5 Games To Play Ahead of Hitman 2

People were wary of the first new Hitman game by IO Interactive when it was announced, especially due to the fact that it was going to be released in an episodic format, something many thought didn’t really make sense for the franchise and for this type of game. However, the developers proved their worth and gave fans of the series everything they wanted.

Boasting a massive variety of ways to blend in and kill your assigned target, achieving any number of side objectives along the way, Hitman was extremely well designed for players all along the spectrum, from stealthy ninja to gun-toting berserker.

When Square Enix dropped IO Interactive, many thought that it was over for the franchise, but thankfully, IO Interactive bought the rights back. Earlier this year, they partnered with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, who published Hitman: Definitive Edition and will also be publishing Hitman 2. Interestingly enough, though, Hitman 2 will not be released in an episodic format.

If you can’t wait until November 13 to get your assassination fix, here are five games you should play.

 

1. Hitman

Developer: IO Interactive
Publisher: originally Square Enix, definitive edition by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

This one’s a no-brainer. Seeing as Hitman 2 is planned to be a continuation of the story as well, and will let you play some of the maps from the first game with upgraded mechanics and the like, it’s an obvious choice. Hitman rebooted the franchise in all its splendour and glory, with high-end graphics, and countless ways to kill your targets. It’s a great game all around, and it’ll be interesting to see how Hitman 2 tops it.

 

2. Metal Gear Solid v: The Phantom Pain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggpBtOnq_AA

Developer: Kojima Productions
Publisher: Konami Entertainment

It’s hard to talk about games that give you massive freedom as to how and when to complete the objective at hand without talking about Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. With comprehensive day and night cycles and a massive world, the game really lets you do whatever you want, as long as you finish the job and don’t die. Of course, there’s extra objectives to be achieved and extra points for a higher efficiency, but essentially, you’re free to do whatever you want. It’s a different type of stealth than in Hitman, often less about killing certain people and instead finding certain things or even freeing people, but it’s definitely a similar level of freedom.

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3. Assassin’s Creed 2

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft

If you want a break from all the modern-day assassination, you might want to take a look at the art of murder in the 16th century. Although still about assassination, it’s very much a different type, with Assassin’s Creed being much more combat involved a lot of the time than Hitman. You still have to sneak around, find your designated victim and kill them, but there’s a lot more goings-on around the city, too. I chose the second one here in particular, seeing as its the classic one that most people regard as the best game in the franchise. Some people would now say Syndicate or Black Flag are the best, but these are even more combat based.

 

4. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft

Splinter Cell is another iconic stealth franchise, but one that focusses much more on the spy side of things than assassination. There’s still a lot of crawling around and killing people when they least expect it, but also a lot more active chasing and combat. There are also much fewer (if any) flashy disguises to be found. Chaos Theory is the one most fans agree to be the best game in the Splinter Cell franchise, so if you’re looking for some more classic spy action next to your assassinations, Splinter Cell’s the way to go.

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5. Hitman: Codename 47

Developer: IO Interactive
Publisher: Eidos Interactive

I know there’s already another game from this franchise here, but if you want to see how the whole franchise began and compare what it was then to what it is now, this is the place to start. Hitman: Codname 47 released only on PC in 2000 and was one of the first games to utilize ragdoll physics, too. It was the birth of this iconic franchise and put mechanics in place that are still used in the series today, such as being able to disguise yourself, penalties for killing innocent civilians and the iconic sniper rifle in a case.