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In "Hitman: Contracts," you assume the role of Agent 47, a ruthless assassin on a series of lethal assignments around the globe. With a wide range of tactics and disguises at your disposal, you must navigate treacherous environments and eliminate your targets in this intense stealth-action game. The enemy AI is formidable, employing squad-based tactics to thwart your efforts, making each contract a true test of your skills.

Hitman: Contracts screenshot
Hitman: Contracts screenshot
Hitman: Contracts screenshot
Hitman: Contracts screenshot
Hitman: Contracts screenshot
Hitman: Contracts screenshot

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,392 reviews
story149 positive mentions
stability49 negative mentions

  • Hitman: Contracts improves on the mechanics of its predecessor, offering a more fluid gameplay experience.
  • The dark atmosphere and haunting soundtrack by Jesper Kyd create a unique and immersive experience.
  • The game features a variety of assassination methods and allows for multiple approaches to completing missions.
  • The game suffers from technical issues on modern systems, including crashes and slow-motion bugs.
  • Half of the missions are remakes from the first game, which some players feel detracts from the overall experience.
  • The AI can be inconsistent, leading to frustrating moments where players are caught for seemingly no reason.
  • story
    819 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of *Hitman: Contracts* revolves around Agent 47's flashbacks to his past assassination missions while he lies critically wounded in a hotel room. While the narrative serves as a framework for revisiting and reimagining missions from the original *Hitman: Codename 47*, it lacks depth and cohesion, often feeling disjointed and secondary to the gameplay. Despite its shortcomings in storytelling, the game is praised for its dark atmosphere and engaging mission design, offering players multiple approaches to completing objectives.

    • “The story of Hitman: Contracts revolves around Agent 47's memories of past contracts as he lies on the brink of death.”
    • “The game achieves this by using some pretty basic things like flashbacks setting the missions at night and with lots of rain to give off a very dark atmosphere combined with the outstanding soundtrack by Jesper Kyd.”
    • “The dark, disturbing, almost psychological vibe carries on through the remainder of the game, and it helps that this is also the first Hitman title that has every mission take place at night.”
    • “The story is completely nonexistent, since all the missions (except the last one) are flashbacks that play when 47 is being unconscious from his wound, and even after that.”
    • “The overarching story is not engaging in my opinion.”
    • “The story itself doesn't tell anything and the missions feel boring to complete because there is no bigger meaning or mission behind it.”
  • gameplay
    267 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in "Hitman: Contracts" is generally praised for its improvements over previous titles, offering a more refined and engaging experience with enhanced stealth mechanics and a variety of approaches to missions. While some players note that the game feels dated and lacks the polish of later entries, many appreciate the atmospheric design and the ability to revisit classic missions with updated mechanics. Overall, it strikes a balance between accessibility for newcomers and depth for series veterans, making it a solid entry in the Hitman franchise.

    • “The gameplay is amazing, and the music is some of the best in the series.”
    • “The game gives instructions on the game mechanics, which helped out a lot in my playthrough.”
    • “Overall, it's a worthy addition to the Hitman franchise, providing hours of strategic and thrilling gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is somewhat outdated and unforgiving compared to the modern Hitman games.”
    • “This game was not only shorter but the gameplay felt worse than the previous games.”
    • “The hitman series straddles a fine line between excellent and terrible, but the line moves depending on your tolerance for clunky mechanics and how many times you're willing to reload a save to get things right.”
  • music
    200 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Hitman: Contracts," composed by Jesper Kyd, is widely praised as one of the best soundtracks in the series, effectively enhancing the game's dark and atmospheric tone. Reviewers highlight its unique blend of minimalist electronica and orchestral elements, which perfectly complements the gritty environments and tense gameplay. While some note occasional mismatches between music and mission themes, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack significantly elevates the gaming experience, making it memorable and engaging.

    • “The atmosphere is dark, gritty, it's always raining and the soundtrack for this game is the best in the franchise.”
    • “Jesper Kyd's soundtrack again slaps.”
    • “The soundtrack is considered one of the best, with industrial elements in each track that make it unique.”
    • “The music is a downgrade, though, a big one even, to be honest.”
    • “A lot of the game audio is missing; gun sounds and sound effects still seem to be present within the game, however, music, ambient sounds, and so on appear to be removed due to the licensing issue.”
    • “Sometimes the background music does not suit the mission theme at all; for example, in the 10th mission 'The Seafood Massacre' that took place in Hong Kong, the complete background music, especially the flute part, sounds like Middle Eastern music.”
  • graphics
    164 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in "Hitman: Contracts" are generally considered dated, reflecting its 2004 release, but many players appreciate the improvements made over its predecessors, particularly in terms of atmosphere and detail. While some reviews note that the visuals may not meet modern standards, they still convey a dark and gritty aesthetic that enhances the game's themes. Overall, the graphics are seen as a mixed bag—better than earlier titles but not on par with contemporary games, making it a nostalgic experience for fans of the series.

