Hitman: Contracts (Xbox, 2004)

"This is surely going to be a great Hit!!"

Graphics: 9/10
I cannot really complain here. Okay it's not revolutionary but it is good, the areas feel dark and twisted with flickering lights and blood pools creating confusion and tension. The character models are brilliantly animated and the body clipping is very well done. The graphics are generally pleasing.

Sound: 9.5/10
The sound is once again scored by Jesper Kyd who is a very well known composer. The work is great as it is never too dramatic or vice versa, it is just right. The gun noises are not tinny in the slightest and combined with good voice acting as well it works a treat. You could complain that it's "too quiet" but that is nit-picking really.

Gameplay: 9/10
The engine itself has be renovated and has a much more clean feeling to it. This has greatly improved the game as the genral slick and slightly noir artistic feel is very original which is nice for a game of this genre. If I was going to say something bad about something it would be the fact that your entire plan and work can go down the drain with the slightest mistake or even things not even caused by you. But otherwise this game is very strong and artistic.

Long Term: 9.5/10
This game is reasonably long and very replayable, there are many ways to play and getting Silent Assassin on every mission is quite a challenge. Combine this with the 3 different difficulties and you have hours of entertainment.

Overall: 9.5/10
Pros:
+ A great artistic feel
+ Continues the twisting storyline
+ Renovated engine

Cons:
- Tiny things can ruin your plan
- Patience is required in large quantities
- Could seem to hard if you don't spot things

I am sure that anyone that will purchise this game will not be dissapointed. It is not a classic like GTA but it is one great game to own.

Reviewed for Big Boss Games by: LEG

When I first picked up and played Hitman Contracts I didn't know what to expect. I had heard many positive things about the game before, but had no clue it would turn out to be such an awesome game. One drawback to Hitman Contracts in particular is that it is somewhat of a sequel to Hitman Silent Assassin. Since I have not played any other Hitman games, I was a bit lost on the whole story line thing. Instead of worrying about who the Hitman was, where he came from and why he does what he does, I just went ahead and played the game. It is a "game" after all and if I want to get into something with a good story, I'll read a book!

Hitman Contracts is the third installment in the series and is a hybrid action/stealth type game. You can change your view from first person to third person with the press of a button. The learning curve wasn't too bad and once you get a "feel" for how the various weapons work, you'll be killing the baddies in no time at all.

At the start of each of the 12 missions, you are briefed on your "marks" or targets. Essentially, to finish each level you just have to take out your designated targets. This is where the game play really gets fun. Since the
game is not "linear", you can basically snuff out your marks any way you want, which adds to the replay value of the game. I ended up replaying each mission several times and each time played it in a different way.

If I wanted to be stealthy, I could knock out a bad guy, take his clothes and take care of business. However, I had to be very careful. The enemy AI in this game is pretty good and if you seem to be out of place or act too weird, then you become the hunted instead of the hunter!

I was also able to go in with a blaze of glory and blow up everything and everybody to kingdom come! Either way accomplised my goals, but at the end of the mission my ranking was directly influenced by my actions. So, I could end up being a coveted "Silent Assassin" or your run of the mill, every day, "Mass Murderer." It was totally up to me!

Hitman Contracts for the PC, PS2 and XBox is rated "M" for mature. There are scenes of very intense, extreme, graphic violence, lots of blood and gore, strong language, strong, graphic sexual content and extreme use of drugs.

Overall Score: 8 out of 10

I really enjoyed playing through Hitman: Contracts a few different times with the various difficulty options. I had played the first Hitman game to appear on x-box prior to buying this so I really had a good feel for the game as a whole. Not all that much in the controller and display layout has changed since Silent Assassin but mixing some old with some new is good. There is many new and old weapons for those who have played the other Hitman titles. Level design was amazing as with the A.I.(Enemies, The Target ,Other Civilians)who respond to every little thing you do which is something you really want to pay attention too if you want to unlock the hidden treasured weapons of the game. This game is a very good but not perfect game. There are some flaws. Sometimes when you go to strangle someone with the fiber wire, they tend to turn around or just run away. Then there are times when the game would slow down and would just about freeze. The most annoying flaw was how during a cut scene the dialog doesn't line up with when the people on screen are saying. Kind of annoying but that why I said good but not perfect. If you have played any of the other Hitman games diffidently pick this one up, you know what the franchise is about. If you are a gamer that just likes to run and gun everything on screen then this game isn’t for you .In this game you actually have to think out your hit and plan your escape out .See how easily you can get away cleanly .That what this franchise of games is about.

the second hitman title feels much like first, i often confuse levels of one game with the other. its a great way to prepare yourself for the latest hitman title.

A pretty fun game, but I found that it was a little too easy to complete the mission and maybe a little too hard to complete the mission perfectly.

Overall, I'd recommend it, but it is a SHORT game - only 10 or twelve missions if I recall correctly.