Hitman (series)

This article is about the video game series. For the 2007 motion picture, see Hitman (movie). For the 2016 release, see HITMAN™.

Hitman (usually stylized “HITMAN“) is a series of stealth/shooter combo video games created by Io-Interactive and published by Square Enix (formerly Eidos Interactive). As of May 2017, Io-Interactive has split off from Square Enix and is now self-publishing[1].

The series is based on the life and experiences of a bald contract killer named 47, a genetically enhanced clone, who is superior to any man and can execute any assassination with flawless talent.

Game Similarities

• Overlying Theme: All the games take a very dark tone, using elements of horror and dark comedy. Agent 47’s ambiguous religious and moral views became a theme starting with Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. All of Agent 47’s targets commit dark sins, usually beyond the greed and wrath common in organized crime into sexual and social depravity. The consistent moral of each game is that anyone who leads a life of sin can never find sanctuary—nor can Agent 47, trapped in sin and the only way of life he knows.

• Gameplay: The player, while encouraged to use stealth, can execute the mission in a variety of ways, making Hitman one of the most diverse story line-sandbox games to the community.

• Targets: Agent 47’s targets are almost never innocent civilians. They are usually crime lords, terrorists, and corrupt officials. Agent 47 is frequently employed by politicians, especially top-tier organizations like the United Nations, to take out some unwanted terrorist or high-danger criminal.

• Locations: Agent 47 lived and worked most of his life in Europe, but frequently travels across the world. In Hitman: Blood Money, he permanently moves to the United States, only to which he has traveled to places like Japan, Morocco, and Russia to name a few.

• Finale: At the end of each game, Agent 47 is in some sort of dangerous scenario in which he’s up against many enemies, which calls for less traditional stealth and more shooting. These “shoot-outs” usually end with the game’s main antagonist being eliminated in a dramatic fashion. This trope ended halted Hitman: Absolution.

Characters

Agent 47 (voiced by David Bateson) is an assassin for hire whose intelligence and exceptional skills make him a “Silent Assassin.”

Diana Burnwood (originally voiced by Vivienne McKee up to Blood Money, Marsha Thomason in Absolution, and later by Jane Perry in HITMAN™) is Agent 47’s adviser and informant. Both Burnwood and Agent 47 work for a mysterious company called the International Contract Agency, and constantly gives Agent 47 advice and intelligence for his mission.

Games

Main Series

Side Games

Trilogy Packs

• Hitman Trilogy (Hitman: The Triple Hit Pack or Hitman Triple Pack in Europe) (2007)
  • Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
  • Hitman: Contracts
  • Hitman: Blood Money

• Hitman: Ultimate Contract (Hitman Collection in Europe) (2009)
  • Hitman: Codename 47
  • Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
  • Hitman: Contracts
  • Hitman: Blood Money

• Hitman HD Trilogy (2013)
  • Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
  • Hitman: Contracts
  • Hitman: Blood Money
• Hitman: HD – Enhanced Collection
  • Hitman: Blood Money
  • Hitman: Absolution
• World of Assassination
  • HITMAN™
  • HITMAN™ 2
  • HITMAN™ III

References