Hitman Absolution announced

[Dinnesch]

But did anyone like Blood Money's save system? You got a certain amount depending on the difficulty but you must complete the mission in one sitting or start all over.

It's one of the greatest savegame systems in any game i've ever played(except for the stupid menu), it forces me to not obsessively quicksave every 20 seconds.

 

[_-_-SELAS-_-_]

I didnt like that system at all.

And yeah, "instinct mode" is ****ing shit for all the same reasons highlighting is shit in the new DX game. Calling it "instinct mode" is a ****ing insult too. God damn lowest common denominator bullshit **** I hate casuals.

Then don't use it.

 

[Shift]

Instinct mode with a power bar that refills with every stealth take-down? WHY have they done that?!

 

[Rizzo]

I always enjoyed only killing my target or targets. Felt more profesional. I'm feeling a bit cautious about this new hitman game.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

Instinct mode with a power bar that refills with every stealth take-down? WHY have they done that?!

You don't have to use it...but I think they said they've replaced MAPS with this.

 

[Krynn72]

Then don't use it.

I won't, but most likely, as Deathmaster said, it will **** up the balance and put me at a stupid disadvantage because the game will be balanced for its use. Granted, the whole rest of the game will be equally dumbed down so it will probably be just as easy, but then whats the point in playing if its dumbed down shit?

Features like this aren't specifically what bothers me, but the principles behind such decisions are. They think players are too stupid to figure out basic things, and that mentality will perpetuate the entire game.

 

[flamingdts]

How is this game splitting into segments still following the old hitman style gameplay?

Come on Hitman is about the freedom of discovering ways to assassinate your target. I mean the thrill of the game is often to observe enemies whiles in disguise to understand their patrolling path, and that is IF you want to use that specific method of reaching your target. The original hitman game provides so many flexibility, how to kill your target, how to reach him, which target to kill first, how much innocent blood you want to spill.

I mean the whole fun of Hitman was literally the idea of thinking like a Hitman. Sometimes you get hints, but in the end you approach the game however you want whenever you want.

This segmented gameplay makes the game so much less thrilling. It just becomes Conviction. I hope to God the game doesn't become a reload last checkpoint and a ****ing shootout just like Conviction, a game based on stealth.....

 

[Barnz]

Did you read my previous post? I explained what they're trying to do. They want a story, and cinematic scenes. In previous Hitman games, you can approach to a scripted scene from anywhere you want. Sometimes you can miss them. This time, they want you to take a single route, so you can't avoid them, and learn the story. It's simple. It's still the same game. You can still use multiple paths to kill the enemies, but when it comes to the cinematic scenes, they want to have one path.




now, stop crying like a ****ing baby.

 

[_-_-SELAS-_-_]

Did you read my previous post? I explained what they're trying to do. They want a story, and cinematic scenes. In previous Hitman games, you can approach to a scripted scene from anywhere you want. Sometimes you can miss them. This time, they want you to take a single route, so you can't avoid them, and learn the story. It's simple. It's still the same game. You can still use multiple paths to kill the enemies, but when it comes to the cinematic scenes, they want to have one path.


now, stop crying like a ****ing baby.

QFT, btw if you can code we are looking for game coders here at IO.

 

[flamingdts]

Did you read my previous post? I explained what they're trying to do. They want a story, and cinematic scenes. In previous Hitman games, you can approach to a scripted scene from anywhere you want. Sometimes you can miss them. This time, they want you to take a single route, so you can't avoid them, and learn the story. It's simple. It's still the same game. You can still use multiple paths to kill the enemies, but when it comes to the cinematic scenes, they want to have one path.

now, stop crying like a ****ing baby.

Missing them IS part of the replayability.

Part of what made the original Hitman so fun is because there are so many ways of approaching the level. Its a BIG puzzle, thus there are MANY ways of solving it. Part of the fun IS discovering the ways of killing a person

In this case however, it's split up into small puzzles. Flexibility is kept to a minimal. You don't get to explore and get creative. Everything you can do is limited to the specific segment you're in. Sure, there might be different ways to kill a target, but all those ways of killing the target are provided to you in that specific segment of the level. You might get to wear a disguise to kill the person, or hide and then kill the person. But in the end finding these different methods of killing your target is much easier than in the original Hitman because you are limited to smaller segments.

Unless of course the segments are much much bigger than I anticipated, then I concede.

Otherwise, stop imposing your opinion on me like a ****ing O'Reilly.

 

[Barnz]

Are you seriously telling me what a Hitman game is?

They want to focus on smaller areas, so they can add more detail, and have a richer environment. I think it's better to have 10 good designed rooms, instead of 100 rooms. Take a look at Blood Boney. It's a more linear game compared to previous Hitman titles, and everyone I know likes it. It's still a sandbox game. So what's the problem?

They only want to have one path for cinematic scenes. Do you want to skip a well-made cinematic scene? again, this conversation is pointless. We don't have enough information on the game. We don't know how it's going to work.

