Hitman: Codename 47

About

In Hitman: Codename 47, players assume the role of an elite assassin, known only as Agent 47, as they carry out contract kills for various clients. The game features a unique blend of stealth and action gameplay, allowing players to choose their approach to each mission. With a variety of weapons and tools at their disposal, players must navigate heavily guarded facilities and eliminate their targets with precision and creativity.

Genres & Tags

Action

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,594 reviews

story382 positive mentions

stability156 negative mentions

The game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the Hitman franchise, showcasing the origins of Agent 47.
Some missions, like 'Traditions of the Trade' and 'The Lee Hong Assassination', are well-designed and provide a satisfying challenge.
The soundtrack composed by Jesper Kyd is memorable and enhances the atmosphere of the game.

The controls are clunky and unintuitive, often requiring players to remap keys for a better experience.
There is no save system during missions, forcing players to restart levels from the beginning upon failure, which can be frustrating.
The AI is inconsistent, with enemies sometimes detecting players in illogical ways, leading to unfair gameplay experiences.

story
2,296 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
76%
7%
The story of "Hitman: Codename 47" follows Agent 47, a genetically engineered assassin, as he embarks on various missions across the globe, uncovering connections between his targets and his own origins. While the narrative provides a solid foundation for the character and includes intriguing twists, many players find it lacks depth and coherence, often serving merely as a backdrop for the gameplay. The missions vary significantly in quality, with some being memorable and engaging, while others are criticized for their frustrating design and lack of clear objectives, leading to a trial-and-error approach that can detract from the overall experience.
- “The story is really interesting and captivating, detailing the secret origin of agent 47, our favorite silent assassin.”
- “Very enjoyable discovering the backstory behind agent 47 and the way he is with great twists along with it.”
- “The story, in my opinion, is the game's strength but it only picks up in the end quarter of the game and for me, it did not disappoint.”
- “There are no saves during the missions; you have to beat them in one sitting, and if you fail, you restart the whole mission from scratch.”
- “The lack of autosave or really any sort of save feature is immediately annoying, and I too often turned to online guides and videos to see how to get past each level rather than figuring it out myself due to how large some of the maps are, how long some missions are, and how each time I died, I would have to start over from the very beginning of the mission.”
- “The gameplay is terrible and stupid; you'll have to retry some missions for hours until you can get them done.”
gameplay
676 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
72%
12%
The gameplay of *Hitman: Codename 47* is often criticized for its outdated controls, clunky mechanics, and frustrating difficulty, with many players experiencing trial-and-error gameplay that can lead to repeated failures on lengthy missions. While the game introduced innovative stealth mechanics and a unique approach to assassination, these elements are marred by bugs and inconsistent AI, making the overall experience tedious and sometimes unfair. Despite its flaws, some players appreciate the game's foundational concepts and nostalgic value, suggesting it may still appeal to fans of the series interested in its origins.
- “The gameplay premise of Hitman: Codename 47 is intriguing, emphasizing the importance of executing and escaping tasks with minimal attention and maximum effect, which is central to the stealth gameplay for the sequel.”
- “The game's unique approach to stealth gameplay, requiring players to find ways to stealthily reach and eliminate each target, has been praised by critics.”
- “Hitman: Codename 47 lays the foundation for the iconic stealth franchise with its innovative gameplay and intricate level design.”
- “The controls, mechanics, and detection system are pretty random, unforgiving, and sometimes even unfair.”
- “Some missions require 20 or 30 minutes of very precise gameplay; failing those near the end is beyond painful.”
- “The gameplay is terrible and stupid; you'll have to retry some missions for hours until you can get them done.”
graphics
510 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
57%
18%
The graphics of "Hitman: Codename 47" are widely regarded as outdated, with many reviewers noting that they have not aged well since the game's release in 2000. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm of early 3D graphics, others find them clunky and unappealing by modern standards, often detracting from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, a few players still find the visuals acceptable for their time, emphasizing that the game's engaging gameplay can overshadow its graphical shortcomings.
- “Hitman: Codename 47, using IO Interactive’s Glacier engine, has stunning graphics for its time, despite having empty spaces and maze-like locations.”
- “The graphics, if one accepts that it is an older game, are still pretty decent, and the game creates really great atmosphere in the levels, along with the fantastic music composed by Jesper Kyd.”
- “Graphically, the game looks charming for its time but the draw distance is too low which can be increased with this tool though it will affect the framerate, even if you have a beastly rig.”
