Hitman: Blood Money
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| Hitman: Blood Money | |
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| Developer(s) | IO Interactive |
| Publisher(s) | Eidos Interactive |
| Picture format | 720p (HDTV) (Xbox 360 only) 480p (EDTV) 480i (SDTV) |
| Latest version | 1.2 (June 21, 2006) |
| Release date(s) | May 26, 2006 (EU) May 30, 2006 (US) |
| Genre(s) | Stealth |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Mature (17+) BBFC: 18 PEGI: 18+ |
| Platform(s) | Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360 |
| Media | DVD (1) Steam |
Hitman: Blood Money is the fourth game in the Hitman video game series. The PC demo was released on May 22, 2006. The game was released on May 26, 2006 in Europe and on May 30 in the United States.
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[edit] Theme
Hitman: Blood Money centres on assassinations carried out by Agent 47 (or, as he is referred to by the narrator, Mr. 47), as narrated in cutscenes by the former director of the FBI to a journalist invited to his home as they discuss 47. The wheelchair-bound ex-director recounts how his organization tracked 47 over a two-year period by observing his operations, each of which is played when it is mentioned in his story. It should be noted that during the interview, the ex-director mentions certain details that strongly contrast with what actually happened. The tone of the game, in complete contrast with the previous game, is operatic and often veers into the larger-than-life, recalling elements of the 'world-traveller' grandeur of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. Many of the new levels also contain strong sexual themes greatly exceeding that of previous titles in the series.
[edit] Features
Many new features were introduced to Hitman: Blood Money. These include the capability to climb through more obstacles, improved character animations (example-face, eyes, etc), a new game engine and the ability to upgrade weapons and equipment. However, only five of the featured weapons in the game, as well as assorted pieces of equipment such as bombs and armor, can be upgraded. Every level contains some sort of method to make the target's death look like an accident; for example, tampering with someone's grill to make it explode when they turn it on, or the target 'accidentally' falling off a balcony. There are also improvised weapons, like a nailgun or a pair of hedge clippers.
A gameplay feature new to the Hitman series was also added, the "Notoriety" system. If the player, during a mission, kills innocents or civilians, gets caught on CCTV or is witnessed committing murder, Agent 47's notoriety will rise. Conversely, if the player executes the mission perfectly with none of the aforementioned events occurring, 47's notoriety will be minimal. The higher Agent 47's notoriety is, the easier it will be for NPCs to identify him. Players may use the bribery system to negate accumulated notoriety. The notoriety system is not enabled in "Rookie" mode, which also allows unlimited saves and a lower level of general difficulty. Health boosts are available in the game, such as Painkillers.
When each mission has been completed, a newspaper article is displayed regarding the hit, in which the content varies depending on the investigation results and the player's notoriety. Sketch drawings are also sometimes visible of Agent 47's face, which grow progressively more accurate as 47's notoriety grows. The article's title relates to the player's mission rating. "Silent Assassin", in which you assassinate the targets as cleanly and quietly as possible, and draw no unnecessary attention to yourself (blow covers, leave no extra bodies, etc.), is the best rating possible on all missions. It ought to be added that certain ratings are only available on certain levels, by performing a certain prerequisite. (EG. In "A New Life", the fourth mission, a rank of "The Russian Hare" can be achieved by killing all of the FBI agents.)
[edit] Plot
The game begins with a flashback at a Baltimore amusement park, where dozens die in an accident caused by negligence. The father of one of the victims calls the Agency and orders a hit on the park owner, who was cleared of all charges. 47, on the run from competitors from Europe, carries out the hit; following that assignment, he receives a string of contracts from American clients eager to hire the legendary hitman. With the exception of two missions occurring respectively in Chile and Paris (which take place in the game immediately after this one), all subsequent missions occur in chronological order following this one.
The bulk of the game takes place as flashback sequences that occur concordant to the present day, in which a reporter and the former FBI Director, Alexander Leland Cayne, discuss 47's hits over the past two years (2004-2005) and his involvement in the whole thing. The reporter arranged to interview Cayne concerning a recent attack on the White House (an important plot point). It quickly becomes clear that Alexander's real intent is to discuss 47. As the story progresses, the Agency's employees are said to be being systematically eliminated by an albino clone, a super-assassin dispatched by a western counterpart to the Agency called "The Franchise"; the situation degrades to the point where Diana informs 47 that they are the only ones left.
Diana closes down the Agency with a final contract to kill the assassins coming after them. After the assignment, 47 is approached by an old acquaintance, a CIA agent named Smith, who 47 rescued in the Flatline mission. He approaches 47 with a high-profile mission, paid for using several million dollars worth of diamonds. There is a reason why the payout is particularly generous; the targets are The Franchise's clone assassin and the Vice President of the United States, Daniel Morris. Both represent a shadow-ops organisation dedicated to monopolising the cloning technology that spawned 47. They intend to assassinate the President before he can push forward his pro-cloning stance, as The Franchise and its controlling parent stand to lose their military edge.
