Recent reviews by blithely dinosaur

A delightfully atmospheric romp through a terrifying cave! Navigation is surprisingly intuitive, and I only got really stuck around one or two spots, which is impressive for a game where the whole point is that you can't quite see. It's short, but it does what it does very well, which is making you feel both terrified and full of wonder. Oh yeah, and then the ending makes you cry! So all those boxes are checked pretty nicely.

A note on functionality: I had to look some stuff up to get the game to launch, so if you have an intel CPU that's 10+ you'll be able to google an answer. Which involves a hex editor. Yeah, kind of a weird issue, but the game started and ran fine after I made the edits.

Very mild tonal spoilers here: oddly enough, the game starts scary, gets scarier, and then gets a little less scary approaching the end. I thought this was a pretty interesting choice, and I personally thought it worked well, but if you're looking for super-in-your-face Scariness this one might be too chill for you.

the game... is good

HITMAN (2016) is genuinely fun and engaging, and will keep you entertained for hours on end. The sheer creativity stuffed into the game makes it feel more like an open-world than anything else, which is one of the best features of the franchise.

The graphics are stunning, and this seems to be an effort on the part of IOI to remember that environments can actually have COLOR. (I hated Absolution's color palette. So dull!) Even the military-base style level in Colorado still features a stunning sunset skybox, coloring the whole map in orange and pink. With my specs (Intel i7, 16GB RAM, Radeon RX Vega M GL), the game runs at a cool 50-60fps, occasionally dipping to 40ish when massive crowds are present.

The story, although a bit simple, is enough to keep you engaged, though I wouldn't recommend this game for its story alone. Perhaps the true story accomplishment of the game is that-- if you're listening closely-- you can hear conversations and news about your own contracts and their effects on the world, emphasizing the theme that 47 really is changing the world.

The gameplay is the shining star of the game. Gone are Absolution's linear, idiotic levels, replaced with huge sandboxes in which you can kill your targets in dozens of ways. Shot point blank? Well, it works, but there's a better way to do it. Poison their drink? Sure, but you'll have to make the drink they like first, and first you have to find the recipe. Rubber ducky? Stuff some explosives in it and you're good. Though some killing methods are easier than others, everything is a delicate process that feels almost like a logic puzzle with countless solutions (i.e. If I do this, then the target goes over there, so if I put this over there...).

I also have to give some major props for the soundtrack, which blends a typical "epic orchestra" sound with some more modern electronica. That sound in and of itself isn't unique, but the soundtrack is EXTREMELY dynamic, changing almost from moment to moment with your actions. The orchestra buzzes with nervousness when an enforcer is passing by you, the electronica delves into subtler tones when you're trying to hide, the music swells and crescendoes as you approach the exit... It really is a wonderful experience.

I do, however, have some minor complaints. I bought the game after all of the elusive targets had gone through but one, so if you buy the game now-ish, you won't be able to play them. Which sucks, but I figure I'm not missing that much. Additionally, the game is 50GB big, which is a sizeable chunk of my computer's storage (I've got an SSD), so you'll need lots of storage to get it. The price is generally worth it if you have a decent income, but waiting for a sale might behoove you.

All in all, HITMAN (2016) is an awesome experience that manages to be action-packed and intellectual at the same time.