Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

 PlayStation 2
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 105 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 79 out of 105
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 105
  3. Negative: 9 out of 105
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  1. sinadoom
    Sep 11, 2012
    5
    Sometimes I wonder why such classics like this get released on platform they're clearly not designed for, with no effort being made with regards to changing the cotnrols to suit console. Hitman 2 is an absolute gem but the controls on PS2 are unbareable in every way. The button layout is random and not logical, senistivity is non-existent, it';s not responsive and overall it's very clunky.Sometimes I wonder why such classics like this get released on platform they're clearly not designed for, with no effort being made with regards to changing the cotnrols to suit console. Hitman 2 is an absolute gem but the controls on PS2 are unbareable in every way. The button layout is random and not logical, senistivity is non-existent, it';s not responsive and overall it's very clunky. The graphics on this game aren't particularly good, but they're hideous on PS2 compared to PC. It's a lazy port to cash in on extra sales from the best-selling console without making any effort to make the game suitable.… Expand
  2. MR.47
    Jan 11, 2003
    10
    You bastards who said this was bad WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING about? you can all kiss my ass.
  3. Nobilis1984
    Mar 31, 2021
    8
    The best Hitman in my opinion. Now the control fits better and the missions are first class.
  4. RIKSTAP.
    Apr 16, 2004
    8
    Very addictive and very satisfying....KILL THEM ALL!!!!
  5. ZiggyStardust
    Nov 7, 2002
    8
    It's strong points include a great concept, awesome music, cool bases to infiltrate and many ways to do so. It's weak points I would say are it's poor sound effects, little replay value, and the high degree of patience it requires. It plays like Max Payne, but with the strategy of Metal Gear Solid 2.
  6. EloiP.
    Oct 5, 2002
    9
    I LOVE this game. The depth is pretty incredible.
  7. L.G.
    Oct 25, 2003
    5
    Got this and Splinter Cell at the same time. Played through Splinter Cell and was blown away. I was ready for another tasty stealth adventure when I popped this in, only to be disappointed. There seems to be little logic in how the enemy goes about blowing your cover. Sometimes sneak by one guard wearing one disguise or another, only for the guard around the corner to get suspicious and Got this and Splinter Cell at the same time. Played through Splinter Cell and was blown away. I was ready for another tasty stealth adventure when I popped this in, only to be disappointed. There seems to be little logic in how the enemy goes about blowing your cover. Sometimes sneak by one guard wearing one disguise or another, only for the guard around the corner to get suspicious and start shooting at you for no good reason. There was much more logic to Splinter Cell's stealth system than to this one's. … Expand
  8. JonathanF.
    May 4, 2003
    8
    Coming from the makers of Deus Ex and Tomb Raider I would say this is a mix of both. It has the decide-your-own-fate sort of feel from Deus Ex, and the third-person shooter thing from Lara Croft. It's also quite like Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. Since all these are cool games, I would also say that Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is a cool game too, if not a tad frustrating at times.
  9. IvanG.
    Sep 9, 2004
    10
    I'd like to say hitman 2 is in fact a rather incredible game which u use your mind rather than just playiny through and if u find this game really hard and say it's wack because of the difficulty than u should just quit your bitchin' and stick to mario.
  10. SagacityRecords
    Oct 11, 2002
    5
    It amazes me how so many game companies can take a beautifully designed game and completely ruin it with bad controls. This game is incredible in concept, design, and style. However, the controls are, . . . how can I put this? . . .GARBAGE! A game that requires this much stealth needs precise controls and they offer everything, but precision. It is not like this is the first game in this It amazes me how so many game companies can take a beautifully designed game and completely ruin it with bad controls. This game is incredible in concept, design, and style. However, the controls are, . . . how can I put this? . . .GARBAGE! A game that requires this much stealth needs precise controls and they offer everything, but precision. It is not like this is the first game in this style, why couldn?t they just copy another game that got it right? I just don?t understand how every gamer and reviewer can tell you within 5 minutes of