- “The graphics have not aged well and the controls are difficult to work with.”
- “The graphics are a complete disaster, the object positioning seems rushed and the character models are all pretty awful (as compared with the graphic fidelity of today) but if you can look past the graphics, look past the shortcuts and the low poly counts it's still a fun and somewhat challenging game.”
- “Graphics are very dated with very small draw distance, leaving whole apartment blocks to appear in the not too far distance.”
music
226 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
2%
The music in "Hitman: Codename 47," composed by Jesper Kyd, is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the game's various settings. Key tracks, such as those for the Hong Kong and jungle missions, are noted for their unique blend of electronic and traditional influences, contributing to the overall dark and suspenseful tone of the game. Despite some technical issues with music playback, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features, often described as a hidden gem in the gaming world.
- “The soundtrack for Hitman: Codename 47, composed by Jesper Kyd, is a notable aspect of the game.”
- “Key tracks from the soundtrack, such as 'main title', 'Hong Kong', 'jungle exploration', 'harbor', and 'hospital', effectively capture the essence of the game.”
- “The soundtrack made by Jesper Kyd is simply amazing and conveys a perfect immersion to the different settings - action, suspense, fear.”
- “A pain to get to run and when you do there's no music at all.”
- “Its a terribly ported game as the music won't work 80% of the time and the game is basically dependent on the music.”
- “In addition to technically playing poorly, the plot is missing in action, and what's with this overly calm and soothing music that persists throughout the game?”
stability
162 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
96%
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with numerous reports of game-breaking glitches, soft-locks, and frustratingly buggy controls that hinder gameplay. Many players describe the experience as clunky and outdated, often leading to crashes and significant challenges in completing missions. While some users report a smoother experience without major issues, the overwhelming consensus is that the game is plagued by technical difficulties that detract from its potential enjoyment.
- “Outside of that, it does function well. I've had no glitches or crashes and got the game to work with a widescreen resolution.”
- “Always wanted to play this game, finally bought it. No glitches, bugs, or viruses. This is one of the hardest Hitman games I've ever played. Despite the graphics and quality, I find it really good even in 2022.”
- “Needs a little bit of work here and there, but still runs great!”
- “There's also a massive load of game-breaking glitches everywhere; it is super easy to soft-lock the game, usually by getting stuck somewhere.”
- “The game is buggy; there were times that I pressed escape to open the main menu and it would restart the mission instead, erasing all my progress in that level and forcing me to start from scratch.”
- “Plagued by technical difficulties and buggy AI, as well as some curious design choices, this is a game that is difficult to like and even harder to enjoy.”
atmosphere
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
81%
16%
3%
The atmosphere in "Hitman: Codename 47" is widely praised for its immersive and unique settings, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack composed by Jesper Kyd. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a dark, gritty ambiance across various locales, such as Hong Kong and Rotterdam, despite its dated graphics. Overall, the combination of atmospheric level design, engaging music, and a rich narrative contributes to a memorable experience that stands the test of time.
- “Despite all this, I think it's a very charming eurojank game with some pretty great levels towards the end (the hotel level is especially good and more reminiscent of the later entries) and a pretty killer atmosphere.”
- “Codename 47 nails the series' atmosphere and tone, and its soundtrack is, in my opinion, tied with Contracts' for the best overall in the series.”
- “The atmosphere in this game is amazing; every mission has a special music, that special feeling that it's unique, not just another useless task.”
- “The most prominent one is the music – the main menu theme became a permanent part of my playlist, and the rest of the soundtrack creates a perfectly grim, dark, cruel atmosphere fitting for a clone devoid of humanity whose only purpose is to take life.”
- “The story is mediocre, but given that the soundtrack is very well composed by Jesper Kyd, it gives the game a special dark atmosphere.”
- “Aside from this being a PC exclusive, yes, the game might as well be so old and irrelevant that you'd want to pass up on it, but even so, the game still has an irreplaceable charm; it has atmosphere, weight, and stupid decisions all over the place.”
grinding
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
7%
89%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for its tediousness, primarily due to the lack of a save system, which forces players to repeatedly restart lengthy levels after minor mistakes. Many reviewers describe the gameplay as frustrating and time-consuming, with missions often feeling like a slog filled with trial-and-error rather than engaging challenges. While some moments can be tense and rewarding, the overall experience is marred by the excessive repetition and lack of meaningful choices, leading to a sense of dread when starting the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The game, for this reason, felt far more tedious rather than fun, and by the end of the game I was dreading starting the game back up and was just trying to push through and move on to Hitman 2.”
