This review contains spoilers
I think prior to this review, I should give a bit of context to my review and what I was thinking of going into playing this game
Many dedicated hitman fans have advised I skip the first 2 games and start at Contracts. I understand that Contracts is supposed to be a remake of the first game but I wanted to play Codename 47 because, as someone who wanted to really get into the series, I wanted to see where it started.
Codename 47 at times feels clunky, it feels alot like a tech demo in many ways as not only is it short, it tries to do alot of stuff in its first outing. There is a sense while playing it that the developers wanted to see what worked and what didnt, and considering Contracts later refined these levels and even cut one, I am going to go out on a limb and say they managed to refine their formula quite well at that point.
The game has about 12 levels, taking place across 4 hits. The first job, Hong Kong, taking up about 1/3rd of the game, with the other jobs having less levels.
Hong Kong its definetly the best in terms of refinement, I think its the games best foot forward. Offering a variety of ways to complete its levels and rewarding the player snooping around and investigating. Hitman as a series doesnt really want you to figure out how to do a job on your first playthrough, the game rewards a player being open minded and experimenting with different ways of killing the target, different disguises or entrances, I often found myself being so surprised with the variety of approaches that I would feel a it silly for not seeing an option so obviously. The game, at its best, rewards you for thinking realistically in a way I don't think many games do nowadays or maybe even did in 2000.
This, sadly, turns into a bit of a mess in the next level.
Columbia sucks, Its an endurance test for getting torn to shreds by guys you cant see with little to no options for recovery if things go wrong. The games low draw distance and lack of good checkpoints make each level a test in perfection, (especially if you play on Hard like I did) and not in a really satisfying way. Failure results in a single "revive" that doesn't give you a new disguise, doesn't fully give back armor, spawns you in the dumbest location and expects you to just un-fuck your situations while everyone is hunting you down already. I honestly would be less mad if I wasn't given checkpoints as it feels more like a waste of time when I use them unless I am literally naruto-running to the end.
Budapest is a breif, but welcome, return to the kind of gameplay in Hong Kong, rewarding patience and research of the area to dispatch the target and steal an item before escape. I honestly don't even know if I found all the ways you can get the key off the Dentist but I can tell you that its very entertaining to explore the map and see your options.
Rotterdam at first is promising aswell, but then turns into a level on par in terms of frustration with Columbia, requiring perfection as to even get close to the target without them escaping before you get a chance to finish the job. The game does reward you for exploration once again with the option of a Car Bomb, but its so out of the way and a pain in the ass to get to that frankly, you could always just wait by the car and murder him before he escapes.
The final level is kind of surreal, Its hard to put into words but there is a really odd feeling to it. Killing the target and stealing his uniform make you basically immune in a level that, without it, is a constant assault of SWAT units. Then its traversing the maze of a map trying to find out what you're even supposed to do in the first place. Ending in a boss fight that is really more of a gauntlet (that you can 100% cheese) than a real fight.
Codename 47 is a fine game, I wouldn't recommend it unless you really want to experience the series first attempts, especially at the 11 CAD price tag on steam.
You aren't missing out on much dodging this one, however.
Fuck Pablo and his lame fuckin lab.
Many dedicated hitman fans have advised I skip the first 2 games and start at Contracts. I understand that Contracts is supposed to be a remake of the first game but I wanted to play Codename 47 because, as someone who wanted to really get into the series, I wanted to see where it started.
Codename 47 at times feels clunky, it feels alot like a tech demo in many ways as not only is it short, it tries to do alot of stuff in its first outing. There is a sense while playing it that the developers wanted to see what worked and what didnt, and considering Contracts later refined these levels and even cut one, I am going to go out on a limb and say they managed to refine their formula quite well at that point.
The game has about 12 levels, taking place across 4 hits. The first job, Hong Kong, taking up about 1/3rd of the game, with the other jobs having less levels.
Hong Kong its definetly the best in terms of refinement, I think its the games best foot forward. Offering a variety of ways to complete its levels and rewarding the player snooping around and investigating. Hitman as a series doesnt really want you to figure out how to do a job on your first playthrough, the game rewards a player being open minded and experimenting with different ways of killing the target, different disguises or entrances, I often found myself being so surprised with the variety of approaches that I would feel a it silly for not seeing an option so obviously. The game, at its best, rewards you for thinking realistically in a way I don't think many games do nowadays or maybe even did in 2000.
This, sadly, turns into a bit of a mess in the next level.
Columbia sucks, Its an endurance test for getting torn to shreds by guys you cant see with little to no options for recovery if things go wrong. The games low draw distance and lack of good checkpoints make each level a test in perfection, (especially if you play on Hard like I did) and not in a really satisfying way. Failure results in a single "revive" that doesn't give you a new disguise, doesn't fully give back armor, spawns you in the dumbest location and expects you to just un-fuck your situations while everyone is hunting you down already. I honestly would be less mad if I wasn't given checkpoints as it feels more like a waste of time when I use them unless I am literally naruto-running to the end.
Budapest is a breif, but welcome, return to the kind of gameplay in Hong Kong, rewarding patience and research of the area to dispatch the target and steal an item before escape. I honestly don't even know if I found all the ways you can get the key off the Dentist but I can tell you that its very entertaining to explore the map and see your options.
Rotterdam at first is promising aswell, but then turns into a level on par in terms of frustration with Columbia, requiring perfection as to even get close to the target without them escaping before you get a chance to finish the job. The game does reward you for exploration once again with the option of a Car Bomb, but its so out of the way and a pain in the ass to get to that frankly, you could always just wait by the car and murder him before he escapes.
The final level is kind of surreal, Its hard to put into words but there is a really odd feeling to it. Killing the target and stealing his uniform make you basically immune in a level that, without it, is a constant assault of SWAT units. Then its traversing the maze of a map trying to find out what you're even supposed to do in the first place. Ending in a boss fight that is really more of a gauntlet (that you can 100% cheese) than a real fight.
Codename 47 is a fine game, I wouldn't recommend it unless you really want to experience the series first attempts, especially at the 11 CAD price tag on steam.
You aren't missing out on much dodging this one, however.
Fuck Pablo and his lame fuckin lab.