Agent 47 is back at it to keep the balance in the world. Hitman 3 Freelancer sees the assassin fight perhaps his most dangerous enemy.
The killer clone is back. Agent 47 returns to do the things that he does best. In Hitman 3 Freelancer DLC, the ICA’s best once again goes off to exotic locations. Dedicated fans will love to see the features that made them stick around back again. But, if you’re like me, and have been away since Blood Money, it’s still got the same old-school feel. It’s just like getting back on a bike. From IO Interactive, comes perhaps one of Agent 47’s best set of adventures.
The Hitman 3 Freelancer DLC has its own story. As always, there are some targets to take out. But, for this mode, one takes on a ‘Campaign’ against a particular Syndicate. Initially, one must hunt down a group of four targets in total. Once these four targets are taken out, a new location, where their leader is hiding out, will then be revealed on the map. Each of these missions is taken from the Safe House, where Agent 47 can outfit himself with the right tools for the job.
Controls on the PC are very fluid with left, right, back, and forth under the W, A, S, D configuration. Moving the reticule with the mouse is easy, provided the mouse’s sensitivity isn’t too high. While aiming at a target head with a throwable object, it’s very to miss and end up alerting them. It’s also very easy at times to ‘accidentally’ snap a non-target’s neck. While it might be funny once or twice to see in Hitman 3, it becomes nothing but frustrating when it happens too often.
One of the biggest issues playing is how NPCs can wedge Agent 47 between them. Many locations within certain Hitman 3 Freelancer levels are restricted and require specific attire. Depending on the costume, some characters will take notice as soon as 47 enters their field of vision. One must ensure not to stand in tight spaces between a safe zone and a restricted zone. Standing in that spot will enable an NPC to physically push the agent right into a zone they shouldn’t be in. Avoid this and one won’t have to become part of a party they didn’t want to start.
Playing Hitman 3 Freelancer, personally, felt like it required far more finesse to play than the Story Campaign of any installment in the franchise. One of the most important things to note about the Freelancer mode is the roguelike aspect. Dying isn’t the least bit of fun. Find all the rare items and weapons you can carry. But, if Agent 47 suffers the same fate as his targets, all that stuff is completely gone. The game goes for any weapon acquired from a previous Campaign mission.
Each success earns Mr. 47 currency called Mercers. This currency can be used to buy things from a wall in the Safe House. Or, if a player still has enough, they can be used to buy items from a specially marked NPC. One of the biggest things that has to be noted, is the limited capacity one has during a Freelancer mission. Choose the right weapons for the job carefully.
The first target in Hitman 3 Freelancer is no problem. But, as I progressed through the Campaign, each target’s death only made the next mission more difficult. As one completes each mission, the game bestows the player with the misfortune of increased difficulty. Without a dossier on the targets or the ability to gather specific intel, one is limited to what the environment offers. Hitting the ‘leader’ target is never easy, as there is an extremely short window to work with.
Hitman 3 Freelancer is a great way to warm up before taking on Hitman III’s story mode. Because of the mode’s rigid nature, it will test a player’s ability to adapt to a constantly changing environment. Neither the NPCs nor the targets seem to behave the same way that Story mode characters do.
Like with any adventure featuring Agent 47 and his particular set of skills, no one should go into this thinking that will in any way be easy. The agent, along with his handler and the ICA, have another organization to contend with. IAGO, an information trading network, has their hands in many cookie jars.
If left unchecked, the balance of world powers will be thrown into complete chaos. And while Hitman III presents IAGO, it is an anonymous benefactor seeking out the completion of these contracts. The secret information network certainly needs to be trimmed down. But are they really the villain at play here?
One of Hitman 3 Freelancer’s best details is the ability to plan ahead. Before each Story mission, one is able to decide what gun, melee item, and distraction item they wanted to carry. Even before the first playthrough of a level, it’s a nice thing to have, allowing one to complete certain objectives almost without effort.
Each main mission has multiple paths for completion. It’s quite fascinating following each story thread. Chasing down clues and intelligence gathering opportunities unlocked goodies for the next playthrough. Find enough disguises and they’ll become options for completing the mission a second or third time. Not only are the costumes an option, but the location of these costumes sometimes became a possible starting point.
The visuals for Hitman 3 Freelancer are great. Even on lower settings for PCs that struggle with visuals, it performed well. While the title is played on a gaming PC, it could not handle settings on ‘high’ or ‘ultra’ settings without severely taxing the visual ram. Regardless, it’s still a beautiful sight to see the architecture of each level. One could get easily distracted by the environment and lose themselves in the story of the cities themselves.
The voice acting in Hitman 3 Freelancer is amazing. Each line of dialogue is clear and crisp. There is no issue hearing the important things that each character said. With how deep and rich the sound is, each level in the game felt truly alive. The music is also a wonderful addition and only adds to the overall ‘richness’ every game should have. For those interested, the OST and main score for Hitman III are written by Niels Bye Nielsen.
But one event led to a great deal of frustration. Killing one target seemed to activate an insanely loud orchestral number. The music playing after ending a target, apparently, is a normal part of the game. But what isn’t normal for Hitman III is what happened in this playthrough. For the rest of the mission, after taking out the target, the music followed 47 as an annoying reminder of what he did earlier. Luckily it only happened once. However, it made it hard to enjoy or even concentrate on any objectives while it continued.
Hitman 3 Freelancer DLC is an excellent addition to the series. It has everything that veteran fans love about Agent 47 and his adventures. And it’s sure to be a fun ride for anyone who receives this installment as an introduction. There are a handful of achievements that are extremely easy to get, allowing a great deal of play for achievement hunters.
With the multiple paths allowed for completing each mission, the game earns itself a particularly high replay value. If you want intense espionage action with political intrigue, the most recent story installment is for you. And, if you’d rather get straight to the action and take on a challenge, boot up the Hitman 3 Freelancer mode. Grab it on Steam for PC now.
