Hitman HD Enhanced Collection brings back some Hitman history. The collection is a compilation of two classic Hitman titles: Hitman: Blood Money and Hitman: Absolution. Both titles have been enhanced in HD glory as you might’ve suspected from the title. These games are direct lead-ins to the 2016 soft reboot and are sort of a glorified homage to hitman’s past.
Opposites do attract
Hitman: Blood Money was the fourth installment in the Hitman series and is often cited as the best hitman experience of that era. It has become a cult favorite amongst fans for its sandbox feel. Although the controls were clunky, the creativity you could put into your missions was unseen for the time. Hitman: Absolution was released a significant time later for a new console generation with mixed reviews. The title felt like a whole different path taken after the acclaimed Blood Money. Absolution was a bit too linear, but the way superior controls were applauded by the fans. Although both titles are very different, it’s clear to see they both had great elements. Elements we saw combined in the last two Hitman games.
I’m not entirely sure to whom this collection is catered. On one side you could reel in some people who only just discovered Hitman through the last games On paper that sounds like a good idea, but I doubt those players will be so forgiving for the flaws Blood Money and Absolution still have. Fans of the older games could be tricked into buying this collection to play on their newer consoles, but I personally think these 2 games aren’t old enough to get that nostalgic feeling going yet. Fun personal fact: I was actually playing Absolution on my PS3 during the Christmas holiday. Not once did I feel it needed a current gen re-release.
Enhanced
Hitman HD Enhanced Collection might have a strange demographic, but it still does deliver what it says on the box. The games have been upgraded to feature 4K visuals at 60 frames per second. IO interactive brushed off the edges really well and even improved the lighting and shadows to really make this the nicest looking way possible to play Blood Money and Absolution. Blood money might still look a bit blocky to todays standards, but I compared it to my PS2 copy and can really see the improvement. Absolution already had nice graphics on the previous gen but still found some room to improve.
Hitman: Blood Money
In Hitman: Blood Money, agent 47 needs to travel the world to eliminate targets. While doing his “normal” routine, 47 discovers another organisation of assassins who aren’t going to be just friendly competition. The narrative is told through the memories of former FBI director Cayne. Blood Money was hailed for its more open world feel and the creative ways you could go about and finish each level. The controls are finicky to say the least and the general tone of this game is more of the dark humor kind than we are used to today. The physics in this game were notorious for being broken, the HD enhanced collection hasn’t altered that. Some gangsters were still excessively propelled sideways after I shot them – from the front.
Hitman: Absolution
Absolution has way more depth in the story department and really makes you connect more with Agent 47. In Absolution your main handler, Diana Burnwood, has burdened you with the care of a teenage girl named Victoria. This shows a whole different side of agent 47 other than the cold-hearted programmed killer we knew. The 20 levels look great and the controls are spot on this time. The main downside is the fact that the levels don’t really allow you to roam free as much as you’d like to. Every level feels very “guided” almost.
Conclusion
If you would put Blood Money and Absolution in a cooking pot and stir it up enough, you would end up with the 2016 released Hitman “soft reboot”. Hitman HD enhanced collection shows you the past of the series in a splendid form, but you might be better off looking forward to the next release. Only die-hard fans will find enjoyment in these classics, the rest better sticks to the far superior current gen Hitman games.