    • “The game offers a visually stunning and immersive experience for players, with impressive graphics, detailed textures, and unique level design on each level.”
    • “The graphics engine obviously isn’t as good as modern engines, but the developers surely made the most of it at the time, and often you cannot help but stop and admire the amazing sceneries, architecture, and interiors.”
    • “The graphics have gotten a pretty nice visual upgrade and they really fit the dark and gloomy tone of this entry.”
    • “The graphics, animations, and mechanics are really dated.”
    • “If you're a fan of newer shinier games and want to go back to the source material, anticipating the same gameplay loop with worse graphics, you're in for a disappointment.”
    • “The graphics are bad for being 2004; it is unbelievably hard and the stealth barely works.”
  • atmosphere
    159 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in "Hitman: Contracts" is widely praised for its dark, gritty, and immersive qualities, often described as the most atmospheric in the series. The game features a haunting soundtrack by Jesper Kyd that complements its moody visuals, with most missions set at night and enhanced by weather effects like rain and snow. This combination creates a tense, almost horror-like ambiance that deeply engages players, making it a standout aspect of the game.

    • “The atmosphere is dark, gritty, it's always raining and the soundtrack for this game is the best in the franchise.”
    • “The dark and rainy atmosphere, with the incredible soundtrack, makes it the perfect experience for Agent 47's world.”
    • “The atmosphere, the environment, the characters, and the soundtrack composed by Jesper Kyd, everything is just so dark.”
    • “The use of Middle-Eastern instruments in the soundtrack elevates the horrific atmosphere of the game by digging deep into the average player's racial biases and reinforcing them, especially when this game came out when 9/11 was still a very recent tragedy.”
    • “The atmosphere is so cold and oppressive.”
    • “The atmosphere in particular is worth pointing out, almost feeling like a horror game in some parts.”
  • stability
    50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent glitches, freezes, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users noted that these issues make the game nearly unplayable at times, particularly on modern systems, and some expressed frustration over the lack of effective fixes or support for these problems. While a few players experienced minimal bugs, the overall consensus is that the game suffers from severe stability issues that detract from the experience.

    • “I had some trouble with the character being non-responsive, but I found a fix for it pretty quickly. Now, it runs great!”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any major glitches, making for a stable and enjoyable experience.”
    • “I've experienced very few crashes, and the overall performance is solid, which really enhances my gameplay.”
    • “Overall, this game is a buggy mess with the worst AI I've ever seen in any video game.”
    • “Buggy as hell, crashes almost every time I try to launch it.”
    • “And these are not just glitches or lags or whatever - the game is so broken, it becomes literally unplayable in quite a few aspects, let alone getting 'silent assassin' ranking here will become pure torture for no reason at all.”
  • replayability
    47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts high replayability, with players praising its diverse mission completion methods, unlockable weapons, and engaging gameplay mechanics that encourage multiple playthroughs. While some reviewers noted a linearity in gameplay until certain milestones are reached, the overall experience is enriched by a compelling soundtrack and atmospheric design, making it a worthwhile revisit for fans of the series. Many players find themselves drawn back to the game to achieve higher ranks and explore different strategies, solidifying its status as a highly replayable title.

    • “Both games have their own advantages in terms of replayability, providing players with a unique experience that encourages them to revisit the games multiple times.”
    • “The game emphasizes its replayability factor with even more ways to complete your missions than the last game, as well as rewarding players who achieve the silent assassin rank with cool weapons for even more fun.”
    • “After completing the game's 12 levels, you can go back and try to earn the 'silent assassin' rank, which will net you a new weapon for each level completed with the rank, definitely increasing the replayability if you want a lot out of the game.”
    • “Regarding replayability, it should be noted that you do not get to choose your loadout until you beat the game, which can result in linear gameplay with a much greater emphasis on puzzle-solving and vulnerability, supported by a stricter disguise system compared to other games in the series.”
    • “It has a small amount of replayability in terms of collecting guns throughout the level, but I do wish that the new game+ was more polished and allowed for score improvement.”
    • “There's just enough replayability to want to try missions a few times once you play through the whole game.”
  • humor
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a mix of dark and absurd elements, with players finding amusement in exaggerated ragdoll physics, comically bad voice acting, and outrageous execution methods, such as using laxatives in a target's soup. While some aspects, like the quirky AI and ridiculous storylines, contribute to the humor, others can become frustrating, such as the inability to prevent certain comedic scenarios. Overall, the game balances its humor with gameplay improvements, making it an entertaining experience for many players.

