- Title: Hitman: Codename 47
- Developer: IO Interactive (of Denmark)
- Publisher: Eidos Interactive
- Year of Completion: 2000
The idea is simple: You play a hitman, you kill a few bad guys, and leave without notice. However, the execution of such an act is the difficult part. How will you manage to sneak in? What weapons will you use? What should you do with the guards? This is the case of Hitman: Codename 47.
You're going to be travelling around the world (from Hong Kong to Rotterdam) to find four targets. You've got a mobster, a drug lord, a terrorist, and a gunrunner.
I like the initial variety of weapons in Hitman, but you'll have to settle with the smaller weapons (silenced pistols, knives, or piano wire). If you see any bigger weapons (like the m134 - 7.62mm minigun), you'll not have time or opportunity to use them to the best extent. Yes, you'll get to use sniper rifles (the Blaser R93 Long Range Shooter and a Walther WA2000), but you have to have the patience to handle the bobbing of the crosshairs -- killing's not easy.
Graphics-wise, the game has its share of clipping issues. It's too easy to lean against a wall, point a gun to the wall, and shoot off the bad guys. The music, done by Jesper Kyd of MDK2 fame did the themes. The themes fade in very well, especially in the Rotterdam level when you have both a stealth theme and a confrontation theme to pick up the pace.
Unfortunately, the later missions don't have more leeway for creativity. You are pushed to one single location, go there, and follow the rest of the plans. The first mission has four sub-sections, but the third has only one section. What's the deal? I want to do more in each mission damnit!
Another common complaint is the camera mode movement requiring keyboard movement rather with a mouselook mode. I didn't have that problem once I have switched viewing mode to a standard FPS-style mouse controls (mouse movement means character turn movement). The final thing that bugged me the most is the weapon modes. How do I know if my MP5 is set to single-shot mode or burst mode? C'mon! They should also have pistols with burst modes, but that'll be something else.
If you want to play something short but mind-provoking along the way, take a look at Hitman.