Hitman Absolution

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Hitman Absolution is a single player shooter game. It was developed by Io-Interactive A/S and was released on November 19, 2012. It received positive reviews from players.

"Hitman: Absolution follows Agent 47 seeking redemption while hunted by police. The game features Glacier 2 technology, providing a cinematic story, distinctive art direction, and highly original game and sound design. Players have the freedom to choose their approach, with a living, breathing world brought to life by unique characters, rich dialogue, and Hollywood-standard performances."

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 21,452 reviews

story2.8k positive mentions

stability116 negative mentions

story
8,658 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
60%
7%
The story of "Hitman: Absolution" is a significant departure from previous entries in the series, focusing on a more linear narrative that follows Agent 47 as he goes rogue to protect a young girl named Victoria. While some players appreciate the emotional depth and character development, many criticize the plot for being convoluted, cliché, and filled with inconsistencies, detracting from the gameplay experience. Overall, the game offers a mix of engaging storytelling and varied mission approaches, but its heavy emphasis on narrative has polarized fans of the franchise.
- “Easily the best Hitman game ever released, from the cast to the villains to the story & lore... basically everything is perfect in this game.”
- “With its cinematic storytelling, impressive graphics, and intense gameplay, 'Hitman: Absolution' stands as a pinnacle of the series, providing a deeply satisfying and replayable experience.”
- “The story delves into the personal life of Agent 47, exploring themes of betrayal and redemption.”
- “The story is so bad a 14 year old on Wattpad could do better.”
- “The story actually makes me cringe and I cannot believe someone actually sat down and approved this story.”
- “The story is filled with plot holes and moments that made me genuinely confused.”
gameplay
3,766 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
53%
5%
The gameplay of "Hitman: Absolution" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging stealth mechanics, strategic planning, and the introduction of new features like the instinct and point shooting systems. However, criticisms focus on its linear level design, a flawed disguise system, and a shift towards more action-oriented gameplay that some fans feel detracts from the series' traditional sandbox experience. Overall, while the game offers a polished and enjoyable experience, it may not fully satisfy purists of the franchise.
- “A true hitman game, love the stealth gameplay that you need to incorporate, a lot of thinking to do for every move and level!”
- “Great game, perfect balance of storyline, player-driven motives, and gameplay styles.”
- “The gameplay emphasizes creative approaches to eliminating targets, utilizing disguises, environmental interactions, and a variety of weapons.”
- “Easily the worst game in the Hitman franchise; it doesn't help that this game takes a lot of effort just to run on modern computers, but when you do, you're left with a lame story and gameplay that betrays the core of the franchise.”
- “Every so often in this Hitman game you'll get to assassinate a target and yes I really do mean 'every so often' because 80% of the gameplay is just 'sneak from point A to point B.' Needless to say, this is one of the most boring games I've ever played in my life.”
- “The whole gameplay has nothing to do with the original series; the whole premise is different in a terribly bad way.”
graphics
2,442 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
35%
2%
The graphics of "Hitman: Absolution" have received widespread acclaim for their impressive quality, especially considering the game's 2012 release date. Many reviewers noted that the visuals remain stunning and well-optimized, with rich detail in environments and character models that still hold up against modern standards. While some critiques mention an overuse of bloom effects and a departure from the series' traditional aesthetic, the overall consensus is that the game's graphics significantly enhance the immersive experience.
- “The graphics are gorgeous, with rich and detailed scenarios.”
- “Stunning graphics and atmosphere: the visual presentation of 'Hitman: Absolution' is a standout feature, with highly detailed environments and character models rendered in beautiful clarity.”
- “The game's visuals are polished, and the environments are richly detailed, offering numerous pathways and methods to complete missions.”
- “In terms of graphics and atmosphere, it makes the new Hitman look like a cartoon in 90% of levels.”
- “Too much attention was given to graphics and the game's atmosphere is built on postprocessing.”
- “The graphical style is undeniable — it's ugly, but very intentionally so.”
replayability
624 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
54%
4%
The replayability of "Hitman: Absolution" is a mixed bag, with many players praising its numerous assassination methods and challenges that encourage multiple playthroughs. However, the game's linear level design and the shutdown of its multiplayer components have led to criticisms regarding its overall replay value compared to earlier titles in the series. While some find it highly replayable due to its varied gameplay options, others feel it lacks the depth and freedom that characterized previous installments.
- “With its cinematic storytelling, impressive graphics, and intense gameplay, 'Hitman: Absolution' stands as a pinnacle of the series, providing a deeply satisfying and replayable experience.”
- “Great game with tons of replayability due to the sheer volume of ways you can complete missions.”
- “The replayability factor is outstanding despite this being a single-player story game, thanks to the very non-linear map designs.”
- “Pretty short campaign and sadly they closed down their multiplayer servers, so not much replayability unless you just want to get a couple more achievements, but you can't get them all because the servers are closed down.”