As expected, 47 is successful. Hunted by both enemy operatives and the police, he flees to his hideout. Without warning, he is visited by Diana, immediately arousing his suspicion (face-to-face meetings with Diana are highly irregular). Diana claims to know how to shake off the Franchise. As 47 mulls over the folder she hands him, expressing his misgivings as to the likelihood of its success, Diana injects him with a syringe and kills him (her apparent betrayal causes 47 to shout "Bitch!", inciting his only line of verbal aggression in the series). 47's body is surrounded by SWAT members, and Diana, announcing that killing 47 was "surprisingly pleasant," is formally inducted into the Franchise by its founder, Jack Alexander. The story at this point shifts to the present day; 47 is scheduled for cremation so his bone marrow cannot be harnessed by cloning rivals, destroying forever anyone else's chance of producing a non-defective clone. Diana drapes 47's custom Silverballers over his chest during his hasty funeral and kisses him after applying lipstick. It becomes apparent that the "poison" she injected was actually a fake-death serum 47 used in an earlier assignment that induces a death-like hibernative state. Diana's lipstick contains the antidote in it (The same used to retrieve Agent Smith from a rehab clinic in the mission 'Flatline").
From here, the story may conclude two different ways:
Ending 1:
... is the bad ending, in which it is presumed the antidote fails to work, and 47 descends into the crematorium.To obtain this first ending, the player simply does not have do anything as the credits are rolling down.
Ending 2:
...is the true, canonical ending, in which the antidote works and 47 rises up, slaughtering everyone in the church (except Diana, who has already left — apparently locking the gates behind her to prevent witnesses from escaping). To ensure that absolutely no one knows he is still alive, even the innocent reporter and priest are not spared by him. After the ordeal, 47 leaves the funeral. To obtain this second ending, the player must press the movement keys repeatedly till 47's pulsing health bar reaches maximum while the credits are rolling by.
Sometime after the funeral massacre, Diana is shown to have, possibly, reopened the Agency, which overlooks the Copenhagen harbor. It is unknown whether she has ascended to a higher rank as a result of this. She receives a call from someone referred to as "Your Majesty". The voice cannot be heard, but Diana replies that they can't find a trace of 47. Meanwhile, a briefcase-bearing 47 is at a seedy-looking brothel with a traditionally-dressed Chinese man. He is led offscreen by the man after expressing interest about what he has heard is "in the back".
[edit] Pop-culture references
As with previous installments of the Hitman series, Blood Money makes several nods towards the material that inspired it. The main musical theme used in the title menu is "Ellens dritter Gesang" by Franz Schubert, more commonly referred to as "Ave Maria", as heard in the blockbuster movie "Assassins"; also a small cutscene which occurs when the player strangles someone from above in an elevator shaft is potentially a homage to the opening assassination in Luc Besson's Léon. Less serious material is also secreted into the title; a New Orleans Police Chief sharing his name with The Simpsons' Chief Wiggum.
The title also nods towards the developers' own work, with a newspaper displayed at the end of each mission hinting towards 2004's Freedom Fighters and the yet to be released Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. The game continues the series' tradition since Hitman 2 of placing a yellow rubber duck in promotional art and posters, as well as within the game itself- one appears during a cutscene in this title.
[edit] Controversy
Despite the fact Blood Money has been said to be the most violent game of the series yet, the magazine ads for the game generated more controversy than the title which spawned them. The ad that drew the most attention and protest depicted a woman lying on a bed in lingerie, seemingly asleep but with a bullet hole in her forehead.[1] The caption above the picture read: "Beautifully Executed" a pun regarding the woman's appearance and her fate. Other ads were "Classically Executed", featuring a cellist with a slit throat, "Coldly Executed", showing a body in a freezer, and "Shockingly Executed", depicting a woman in a bath who has been electrocuted by a toaster.[2]
[edit] Reviews
Blood Money received generally favourable reviews upon release, with a Metacritic aggregate score of 81. The title was widely praised for improving previous gameplay issues, but criticised for control issues. The 360 version was also picked out for failing to provide the "next-gen experience" expected of the title.
Blood Money was voted Game Of The Year 2006 by BBC Scotland's videoGaiden.
[edit] References
- ^ http://media.gigex.com/editorial/20060524173143-adcritic_hitman_pcgamer_big.jpg
- ^ http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/adwatch/?id=12652
[edit] External links
- Hitman: Blood Money Official website
- Eidos Official website (Eidos)
- Io Interactive Official website (IO Interactive)
- GameDaily Biz Article on ad controversy
- GameDaily PC Article on ad controversy
- Hitman: Blood Money at MobyGames
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Codename 47 • Silent Assassin • Contracts • Blood Money |
