Hitman: Blood Money [X360]

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There's something inherently badass about a big, bald, white guy with a stoic face. Whether it's Jason Statham in films like The Transporter or Agent 47 eliminating targets in the Hitman games, you know something's going to hit the fan as soon as one of these guys walks into a room. Ever since the original Hitman debuted on the PC roughly six years ago, the trials and tribulations of Agent 47 have captivated fans. The latest installment, which gives 47 his next generation debut, doesn't disappoint.

While the Hitman games have always featured plenty of weapons, none have ever been "action" titles. Sure, it's possible to plow through on rookie difficultly by channeling the persona of Sylvester Stallone, but doing so completely misses the point, and not to mention quickly gets you killed.

Much like the lauded Thief games, stealth is key to Agent 47's success. Each of the dozen or so levels can be beaten in many ways -- including without firing a single shot. It's this multi-faceted sense of gameplay that is the real draw, giving players an immense sense of freedom. While the first level offers a step-by-step walkthrough to completing your mission, you're on your own after that. How you eliminate targets is completely up to you.

At first, the freedom can be overwhelming, especially for players that are new to the series. However, Blood Money encourages you to experiment, offering up an unlimited number of continues. Once you've mastered a level, it's actually possible to beat in a matter of minutes -- but don't plan on doing this the first time through. Realistically, each mission is going to take an hour or two from start to finish. In case you find yourself stuck, a built-in help system offers "Agency Intel" for purchase.

Money is one of the new features in Blood Money, and while it doesn't make a huge impact on the game, it does force you to be more conservative in style. You earn cash in Blood Money by completing missions, but if you leave a mess, don't be surprised when the Agency docks some of your pay to go towards clean-up. Other costs come in the form of bribes (to pay off witnesses) and weapon upgrades.

Visually Blood Money is a step up from its predecessors, thanks to the brand new engine that was created for the game. High resolution textures, along with realistic lighting and shadows help keep the proper mood. Unfortunately, the visual upgrades are marred by some old problems including the unnatural rag doll effect when a body is dragged, and the "body clipping" that has plagued every Hitman game to date (bodies don't stack up, they just "clip" over each other). After six years and countless technology upgrades, you'd think that IO would have been able to solve this presentation problem.

The AI does an admirable job, especially on the harder difficulty levels. Much of the game is obviously scripted, but unless you know what to look for, the scripting feels organic. NPCs wander around freely, occasionally stopping for something random to break up the pattern, and large numbers of civilians make the public places feel right rather than just open environments.