HITMAN III (I II) – Deluxe Edition (3.10.1 Up…: A Review of the Ultimate Assassin Game

If you are a fan of stealth action games, you have probably heard of or played one of the games in the Hitman franchise. The series follows Agent 47, a genetically enhanced assassin who works for a mysterious organization called the ICA. Agent 47 travels around the world, taking out high-profile targets using his skills, gadgets, disguises, and creativity.

In this article, we will review HITMAN III, the latest installment in the series and the final chapter of the World of Assassination trilogy that started with HITMAN in 2016 and continued with HITMAN 2 in 2018. We will also cover what makes the Deluxe Edition special, what is new in the latest update (3.10.1), and whether this game is worth your time and money.

HITMAN III is a stealth action game developed by IO Interactive A/S and published by IO Interactive A/S on January 20, 2022 for Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Stadia, and VR devices. The game is a direct sequel to HITMAN 2 and follows Agent 47 and his allies as they hunt down the leaders of Providence, a secret society that controls the world’s affairs. The game features six locations: Dubai, Dartmoor, Berlin, Chongqing, Mendoza, and Carpathian Mountains. Each location offers a sandbox environment where the player can explore, interact, and eliminate their targets in various ways.

The Deluxe Edition of HITMAN III is a special version of the game that includes the following additional content:

• The Deluxe Escalation Contracts: These are exclusive missions that add new challenges and rewards to each location.
• The Deluxe Suits and Items: These are unique outfits and weapons that Agent 47 can use in his missions.
• Digital Soundtracks: These are the original soundtracks of HITMAN III and the World of Assassination trilogy.
• Digital “World of HITMAN” Book: This is a digital book that showcases the art and design of the trilogy.
• Director Commentary: This is an optional feature that allows the player to listen to the director’s insights and behind-the-scenes stories while playing the game.

The latest update (3.10.1) of HITMAN III was released on June 8, 2023 and fixed several issues and bugs that affected the game’s performance and stability. Some of the notable fixes are:

• Improved loading times and reduced stuttering on PC and consoles.
• Fixed a crash that occurred when using ray tracing on PC.
• Fixed a bug that prevented some trophies and achievements from unlocking.
• Fixed a bug that caused some items to disappear or clip through walls.
• Fixed a bug that caused some NPCs to behave erratically or freeze in place.

HITMAN III is a game that emphasizes stealth, creativity, and choice. The player can approach each mission in different ways, depending on their style and preference. The player can use stealth to avoid detection, disguise themselves as various characters, use various weapons and gadgets, interact with the environment, create distractions, or even go loud and shoot their way through. The game rewards the player for completing challenges, finding secrets, and achieving different outcomes. The game also offers different modes and features that enhance the gameplay experience. Some of these are:

• Contracts Mode: This is a mode where the player can create their own custom missions by choosing their targets, rules, and conditions. The player can also play other players’ contracts and rate them.
• Escalation Mode: This is a mode where the player has to complete a series of missions with increasing difficulty and restrictions. The player has to adapt to new scenarios and objectives.
• Elusive Targets: These are special missions that are only available for a limited time. The player has to eliminate a unique target with no retries or saves. The player has to be careful and plan ahead.
• Sniper Assassin Mode: This is a mode where the player has to eliminate their targets from a distance using a sniper rifle. The player has to be precise and stealthy.
• Ghost Mode: This is a mode where the player can compete against another player online in a race to eliminate the same targets. The player has to be fast and smart.

HITMAN III also supports VR on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 with PlayStation VR. The player can experience the game in first-person perspective and use motion controllers to interact with the world. The player can also switch between VR and non-VR modes at any time. However, VR mode is not available for Ghost Mode or Sniper Assassin Mode. To play HITMAN III in VR, the player needs a PlayStation VR headset, a PlayStation Camera, two PlayStation Move controllers or a DualShock 4 controller, and a copy of HITMAN III on PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5.

HITMAN III is a game that boasts impressive graphics and sound quality. The game uses IO Interactive’s proprietary Glacier engine, which allows for realistic lighting, shadows, reflections, textures, animations, physics, and AI. The game also supports ray tracing on PC and PlayStation 5, which enhances the visual effects of the game. The game runs at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second on PC and next-gen consoles. The game also supports HDR (high dynamic range) on compatible devices.

The game’s sound design is also immersive and dynamic. The game uses a variety of sound effects and music to create different atmospheres and moods. The game’s voice acting is also well-done and features different accents and languages. The game’s soundtrack is composed by Niels Bye Nielsen and features original and licensed songs that suit the game’s theme and tone. The game’s sound options allow the player to adjust the volume, subtitles, and language settings.

HITMAN III is a game that concludes the World of Assassination trilogy, which started with HITMAN in 2016 and continued with HITMAN 2 in 2018. The game’s story follows Agent 47 and his allies as they hunt down the leaders of Providence, a secret society that controls the world’s affairs. The game’s story is divided into six missions, each set in a different location and featuring a different target. The game’s story is told through cutscenes, dialogue, documents, and environmental clues. The game’s story is also influenced by the player’s choices and actions, which can lead to different outcomes and consequences.