playing a game that the controls stink, but the game designers never seem to notice until it?s too late. There is nothing worse than a trial and error game that causes you to mess up because the character won?t do what you need him to do, when you need him to do it. You have all been there. This is one of those games that will have you throwing your controller over and over. Much more so than a game like Stunt Driver, because of the extremely slow pace. Nothing moves fast in this game. To do it right you must walk almost everywhere. Can you still love this game? Absolutely, but instead of being a game that nearly everyone would love, like GTA 3 (yes, it could be that good), it is a game that only those with extreme patience will enjoy. It really is a shame, because I want to love this game, but I can?t. … Expand
  11. FoulCat
    Dec 31, 2002
    8
    Although the controls r a lil tricky at first they r not that hard to get used to. i rate this game an 8 bcuz the graphics r good not great. gameplay is good bcuz of the different levels of expertise u have to have. silent assassin rankings r very hard to come by. i think there should have been more weapons to unlock, cmon only 3. i give this game the ultimate rating...i would spend myAlthough the controls r a lil tricky at first they r not that hard to get used to. i rate this game an 8 bcuz the graphics r good not great. gameplay is good bcuz of the different levels of expertise u have to have. silent assassin rankings r very hard to come by. i think there should have been more weapons to unlock, cmon only 3. i give this game the ultimate rating...i would spend my hard earned cash on it. … Expand
  12. Garrett
    Oct 31, 2002
    9
    GREAT game! I love it!
  13. PeterS.
    Oct 4, 2002
    9
    As the review says above PURE CLASS i was in a line waiting for this game along with other fellow fans of hitman series i was there for 2 hours and trust me well worth it i gave it a nine because i hardly give 10s. the mark lost was because of strange controls.
  14. BenN.
    Oct 29, 2003
    8
    Brill game, if a little short an a tad on the 2 easy side, but well worth the buy.
  15. LukeB.
    Mar 16, 2003
    9
    Yeah! its what its all about! im lookin forward 2 plinters cell on PS2!!
  16. PongA.
    May 18, 2003
    10
    For those people who hate this game is nothing but a cold hearted....LOSER!!! This is one game that said it all when it comes to gameplay & stragedy. this game really kick!!!!! awesome, yes awesome......
  17. JohnK.
    May 31, 2003
    9
    This game had a lot of good weapons, and a good plot for a shooter.
  18. DelonG.
    Sep 15, 2003
    3
    Great graphics and storyline, but absolutely ruined by the backwards-ass controls!!
  19. EdB.
    Aug 5, 2005
    10
    You play as a hitman, your bald, you use stealth, guns, shooting, hell you strangle people with fiber wire too... what else do you want from a game? Hard to get controls and hints in maps at first but once you get the hang of it you will replay the levels over and over to improve you execution. You can also save at anytime this is awesome ...cause I hate games with checkpoints that make You play as a hitman, your bald, you use stealth, guns, shooting, hell you strangle people with fiber wire too... what else do you want from a game? Hard to get controls and hints in maps at first but once you get the hang of it you will replay the levels over and over to improve you execution. You can also save at anytime this is awesome ...cause I hate games with checkpoints that make you replay the easy crap over and over.… Expand
  20. Andrew
    Apr 11, 2006
    9
    For those who played the game as a straight shooter, you missed out on one of the most tense and exciting experiences in gaming. Played as the title suggests, as a silent, patient assassin, you get some of the best infiiltration and subsequent payoff kills in any video game to date.
  21. VidM
    Jun 9, 2006
    3
    Shoddy AI and level design weigh this game down. I'll admit that I had fun playing it, but I really was far from unimpressed how every mission boiled down to killing everything that moves. Every firefight boils down to heading for the nearest doorway and blasting anyone stupid enough to come through. Oh, yes, rest assured all the bad guys are stupid enough to jump right into that Shoddy AI and level design weigh this game down. I'll admit that I had fun playing it, but I really was far from unimpressed how every mission boiled down to killing everything that moves. Every firefight boils down to heading for the nearest doorway and blasting anyone stupid enough to come through. Oh, yes, rest assured all the bad guys are stupid enough to jump right into that doorway of death, no matter how many corpses they see on the floor. Alert levels are meaningless. Hell, mission objectives are pointless. Just kill everyone, and it'll work out just fine. The end of mission scoring should mean something. For instance it could effect your pay that you use to buy weapons between missions or something...anything.… Expand
