Hitman 3’s free new Freelancer mode is getting a closed technical test early next month on PC, ahead of its PS5 and PS4 release date on 26th January. And as part of that, Danish developer IO Interactive has treated us to an extensive look at how the roguelike-inspired extra is structured. To cut a nine-ish minute video short, it looks outstanding.
Basically, you’ll start out with nothing but a bunch of contracts to complete. You’ll have four main targets, and you’ll need to go on missions to gather intel about them. As you progress, you’ll earn in-game currency which will enable you to purchase new gear and tools. Once you reach a showdown, you’ll need to look for specific tells to ensure you’re eliminating the right person.
If you fail a showdown, then you’ll have to start over, but muck up a contract and you’ll get an additional opportunity – albeit without your gear and with all enemies on high alert. As you master the mode, you’ll be able to furnish Agent 47’s living quarters with decorations you think suit his taste. It’s not entirely clear in the video, but we assume these will be persistent unlocks.
All in all, we’re impressed. The developer’s found a really creative way to repurpose Hitman 3’s already outstanding suite of content, and this almost looks like a new game in some ways. It should tack years of life onto the title, and we can’t wait to truly test our espionage skills when the mode launches early next year.
[source youtube.com]
Comments 16
The amount of post launch content support including free content in the last 3 games have been nothing short of incredible. They didn't have to go this hard.
A gorgeous trilogy, and supported by numerous patches, extra missions, next-gen upgrades, and now this entirely new mode, all for free.
Compare and contrast with a lot of the greedy grubby devs out there and give thanks to IO Interactive.
While I actually preferred Hitman 2016’s episodic approach, the trilogy as a whole proves to be some of the best value for money that you can get on PS. Just brilliant.
@nessisonett in what way?
Hitman2 and Hitman3 are basically episodic, as each level is basically self contained anyway. You could play 1 a week and make it episodic.
@nessisonett
All the games are episodic the only difference is the first game pulled a network TV and the second and third games pulled a Netflix.
This sounds a lot better than what I was thinking it would be.
@PegasusActual93 @Bez87 Yes, the first season released each level episodically, meaning that you had to make do with the one level until the next released. It meant that I didn’t rush through the story and I fully savoured each level before moving onto the next once it was released. With 2 and 3, there wasn’t the same excitement with moving onto the next level and there wasn’t the same incentive to make the most out of each level.
@nessisonett
Plot was never the series strong suit and why would the way the game released take away the essence of the gameplay? Hitman games are designed around replaying the missions and discovering new things each time, same with Dishonored, same with Thief, same with Deus Ex. All released every level in one package.
Does this mode include all 3 hitman game's locations?
@PegasusActual93 Can’t say I’m particularly fond of the odd mansplaining attitude. I’ve played these games since Blood Money, I know how they work. I just have a personal preference for the release schedule from Hitman 2016. That’s all.
@nessisonett
I am not condescending just curious how the release model of a game would in any way impact the essence of the game itself.
Really cool concept. They’ve poured a lot of love into these games and deserve a lot of credit.
Great way to play hitman, and luckily for me when I bought hitman 3 on the ps5, it came with the PS4 copy for VR mode. So I sold the ps5 copy and I still have it.
Are they going to release the VR mode for PSVR 2?
@PegasusActual93 It changed the way I played the first game for sure. Have been playing these games since Hitman 2 and for each one I ran through each level once, then went back and replayed them as I chose, some much more than others. With the episodic model, I had to play the same level over and over, learning every detail better than I ever did with the earlier games where I picked and chose which levels I replayed after I'd finished them all. Every episode also had to be a large, fully fledged mission in order to justify the wait, they couldn't really do the smaller, simpler levels like Hawke's bay.
The Freelancer mode announcement was what motivated me to purchase the complete Hitman Trilogy. It looks very interesting in this video and it is great to have a deeper look into it.
I would suggest, to expand this new mode even more, a side game where you are tasked to retrieve rare and precious objects from the levels before you leave, like for example a famous chef knife, a Imperial Filigree Egg, gold bars, a rare wine, etc. Then you could sell them for a collector for Merces or store them on a gallery at your safehouse. Hitman have in its lore The Yardbirds (a group of international thieves) that could even be used here.
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