I always thought Hitman games needed a new direction after the second game. I mean, Agent 47 is done with the clones. Contracts was a reimagination of the original game, combined with several new missions. Blood Money, again, it's random missions connected together with no real story.

This time, they want a solid story direction with real characters (kinda like Half-Life 2 series). I don't see what's wrong with it. It's all good, as long as they have no effect on player's actions.

more stuff: Does anyone remember Mei Ling, the agent girl you see through the series. She doesn't appear in Blood Money, but she's referenced.

See, this is the main problem of the series. There's no true characters in the series. Nothing, no story direction or anything. There's bunch of random characters. They want to have a system, where they can have true characters. They want to have a story-driven game.

 

[jimbo118]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y67ZcAVYtWM&feature=player_detailpage#t=1062s

Hitman's new voice actor at 17mins 40secs.
Sounds like Batman. Also, the inception 'brrrrrrrrrm' note lol.

Bateson responds to being replaced:

Hi there Mathew,

Thanks to you I now know more! I didn't even know the E3 thing had voice work on it at all.

Yeah, I won't lie. I am totally gutted. You know, IO called me in in Sept 09 and said I had to now audition for the part thanks to them hiring some LA casting director. Well, I ate my slice of humble pie and auditioned and then heard back shortly afterwards: congratulations - you got the part. I have been waiting ever since for the call to go in and record...

You know, I can even understand IOI not letting me know what's going on so as to avoid any loss of shine in the build up to the trailer premiere and then E3.

But now, after repeated mails and sms to the producer and still no reply I am lost for words.

Thanks for your support though.

Kind regards

Diana's VA reponds to being replaced, from hitmanforums.com

Subject: Hitman
Date: 19 june 2011 15:46:52 GMT+02:00

"Dear ####,
Thank you! I am so pleased that you wrote this. David and I are feeling pretty disappointed about being dropped from Hitman 5. There are rumours that Keith Carradine will be the voice for Agent 47 ! And I have no idea who will play Diana... probably some American Hollywood actress with an American accent. I guess that is what they want for the next one - to make it feel and sound American. Personally I still don't understand why David did not play the role in the movie. He looks like Hitman and he is an incredibly good actor.

Anyway thanks again and please keep let IO know your feelings.. The Hitman fanbase is not to be ignored !

best regards,

Vivienne McKee

 

[Barnz]

40 min interview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxX00bhumFs

 

[DEATHMASTER]

That's some sneaky bullshit IO pulled.

 

[Gargantou]

jimbo, that's a real bummer.:\

Won't be the same without David and Vivienne.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

The interviews double-sold me on it

 

[<RJMC>]

more stuff: Does anyone remember Mei Ling, the agent girl you see through the series. She doesn't appear in Blood Money, but she's referenced.

See, this is the main problem of the series. There's no true characters in the series. Nothing, no story direction or anything. There's bunch of random characters. They want to have a system, where they can have true characters. They want to have a story-driven game.

considering storylines in games recently,I guess the story and characters wouldnt be that good and sure the storyline will be about the goverment contacting you to kill some terrorist arabian russian guy to save the world and will use diana as a hostage and you end up killing him in a slow mo event and them save diana and them credits roll hitman:modern warfare so yeah I dont have hopes on that

 

[Barnz]

Won't be the same without David and Vivienne.

...

you don't play hitman much, do you? diana's voice actor has been changed so many times, and david barely talks in the game (he has like 10-15 lines in the first game). seriously, who cares?

 

[Gargantou]

...

you don't play hitman much, do you? diana's voice actor has been changed so many times, and david barely talks in the game (he has like 10-15 lines in the first game). seriously, who cares?

I've only played Hitman 2, Contracts and Blood Money.

Blood Money was my favourite, and I really enjoyed the voice-actors there.

Mind you, it's not a deal-breaker for me. I'd still have preferred the original VA; at the very least for 47.

 

[Krynn72]

Selas sent me this link.

As I was telling him, its got more of a Batman: Arkham Asylum feel than Hitman, and it does still look like it suffers from all the issues talked about in this thread, in that its going to be too easy as a result of targeting more casual gamers, x-ray vision baloney, etc. However I will say that I was impressed by the scripting. The way the NPCs interacted made for a really nice atmosphere, and the production values are through the roof. As long as the core hitman gameplay is intact, and most levels don't devolve into generic action sequences like the one showed does, I can't see myself not buying it, despite the flaws.

 

[<RJMC>]

take out the xray and it will be better,also I hope the part where he tucked the cap and answered that cop questiong are player choice and not some scripted stuff

still it does look very arkahm asylum thoug I only played the demo of that game

 

[DEATHMASTER]

I still can't believe they ****ed over Bateson. I'm not going to buy this.

 

[Mirage]

I definitely saw the Arkham Asylum vibe, although it did seem to have more vibrancy towards the end sections. I hope the atmosphere is more varied, though.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

I, in no way, consider said "Arkham Asylum" vibe a bad thing.

