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Hitman 2 takes killing to a new level

Comic Con Africa 2018 is currently underway, and gaming is a big fixture at the inaugural event. Several new and upcoming titles are on display, including Hitman 2, with a gameplay demo area and large stand set up for gamers interested in the title.

Having been fans of the franchise back in its PS2 heyday Hitman 2 has once again piqued our interest.  We were also keen to see how Agent 47 has been getting along since the last game, and how developer IO Interactive have enhanced the experience.

To gain a bit more insight, along with greater detail on the elements of Hitman 2, we chatted with Theuns Smit, marketing coordinator at IO Interactive.

Scoping out the joint.

Master tactician

Smit notes that the Hitman franchise has a thriving community, and for this latest iteration IO Interactive have tried to go back to the more open sandbox-like environment that gamers had originally fallen in love with in the first few Hitman games.

“Our fans love the ability of planning your assassination and perfecting how you go about it, and for Hitman 2, everything has gone up a notch,” he adds.

Some of the innovations that IO is bringing to the fore in Hitman 2 is the reintroduction of Agent 47’s iconic briefcase, explains Smit.

It’s not just a superficial prop either, with it capable of storing 47’s handy sniper rifle, as well as a few more weapons that can fit within its specific dimensions. Added to this is the ability to arm a bomb within it, and place it in various locations to create a distraction or take out a potential target.

This, according to Smit, is just one of the ways that IO has tried to deepen the planning and strategy elements of Hitman 2.

Another key element to the gameplay that we encountered, specifically in the pre-beta version of the Miami race mission, is the use of Agent 47’s instinct. Hitting the R1 trigger (DualShock 4 controller) greyscales the entire screen, with targets and objectives highlighted in red and points of interest and other important objects in yellow.

Welcome to Miami.

Trusting your instincts

Smit says it’s a great tool for newcomers to the Hitman franchise, as it helps them learn to get into the mindset of a master assassin.

An added tool is picture-in-picture, which appears in the top left hand corner of the screen and lets gamers know about specific events happening in real-time during the mission. It too is a handy add-on for Hitman 2 amateurs.

What Smit is excited about though, is when gamers begin to rely less heavily on tools like instinct, and “adopt” the Agent 47 way of thinking.

With several elements to consider in an environment, such as the type of disguises you use, how you handle incapacitated bodies, and how many people you kill outside of the primary target, the Hitman 2 experience can be as nuanced and detailed as you want.

Agent 47 can turn anything into a weapon.

Give it a go

If you’re attending Comic Con Africa this weekend, and are a keen gamer, we highly recommend giving the Hitman 2 stand a visit and trying out the beta. There’s also several consoles set up for Hitman 2’s standalone mode Sniper Assassins, which serves as an immersive mini-game in its own right.

For a deeper look at the gameplay, as well as a few tips, Smit will be presenting Hitman 2 on the main stage at Comic Con tomorrow (15th September) and Sunday (16th September). He’ll also be playing the game himself for audiences, and providing an even more intimate look at the gameplay at Content Zone 2.

Checking out the event programme here, for more details.

Hitman 2 is set to make its cross-platform debut on 13th November 2018.

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