  22. NaveedD.
    Oct 18, 2002
    3
    I hate this game, the worst game ever!
  23. [Anonymous]
    Oct 21, 2002
    2
    The controls completely ruin the game! Its terrible!
  24. KyleB.
    Dec 12, 2002
    8
    This game is actually really underrated. I cannot remeber the last time I sat down and enjoyed a game for almost 4 hours strait. This game is not made to have a story, people who don't like a game with a poor story should really avoid this game. But the game play is very solid offering many enertaining ways to complete a mission. More than offten there are about 3 different ways to This game is actually really underrated. I cannot remeber the last time I sat down and enjoyed a game for almost 4 hours strait. This game is not made to have a story, people who don't like a game with a poor story should really avoid this game. But the game play is very solid offering many enertaining ways to complete a mission. More than offten there are about 3 different ways to complete. The weapons are fairly original as far as realistic weapons go and the AI is good enough to keep you enertained for a long time. The freedom that this game offers is rarely found in video games and the whole stealth aspect is very well done. In retrospect I do regret that so many people do not like this game, they miss out on a lot of fun and I pity people who cannot sit down for about 20 minuets to get the controls down pat. the misisions dont offer a whole lot of change but in the world of a Hired Hit Man what can you expect?… Expand
  25. AnonymousMC
    Dec 18, 2002
    9
    I don't understand how someone can give a game a score of a 0 just for a couple control issues and then praise the exact same game (excluding graphical and control differences) for a different system. Ignore "Xboxer NUmba1"'s comment. This is still a great game on this platform as well, very fun and suspenseful. Check it out, even if you do have problems with the controls theyI don't understand how someone can give a game a score of a 0 just for a couple control issues and then praise the exact same game (excluding graphical and control differences) for a different system. Ignore "Xboxer NUmba1"'s comment. This is still a great game on this platform as well, very fun and suspenseful. Check it out, even if you do have problems with the controls they are very easy to get used to.… Expand
  26. MP
    Nov 18, 2003
    10
    Totally Cool... MUST try.
  27. AkshayB.
    Oct 27, 2003
    10
    This game is just the best game u will eva play so buy it if u like shooting games.
  28. TyC
    Feb 23, 2004
    9
    This is by far, the best assassin related game there is. I love the controls, and Best of all.........The WEAPONS!!!!!!!! Fantastic to blast people away.
  29. Hades
    Dec 16, 2002
    9
    Perhaps people had to have played the first Hitman to truly appreciate the 2nd. If you are interested in Hitman 2 dont let these negative user scores deter your craving to play it. I would AT LEAST rent the game. But on with the review: Hitman 2 is a Stealth Action game, while not perfect, it is still a great game. The graphics in the game are good, not outstanding or amazing but they are Perhaps people had to have played the first Hitman to truly appreciate the 2nd. If you are interested in Hitman 2 dont let these negative user scores deter your craving to play it. I would AT LEAST rent the game. But on with the review: Hitman 2 is a Stealth Action game, while not perfect, it is still a great game. The graphics in the game are good, not outstanding or amazing but they are by no means bad. A reason i rate them the score i do is because of how realistic it is when you shoot someone and their limbs twitch up, its a neat little effect to mess around with. 8/10 The sound effects and music are also quite good, fitting the game setting perfectly. 8/10 Gameplay can either be stealthy or all out rampage depending on what you want, while this is good that you can choose, you can easily take the rambo approach and pass levels easily, which detracts from the games overall feel. 9/10 or 7/10 (with the "rambo" approach) Replay value, if you like the game, is quite high, due to all of the different approaches, ratings, and weapons you can collect throughout the levels. However there are not many extras to unlock at all. Which is unfortunate. Again, to reiterate, if you are interested in seeing what hitman 2 is all about id give it a try, it might not be everyones favorite but youll never know if youll like it till ya try it. Overall a great stealth action game. … Expand
  30. nascent
    Jan 5, 2022
    10
    An incredible game. The pinnacle of stealth and has a great plot with some very memorable levels and moments.