    • “The rain a la that 47 is at death's door is very funny.”
    • “Buy now only £8.29 or just pirate funny init!”
    • “+funny executions (you actually have to put laxatives in a dude's soup then kill him on the toilet, as you need to use his uniform to peacefully reach your other target. you also have the option of killing another target by suffocating them with a pillow).”
  • optimization
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of Hitman: Contracts has been widely criticized, with users reporting severe stuttering, lag, and crashes, particularly on Windows 10/11 and NVIDIA GPUs. While some suggest that limiting the frame rate might help, many find that it has no effect, leaving the game largely unplayable for those seeking a smooth experience. Overall, the game's performance issues detract significantly from its enjoyment, despite its strong gameplay elements.

    • “As for performance, hundreds of frames per second are guaranteed even if you run it on a blood pressure monitor.”
    • “The game encourages stealth and creativity, as the player can complete their objectives in multiple ways and earn different ratings based on their performance.”
    • “This game also has excellent optimization so you can run it on low-end hardware.”
    • “It's unplayable garbage and is not optimized for PC.”
    • “This game has serious optimization problems.”
    • “The game is broken; its poor optimization for Windows 10/11 makes it unplayable, due to lag making it impossible to do anything and sometimes crashing the game or freezing up until you close it.”
  • grinding
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that while the remake of Codename 47 has improved level design and streamlined mechanics, some players still find certain missions tedious, particularly those requiring repetitive actions or lengthy traversal. The lack of visual payoff for meticulously planned assassinations further contributes to a sense of monotony, making some aspects of the game feel less engaging compared to previous titles like Blood Money. Overall, while there are enhancements, grinding remains a notable issue for many players.

      • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
      • “There are some missions which feel absolutely tedious, such as the mansion level and the long run through the third level to blow up that radioactive ship. I will not do that for a very long time.”
      • “Basically leaves the game nigh on unplayable, or at least a rather tedious experience.”
    • emotional
      5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

      The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to create a profound sense of tension and despair, compelling players to engage deeply with its somber narrative despite technical flaws. Additionally, the storyline features poignant moments, such as a touching opening sequence involving a kidnapped son, which sets the stage for an emotional journey that resonates throughout the gameplay.

      • “However, despite being shackled by all these technical imperfections, Contracts still exerts tremendous emotional pressure and gets under your skin with almost zero effort – and soon, restarting from an earlier save because a guard randomly thought you were trespassing without even seeing you becomes a reasonable price to pay to experience this sombre, dismal world.”
      • “His son, Alexander IV gets kidnapped in an emotional yet beautifully shot opening sequence.”
      • “And so Agent 3.14 is forced out of retirement and together with 47, the two embark on an emotional journey that will take you from Africa to anywhere you can imagine.”
    • monetization
      2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

      The monetization aspect of the game appears to be negatively impacted by technical issues, such as non-functional ads and problematic control remapping, which detracts from the overall user experience.

        • “By default, the ads button didn't even work during the tutorial, nor could I swap weapons.”
        • “I actually had to remap the firing button because, by default, it wasn't set to left mouse button, and no matter what I did, it wouldn't let me assign right mouse button to aim down sights.”
      • character development
        1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

        Character development for protagonist agent 47 is characterized by a compelling mystery and an intriguing coldness, despite his minimal dialogue and emotional depth, which paradoxically enhances his allure.

          • “The mystery surrounding protagonist Agent 47 and his cold, aloof nature is surprisingly alluring, despite the fact that he historically has very little dialogue, character development, and emotion.”
          • “The character development feels shallow and unengaging, leaving me disconnected from the story and its characters.”
          • “I was disappointed by the lack of growth in the characters; they remain static throughout the game, which makes it hard to invest in their journeys.”

        Buy Hitman: Contracts

        8h Median play time
        8h Average play time
        5-10h Spent by most gamers
        *Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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