The game’s main characters are:

• Agent 47: The protagonist of the game and the series. He is a genetically enhanced assassin who works for the ICA. He is cold, calm, and professional, but also shows signs of humanity and emotion. He is voiced by David Bateson.
• Diana Burnwood: Agent 47’s handler and friend. She is a former member of Providence who betrayed them to join the ICA. She is smart, loyal, and resourceful, but also has a personal vendetta against Providence. She is voiced by Jane Perry.
• Lucas Grey: Agent 47’s childhood friend and ally. He is a former assassin who leads a rebel faction against Providence. He is determined, charismatic, and ruthless, but also cares for Agent 47 and Diana. He is voiced by John Hopkins.
• The Constant: The main antagonist of the game and the series. He is the leader of Providence and the mastermind behind their plans. He is cunning, manipulative, and powerful, but also has a mysterious past and agenda. He is voiced by Philip Rosch.
• The Partners: The secondary antagonists of the game and the series. They are the three founding members of Providence and the targets of Agent 47 and his allies. They are Carl Ingram, Marcus Stuyvesant, and Alexa Carlisle. They are voiced by John Guerrasio, Philip Anthony-Rodriguez, and Isaura Barbe-Brown respectively.

HITMAN III is a game that offers a lot of content and replayability. The game has six locations, each with multiple missions, challenges, secrets, and opportunities. The game also has different modes, features, and events that add more variety and fun to the gameplay. The game also allows the player to import their progress and content from HITMAN and HITMAN 2, which means they can access all the locations and missions from the previous games in HITMAN III.

The game’s replayability comes from its sandbox nature, where the player can experiment with different ways to complete their objectives. The game also has different difficulty levels, which affect the AI behavior, detection rate, save options, hints availability, etc. The game also has different ratings and rewards, which depend on the player’s performance and style. The game also has online leaderboards, where the player can compare their scores and rankings with other players. The game also has live events, such as Elusive Targets, Escalations, and Featured Contracts, which add new content and challenges to the game regularly.

The game’s content and replayability can be estimated by the following table:

| Content | Hours | | ——- | —– | | Main Story | 10-15 | | Side Missions | 15-20 | | Contracts Mode | 10-15 | | Escalation Mode | 10-15 | | Elusive Targets | 5-10 | | Sniper Assassin Mode | 5-10 | | Ghost Mode | 5-10 | | Total | 60-95 |

HITMAN III is a game that has many pros and cons. The game’s strengths and weaknesses can be summarized by the following points:

• Immersive and diverse sandbox environments that offer multiple ways to play and explore.
• Creative and satisfying stealth action gameplay that rewards experimentation and strategy.
• Impressive graphics and sound quality that create realistic and atmospheric visuals and audio.
• Engaging and intriguing story and characters that conclude the World of Assassination trilogy.
• Plenty of content and replayability that offer hours of fun and challenge.
• VR support that adds a new dimension and perspective to the gameplay.
• Cross-platform and cross-generation compatibility that allows the player to play on different devices and import their progress and content from previous games.

• Some technical issues and bugs that affect the game’s performance and stability.
• Some repetitive and tedious elements that can make the gameplay feel monotonous or frustrating.
• Some lack of innovation or originality that can make the gameplay feel familiar or predictable.
• Some inconsistent or unrealistic AI behavior that can make the gameplay feel unfair or illogical.
• Some expensive or exclusive DLC content that can make the game feel incomplete or inaccessible.

In conclusion, HITMAN III is a game that delivers a satisfying and enjoyable stealth action experience. The game offers immersive and diverse sandbox environments, creative and satisfying stealth action gameplay, impressive graphics and sound quality, engaging and intriguing story and characters, plenty of content and replayability, VR support, cross-platform and cross-generation compatibility, and more. The game also has some drawbacks, such as technical issues and bugs, repetitive and tedious elements, lack of innovation or originality, inconsistent or unrealistic AI behavior, expensive or exclusive DLC content, and more. However, these do not overshadow the game’s overall quality and value. HITMAN III is a game that is worth playing for fans of the series and the genre, as well as for newcomers who want to experience the ultimate assassin game.

If you are interested in buying or learning more about HITMAN III, you can visit the official website [here], or check out some of the reviews [here], [here], or [here]. You can also watch some gameplay videos [here], [here], or [here]. You can also join the HITMAN community [here] or [here] to share your thoughts and experiences with other players.

Here are some of the frequently asked questions about HITMAN III:

A: HITMAN III is a standalone game that can be played without playing the previous games. However, it is recommended to play the previous games to fully understand the story and characters. You can also import your progress and content from HITMAN and HITMAN 2 to HITMAN III.

A: HITMAN III costs $59.99 for the Standard Edition and $79.99 for the Deluxe Edition. You can buy it from various online and physical stores, such as Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Amazon, Best Buy, etc.

A: The minimum system requirements for HITMAN III on PC are:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz / AMD Phenom II X4 940
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 / AMD Radeon HD 7870
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 80 GB available space

The recommended system requirements for HITMAN III on PC are:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core i7-4790 4GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 / AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 80 GB available space

A: HITMAN III supports online multiplayer for up to two players in Ghost Mode and Sniper Assassin Mode. However, Ghost Mode is only available for HITMAN 2 locations.

A: No, HITMAN III is not suitable for children. The game is rated M for Mature by ESRB and PEGI 18 by PEGI. The game contains violence, blood, gore, language, drug use, and nudity.