    I remember playing some of the levels in this game hundreds of times over, even after completing them, just because there were so many fun different ways to complete them. Silent assassin is the first hitman game on console, and it holds up incredibly well by itself, however    An incredible game. The pinnacle of stealth and has a great plot with some very memorable levels and moments.

    I remember playing some of the levels in this game hundreds of times over, even after completing them, just because there were so many fun different ways to complete them.

    Silent assassin is the first hitman game on console, and it holds up incredibly well by itself, however considering how important the plot of the first game is as it establishes the character and the plots of subsequent games, it's a real pity silent assassin was the first console hitman game.

    Many players started their experience to hitman via Silent Assassin and must've been very confused without knowing what agent 47 is and his origin.

    Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is the best hitman game of the series, and the music and levels are incredibly memorable.
    I am glad it was remastered in HD, and I replay the game often. I wish Codename 47 was too.

    The gameplay is incredible, and it really represents the best of stealth, but also offers numerous ways of completing each level with a ton of inventive options such as disguises, weapons or environmental interactions.

    The weakest part of the game is the Hidden Valley level, mainly because it's dark and boring, (just going through a tunnel), and the ai is frustratingly buggy, but even still, the game is incredibly fun to play and I love the idea of collecting all the different weapons in the game and filling up the tool shed. I didn't feel the same excitement with subsequent games.    … Expand
  31. Barnes1987
    Mar 6, 2017
    9
    The best Hitman game ever made, none of the rest come near this. Some classic missions on this one and is one of the better games on the Playstation 2. Well worth a play.
  32. Diegochocho
    Jul 4, 2018
    8
    Me pareció un buen juego, con muchas mejoras del primer Hitman, como los graficos, la jugabilidad y la historia.
  33. Alex_Pilgrim008
    Aug 5, 2022
    8
    Following the release of "Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty" in late 2001, there was a wave of stealth-based action games that flooded the market. "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin" was one of the best. A sequel to a flawed PC game, it put players in the shoes of Agent 47, a bald badass that can turn anything into a deadly weapon. Unlike other stealth titles, the emphasis in "Hitman" is onFollowing the release of "Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty" in late 2001, there was a wave of stealth-based action games that flooded the market. "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin" was one of the best. A sequel to a flawed PC game, it put players in the shoes of Agent 47, a bald badass that can turn anything into a deadly weapon. Unlike other stealth titles, the emphasis in "Hitman" is on disguises and not hiding. It's also slow-paced due to the puzzle-like nature of the level design. In order to avoid detection, Agent 47 has to find the perfect time and place to strike his targets.

    "Hitman" has never been for everyone since it requires plenty of patience to play. Running and gunning will surely lead to a quick death. Yet, the satisfaction of a perfect hit is a reward in of itself. You'll feel like a true professional as you casually walk away from the murders you commit. But since all of your targets are agents of evil, you probably won't feel too bad about them. Featuring the scope of a James Bond film, "Silent Assassin" is an epic game. You'll infiltrate Italian villas, Japanese dojos and U.S.S.R. army bases. Each level is uniquely designed and it's your job to figure out their layouts before you attempt any kind of action. Again, patience is the name of the game.

    When I first played "Hitman 2", I was frustrated by the need for the extensive recon. But as I began to master each level, I came to enjoy its unique challenges. In fact, I became a big fan and have purchased every game in the series. While it hasn't aged well, "Silent Assassin" is still a very good game. If you've never played the series before, this is a good place to start. I'd give it an 8.5 out of 10.    … Expand
  34. Leontorres7
    Nov 15, 2018
    9
    This is really a great game, there is so much to love about it, must play for sure!
  35. AdleneIV
    Jan 10, 2019
    7
    Got this and Splinter Cell at the same time. Played through Splinter Cell and was blown away. I was ready for another tasty stealth adventure when I popped this in, only to be disappointed. There seems to be little logic in how the enemy goes about blowing your cover. Sometimes sneak by one guard wearing one disguise or another, only for the guard around the corner to get suspicious and… Expand
  36. Mal4D
    Jul 16, 2020
    10
    Nice i love this story lnice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice
  37. Goldenfreddy22
    Apr 22, 2022
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is absolutely amazing. It has a surprisingly cohesive narrative and introduces new mechanics to an already great premise. Its only downside and the reason why it gets an eight, is because the game runs poorely on PS2. The same cannot be said of the PC port, but the PS2 one has sound bugs, and the frame rate drops down when you least expect it. It is still an enjoyable expirience with not so enjoyable presentation in PS2. Hitman 2: Silent Assassin for PS2: 8/10… Expand

Awards & Rankings

20
#20 Best PS2 Game of 2002
14
#14 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2002
76
#76 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2002

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. IGN
    84
    While the awkward controls and trial-and-error gameplay design might deter some gamers, Hitman 2 is deep with the kind of gameplay that stealth and shooter gameplayers have been craving for on PS2.
    Read full review
  2. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    90
    I was utterly addicted the moment I started playing Hitman 2. [Dec 2002, p.204]
  3. Adrenaline Vault
    90
    Smart gameplay couples with intelligent AI to make sure you're kept on your toes at all times through this deep, stealthy shooter.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »