes (surely, u now have magic wallhack cheat to replace that) 13) You cant even close doors, they only closed automatically 14) Worst thing - most of your assassination targets are killed in FREAKING CUTSCENES, or not, actually most of time you will see cutscene where BEST KILLER IN THE WORLD, FAILING TO KILL HIS TARGET 15) Story may look like good one, but in fact its typical set of hollywood cliches and yet another plagiarism, this time they ripped off LEON THE KILLER movie. 16) Realism was lost completely, no briefcase, weapons spawns of Hitman ass, ammo picked up by legs. There are more issues, i cant compact them in 5000 chars limit. This game is near 5 of 10, but since it called Hitman, and since its not Himan at all, only 0 of 10.… Expand