- “But the game doesn't have any replayability as the levels can be beaten more or less the same way.”
- “With very limited replay value and linear gameplay (compared to all other Hitman games), it's hard to want to play this again, especially with the new trilogy being out.”
music
330 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
54%
7%
The music in "Hitman: Absolution" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a significant drop in quality compared to previous entries in the series, particularly due to the absence of composer Jesper Kyd. While some tracks are praised for their atmospheric qualities and ability to enhance gameplay, others describe the soundtrack as generic and forgettable, lacking memorable themes. Overall, the music fits the game's tone but fails to leave a lasting impression, leading to a consensus that it is a step down from earlier titles.
- “The game's soundtrack deserves special mention for its atmospheric and suspenseful compositions, immersing you further into the world of assassination.”
- “The music adds to the atmosphere too, especially the hitman's sinister theme which is all too memorable.”
- “Also, Absolution has an amazing soundtrack in my opinion, of course that's a feature of the entire franchise itself, but the suspense carried by the music here is something not many, even action-oriented games, match.”
- “The music is bad, it's so generic and average, that you don't even realize there is music.”
- “One could think that they are going to replace him with someone of similar caliber, but nah... most of the levels are completely lacking any music, excluding very bland ambients.”
- “A lack of Jesper Kyd, and you don't even have worthwhile music.”
humor
330 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
1%
1%
The humor in "Hitman: Absolution" is a mix of dark comedy and absurdity, with players enjoying the bizarre scenarios and quirky character interactions. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to blend humor with its stealth mechanics, resulting in laugh-out-loud moments during gameplay, despite some criticisms of the story and dialogue falling flat. Overall, the game is appreciated for its entertaining and often campy humor, making it a fun experience for those who enjoy a lighthearted take on the assassin genre.
- “The game has a great sense of humor.”
- “You'll encounter some bizarre and funny characters along the way, and the game isn't afraid to poke fun at itself.”
- “If you enjoy a mix of strategy and action with a touch of dark humor, give Hitman: Absolution a shot.”
- “Villains are hilariously cringey and not professional except for the agency guy.”
- “NPC speech tries so hard to be edgy... constant tiresome unfunny jokes - GTA has a lot to answer for.”
- “You wonder if one of the principal writers had recently gone through a messy divorce, so toxic is the game's treatment of women (they're almost entirely either stupid, hateful, shrewish, strippers, sex toys, or victims).”
atmosphere
204 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
46%
2%
The atmosphere in "Hitman: Absolution" is widely praised for its dark, immersive environments and stunning graphics, which evoke a gritty underworld reminiscent of classic titles in the series. Players appreciate the attention to detail in the settings, complemented by a compelling soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. However, some critiques note that while the game excels in visual and atmospheric presentation, it sometimes sacrifices gameplay depth and narrative coherence, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall impact on the series.
- “With its cinematic storytelling and atmospheric environments, it immerses players in a dark and gritty underworld.”
- “The game’s settings, from bustling city streets to dark, moody interiors, are designed with a high level of attention to detail, which greatly enhances the atmosphere and immersion.”
- “The atmosphere is rich and the world detailed through both the variety of settings that you’ll progress through and the NPCs and their conversations with each other.”
- “Too much attention was given to graphics and the game's atmosphere is built on postprocessing.”
- “Absolution has general improvements to 'the feel' of combat and it looks pretty, but almost everything else, from the atmosphere, to the soundtrack, to the narrative has been compromised.”
- “The new direction and tone is confused, and completely contradicts the atmosphere of the older games.”
optimization
198 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
37%
19%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to run smoothly on a variety of hardware, including low-end PCs, while others report significant performance issues such as stuttering and crashes, particularly on higher-end systems. Overall, it is considered well-optimized for its time, but some users have experienced technical hiccups and bugs that disrupt gameplay. Despite these issues, the game's graphics and performance are generally regarded as impressive, especially for a title released in 2012.
- “This game is a blast, looks great for 2012 and is very well optimized.”
- “This game is loaded with content, it looks beautiful, and it's perfectly optimized.”
- “I love how this is optimized for low-end PCs and even Mac.”
- “Constant stuttering even on high-end hardware makes this game unplayable; the stealth aspects aren't enjoyable either compared to modern Hitman games.”
- “Another gripe would be performance; the game drops considerable frames in larger and more detailed environments on hardware that should be plenty more than enough to accommodate this game's visuals.”
- “It's poorly optimized, and contracts mode has been broken for months after a patch.”
stability
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
85%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting a range of bugs and glitches, including crashes, freezes, and issues with the checkpoint system. While it runs well on modern hardware and offers a visually appealing experience, the frequency and severity of the bugs can detract from overall enjoyment. Some users have noted that despite these issues, the game remains fun and engaging, though it may not be fully optimized for all systems.