- “There is no in-level save function, which makes most levels needlessly tedious.”
- “One mistake and you have to do a tedious 1 minute walk just to get back to where you were, just to do another tedious 2 minute setup to maybe get the chance to mess up again.”
humor
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of intentional and unintentional comedic elements, including hilarious voice acting, absurd situations, and funny character interactions. Players appreciate the game's black humor and amusing dialogues, often finding themselves laughing at the game's quirky physics and AI behavior. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the stealth/action gameplay, making it enjoyable for players of all ages.
- “It's especially funny that some moments can only be completed by shooting down a ton of enemies, and there's no other way, even though this is supposed to be a stealth game.”
- “Blasting the evil taser man in the face point-blank with a shotgun was hilarious because he did a back-flip and slammed against the wall with more force than my dad’s belt after we ran out of Jameson Irish whiskey, but it made me fail the tutorial.”
- “The voice acting is hilarious for the most part.”
optimization
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
62%
30%
The game's optimization is generally poor, particularly on modern systems, leading to issues such as low frame rates, confusing map design, and a subpar user interface on Windows 11. While it can run smoothly on older hardware, players report significant performance drops in certain areas, and the game struggles with outdated graphics and controls. Despite these challenges, some users have found workarounds to improve performance, indicating that with adjustments, the game can be playable.
- “With that being said, the game does run smoothly once you get those issues sorted out, and the fixes aren't terribly complicated to implement.”
- “I won't post a benchmark because, as already been said: this game can run on any computer with smooth performances (60+ fps).”
- “The game is a great start to a gaming selection if you're on a budget and/or are using a laptop, as the game's age and optimization has really aided in it performing amazingly on modern hardware.”
- “On Windows 11, the user interface optimization is negatively impacted, resulting in a reduced size of the main menu and gameplay user interface at a 16:9 resolution, with a limited 4:3 ratio.”
- “Bad gameplay, confusing map design, and poor optimization (I was playing at 20 fps). Maybe you want to play this game for the story, and a lot of people say this game was awesome for the 2000s, but we are in 2024, so no.”
- “Game doesn't age well, and is not optimized for newer PCs.”
replayability
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
67%
8%
The replayability of "Hitman: Codename 47" is generally considered limited due to its linear level design, lack of alternate endings, and the quick discovery of optimal strategies by players. While there are multiple methods to complete missions that can enhance replay value, the game's flaws and high difficulty detract from the overall experience. Many reviewers recommend exploring later installments in the series for a more rewarding replay experience.
- “There are numerous ways to complete every mission, which makes for great replayability.”
- “The flexibility adds strategic depth and replay value, making each mission a unique experience.”
- “The sheer replayability of these levels is what defines Hitman as a series.”
- “The replayability of Hitman: Codename 47 is limited due to various flaws in the gameplay and a lack of freedom in mission experimentation compared to later installments.”
- “Reviews and user opinions also suggest that the replay value of the game is relatively limited, as players may quickly figure out the best strategies for each level, reducing the incentive to replay.”
- “Codename 47 does not have much replay value, as the levels are fairly linear and there are no alternate endings or unlockables.”
emotional
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find "Hitman: Codename 47" emotionally engaging, highlighting its well-written plot and impactful ending that evokes strong feelings, including tears during gameplay. The game's diverse settings and Mr. 47's humor contribute to a unique emotional experience, making it a memorable entry in the series that resonates with players on a deeper level. Overall, the emotional depth of the story enhances the gameplay, encouraging players to invest in the narrative and the character's journey.
- “The plot is well written and has an emotional ending; you will surely enjoy it, and you will also be shocked.”
- “Overall, I enjoyed Hitman: Codename 47 and I also shed a tear during the last level.”
- “I cried when I played this game.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Character development in the game is noted for its quirky and absurd design, reminiscent of early 2000s eurojank titles. Despite limited story time, the character development effectively enriches the game's world, surpassing the narrative depth found in some modern films.
- “You know, it's amazing how something as little as 15 minutes of story time and character development sprinkled through this very old game creates a better world for Hitman than two full-length feature Hollywood movies could not do.”

Buy Hitman: Codename 47

Hitman: Codename 47
$7.99
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9h Median play time

7h Average play time

2-12h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

This game contains adult content

69%1.2kreviews