Modernization is not necessarily bastardization. Sure, some of the changes will piss off the diehards, but ultimately I have confidence that the final product will be something both audiences will enjoy (casual and purists).

 

[Krynn72]

An Arkham Asylum vibe isn't bad inherently, but when a game that already had its own vibe, abandons it for Arkham Asylum's then its bad. The franchise is losing it's identity with all these changes. If you were to replace 47 as the main character in this game with Batman or Sam Fisher, would you still be able to tell that it was supposed to be a hitman game?

 

[<RJMC>]

maybe the fact that this mission in particular was so linear is another thing,I hope they dont ditch the classic open ended style of the missions

 

[Unfocused]

I don't understand why they do this. If they want a different playstyle, why not make an entirely new game? What does using the Hitman name and character accomplish? New, casual audiences, won't give a damn that the game is part of the Hitman franchise and Hitman fans will be pissed off that they're getting something significantly different from the previous games.

 

[StardogChampion]

I don't understand why they do this. If they want a different playstyle, why not make an entirely new game? What does using the Hitman name and character accomplish? New, casual audiences, won't give a damn that the game is part of the Hitman franchise and Hitman fans will be pissed off that they're getting something significantly different from the previous games.

Agreed. It looks beyond shit.

 

[Lobster]

There is something a little depressing about that video, I can't quite put my finger on it exactly..

A few things impressed me, but none of them were to do with the players role in the video. The animation on the NPCs seemed pretty neat, and some of the scripted action made me smile, until I realised everything 47 did looked clunky and forced.

A lot of games lately give me the impression of a guy who has won a competition to visit a movie set, where people and special effects happen on cue, as he blunders his way along a painted line on the floor. The player seems little more than a drunk camera man who sometimes punches the actors.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

An Arkham Asylum vibe isn't bad inherently, but when a game that already had its own vibe, abandons it for Arkham Asylum's then its bad. The franchise is losing it's identity with all these changes. If you were to replace 47 as the main character in this game with Batman or Sam Fisher, would you still be able to tell that it was supposed to be a hitman game?

Sure but by this logic Mario Galaxy is not a Mario game, Donkey Kong Country is not a Donkey Kong game and Resident Evil 4 isn't a Resident Evil game.

Times change, vote Republican.

 

[Remus]

A lot of games lately give me the impression of a guy who has won a competition to visit a movie set, where people and special effects happen on cue, as he blunders his way along a painted line on the floor. The player seems little more than a drunk camera man who sometimes punches the actors.

I know exactly what you mean and I hate this trend.

Even in games that are supposed to be mindless action like Bulletstorm they can't help themselves from making you feel like the game is holding your hand throughout the experience. In that game you couldn't comit suicide by jumping off a cliff because the game wouldn't let you by using invisible walls, hell it wouldn't even let you jump over a railing to get to the floor below quicker. :/

These are things I've noticed in almost every game over the last few years. It's as if game designers are afraid that the player might do something unexpected, something they didn't foresee.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

Bulletstorm is just an all around bad game and a shitty new IP, though.

 

[Krynn72]

Sure but by this logic Mario Galaxy is not a Mario game, Donkey Kong Country is not a Donkey Kong game and Resident Evil 4 isn't a Resident Evil game.

I can only speak to the Mario games because I never played enough of the other games to say, but I can tell you that Mario Galaxy most certainly had a Mario vibe and retained the core principles of every single game in the franchise before it. We're not talking about adding unique features that change up the experience, we're talking about core principles being dropped to make it more like another game.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

I can only speak to the Mario games because I never played enough of the other games to say, but I can tell you that Mario Galaxy most certainly had a Mario vibe and retained the core principles of every single game in the franchise before it. We're not talking about adding unique features that change up the experience, we're talking about core principles being dropped to make it more like another game.

Said franchise runs the gamut from Tennis, to Kart Racing, "partying", turn based role playing and even beating the shit out of each other. Haha

Valuable IPs are valuable. 'Hitman' is no exception to this rule.

I recommend the feature film(s) if this post doesn't let that click in for you.

 

[Krynn72]

If you think those games are part of the franchise and not spin-offs then you really are as retarded as I thought.

Also, any success the movie had (not that it had much) is likely because people wanted to see a movie about a hitman, and I am willing to bet that the majority of people who went to see it knew nothing of the video game franchise.

 

[Vegeta897]

Like Max Payne.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

It's just this whole 'pristine, savory, untarnished nature of popular game series' you wish to so valiantly uphold that is so nauseating and contrived. Hell, it's imagined altogether. You're starting to get boring. Is it not obvious what's happening in these situations? Is it not entirely predictable to you?

 

[Krynn72]

Just like MW2. Shazam!

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

As if I ever denied that. Pow!

The difference is, I don't deny that I want more of the same.

*nuclear launch detected

 

[Krynn72]

Nah, I know that already. Its why I don't care about anything you say really, as long as you're not trying to lead others to believe your shitty ideas like you were here.