- “The game runs great on modern hardware, so you should have no problems getting it going out of the box.”
- “This game is very well optimized, runs great on my system with max settings.”
- “This is a polished game, nice graphics and controls with a good PC port that runs great.”
- “Way more buggy than it should be; mechanics are not fun and the checkpoint system is just plain annoying.”
- “Much as I like Hitman and enjoy this game, I'm surprised that it still is so buggy and crashes every time I get in the elevator on the first level.”
- “Game is horribly buggy -- after a while I just got fed up and stopped playing it.”
grinding
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
26%
71%
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being excessively tedious and frustrating, with many players feeling that it detracts from the overall enjoyment. Reviewers noted that the linear level design and repetitive tasks lead to a monotonous experience, often requiring significant time investment for minimal reward. While some challenges offer replay value, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding feels more like a chore than a fun gameplay element.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “A bit grindy.”
- “I have no clue how this got past the concept stage, as it makes the game far more tedious and challenging than it has any right to be.”
- “What was once an optional, fun challenge is now a tedious imposition.”
- “I struggled to get through this game as I felt like I was just grinding to actually get to a decent kill mission and there were several points where I just took everyone out to try and get to a fun part as I was bored with hiding.”
emotional
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
90%
10%
The emotional aspect of "Hitman: Absolution" receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the depth and character development of Agent 47, while others criticize the story for being overly dramatic and inconsistent with the character's established persona. Many find the narrative engaging and touching, contributing to an immersive experience, but others feel it lacks emotional engagement due to its serious tone and linear gameplay. Overall, the game attempts to blend emotional storytelling with traditional hitman mechanics, resulting in a polarized reception among players.
- “This storyline adds emotional depth to the character and creates a more immersive experience as players navigate through the game’s plot twists and turns.”
- “Hitman: Absolution takes Agent 47 to a rarely high level, matching creative assassination missions with an emotionally resonant story.”
- “What this game manages to do, apart from rehashing the amazing series that Hitman has come to be, is breathe in heartwarming soul in a stone-cold killer, and to give us some of the most cinematic and AAA+ gaming moments ever achieved.”
- “A very scripted game with linear levels and a very boring storyline.”
- “They removed the best things that make a Hitman game a Hitman game and turned it into a linear frustrating experience with no saves and a boring story that is just trying too hard.”
- “Instead, we were 'gifted' with an uninspiring and boring story filled with low-quality drama, and with a cartoonish cowboy as an antagonist.”
character development
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some reviews highlight improvements in the protagonist 47's development and the complexity of storylines, many criticize the overall lack of depth in character relationships and the flatness of supporting characters. The potential for richer character arcs, particularly in the interactions between 47 and other characters, remains largely unfulfilled, leaving players wanting more. Overall, while there are moments of decent character progression, many feel that it falls short of expectations.
- “Completing and fulfilling the missions, objectives, items, and tasks raises your score and unlocks special abilities for your character, 47, to enhance his playing style in future missions. The storylines and character development are rich and complex, with excellent graphics and a phenomenal game overall.”
- “The progression, some twists, and a clearer sense of plot contribute to decent character development.”
- “There are, in fact, things this game does better than its predecessors: better character development of 47, better plot development in general, not as buggy, and a more clear and defined system for being detected/not detected by guards, along with better and cooler animations fitting of a trained killer.”
- “However, there's no character development or relationship between 47 and Victoria.”
- “Story, however, suffers a bit; character development is lacking, and villain characters are fairly flat and forgettable.”
- “Not much character development.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for resembling a cash grab, with players feeling that the advertisements overpromise on depth and creativity. Many users express disappointment in the lack of innovative storytelling and the reliance on familiar mechanics, leading to a perception that the game fails to justify its price. Overall, the sentiment suggests a growing frustration with the industry's trend towards superficial monetization at the expense of quality content.
- “The newer games I will not purchase, not because of the pie method being done to them as a whole, but simply because of the cheap cash grab and lack of creative writing that could have expanded and given more life into a dying genre of future games, by refreshing an old genre with a newer type of storytelling mixed with RPG elements.”
- “Sure, there's some real flexibility to how you complete a mission in some cases, but it's not really as in-depth as the advertisement makes out.”
- “Being a hitman purist, I thought this game was going to suck due to the advertising and Eidos's track record for taking a dump on generally solid and technical games.”