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* Do the tutorial missions. They're well-made and genuinely really helpful.
==Versions and Always Online==
This page refers to the Hitman "World of Assassination" trilogy, encompassing a first game released in 2016 and two sequels released in 2018 and 2021 that "consumed" the content of the previous games. Content from the earlier entries is generally less complete and some systems are now disabled - you want Hitman World of Assassination. See the details below on the complexities of which packs to get with it.  


* 47's movement is practically silent even when running, except in Professional Mode where people will investigate footsteps. Running also isn't suspicious, so don't waste time going slower than you have to.
As a headsup, Hitman is always online- you need to be connected to the IoI servers to do just about anything. The servers are generally reliable, fwiw.


* If you have instinct mode on, there will be a dot over people's heads that will see through your disguise.
==DLC==
Hitman has a lot of its content available in a confusing mix of game of the year, season and episode formats; figuring out which is which is incredibly confusing, there are entire guides and infographics on reddit dedicated to this. You will get all of the core game content from the trilogy and almost all other content with the "World of Assassination Deluxe Edition" version (note this is not the same thing as the "Deluxe Pack." Several other DLC are also available; many of these provide content for additional game modes, which are explained further down this page. Major separate bits of DLC other than the 3 main entries include the following:


* A surprising amount of assassinations can be pulled off with patience and choking/neck breaking at the right time. This is often boring but sometimes the opportunity will fall into your lap.
* '''The Sarajevo Six Campaign Pack''' are six very old missions with unique targets in Hitman 1 levels, with a unifying plot. Because they're so old, these missions have pretty limited special features, and are probably only interesting if you're a hardcore fan.


* Experimentation is good, doing levels over again and completing more challenges unlocks more tools, weapons, starting points, etc.
* '''The World of Assassination Deluxe Pack''' includes two entire additional maps with missions from Hitman 2, two sniper mode maps, several "special assignment" missions with new targets in somewhat modified Hitman 2 maps, the Seven Deadly Sins collection (see below) and several added "Deluxe Escalations." Also a boatload of cosmetics. This is worth getting if you get the base game and find you like what it has to offer.


* Most challenges don't require finishing the mission unless they explicitly state otherwise, meaning you can save, drop a chandelier on someone's head to complete the challenge to do so, then load your save without losing credit for the challenge. Doesn't apply to Professional Mode.
* '''The Seven Deadly Sins Collection''' is a set of seven gimmick-based escalations that use the maps from Hitman 3 to try radically unusual, experimental gameplay approaches. These tend to be more weird than fun, though they come with a handful of nice unlockable items.


* The game autosaves frequently which can be a lifesaver, but it's a good idea to make a manual save before you try something that seems risky.
* '''Hitman 3 Trinity Pack''' is entirely cosmetic variants of items you can get elsewhere ingame.  


* Steal every tool, knife, can, soda, fruit, etc that you can. Many innocuous objects are actually keys to opportunities or interactions around the map.
* The '''Disruptor''' and '''Undying Packs''' give permanent access to a pair of celebrity guest-based elusive target arcade entries (see below), along with a small set of ingame items, weapons, suits and cosmetics for the Freelancer game mode. None of the unlocks are game-changing (and the Disruptor pack stars a real asshole), so these are probably only worthwhile if you're absolutely jonesing for more content.


* All food- and drink-related costumes allow you to poison any food and drink without raising suspicion. Similarly, tech- and maintenance-related outfits often allow you to freely sabotage things.
* The '''Street Art''' and '''Makeshift Packs''' provide cosmetic variants of weapons and cosmetics intended for the Freelancer game mode. If you are considering trying to 100% this mode (you crazy person), '''do not get these until you have done so'''. For complicated reasons, having these DLC significantly increases the grind needed to complete this mode's challenges.


* Bodies found as a result of accident or poison kills don't count against your score, no matter how public their place of death is, as long as you're not directly seen causing them. This makes them great for Silent Assassin runs.
==Game Modes==
* '''Featured''' and '''Live''' just promote recent additions or stuff that's available for a limited time.  


* Fire extinguishers and gas cylinders can be used as "portable accidents" as deaths to their explosions will always be considered accident kills, allowing for "silent" assassinations even in public areas. Their explosions also open most doors.
* '''Campaigns''' gives you the main story of the game in linear order. This is mostly useful for your very first playthrough. Additional mini-campaign expansions are also available from this menu, but you can find all of this more conveniently in...


* Agility actions such as hanging from railings or climbing drain pipes are usually not considered suspicious, unless you're doing so in an area you're not allowed to be in. Getting around using ledges and drain pipes is especially useful in Paris.
* '''Destinations''', which organizes all the main stuff in Hitman by map location. Hitman is all about trying different things; after you play through a story mission once, you're expected to jump around between missions you've already cleared and unlock new equipment to broaden your options. Since almost everything in the core game is here, this is usually the best way to navigate the game.


* While you can manually disable security stations, which control a level's cameras and store their footage, shooting them from a distance with a silenced gun is often much easier.
* '''Escalations''' (available from the "Destinations" interface) are multi-level special assassination challenges in mission settings from the main game. Beating one level of an escalation will unlock the next, and will add to or change the requirements needed to complete it. Escalations vary from straightforward ways to learn about a map to bone-crunchingly hard to weird gimmick play. They're generally recommended only after you have gotten comfortable with the main game and have earned a lot of useful equipment.


* All default non-disguise outfits count for Suit Only -challenges, meaning you can (and probably should) do them dressed up as a clown or Santa Claus.  
* '''Elusive Targets''' (ETs) are assassination targets that are available for a limited time and on a cycling basis. These targets appear in special mini-scenarios in existing mission maps, and if you fail in killing them, that's it- no more chances until they come back around again. You can safely and freely exit an ET attempt until you complete any objective (including picking up key objective items), at which point you are locked in. Alt-F4 remains an option, though.  


Other ways to play the game are under '''Game Modes''':


== Game Modes ==
* '''Contract Mode''' lets you create new custom assassination contracts in mission settings from the main game, as well as play the creations of other players. This mode offers a lot of options, but be aware that many custom contracts (especially ones "featured" by IoI) are made by expert players and may require all sorts of special game knowledge.


* Contracts mode is user created stuff, it can be pretty fun, you can also make your own fairly easily
* '''Elusive Target Arcade''' lets you practice going after Elusive Targets in sequential sets, with an added optional condition. Beating these sets will unlock a different set of rewards from mainline Elusive Targets. Beware- failing an ET in one of these sets will still make you start from the beginning, and will lock you out of the set for a day (unless they're the above DLC arcades, which don't have lockout timers).


* Escalation mode is just the same short mission over and over with it upping the ante each time like with additional targets, conditions (no non-target kills, hide bodies within a time limit, etc), or obstacles.  
* '''Freelancer''' is a sort of endless roguelike mode involving randomized missions, conditions, limited inventory, a lot of additional difficulty, and a horrendous grind for challenge completion. It's recommended for people who have mastered and gotten bored of the normal game, but some people only play this mode, as it's much more freeform. The details of this mode, along with its bugs and irregularities, could fill a separate guide- check the SA thread or steam guides for more info.


* There's a console-exclusive set of missions called the Sarajevo Six that's basically an additional target in each level. The game recommends doing them after playing through and in order, mostly to avoid spoiling plot stuff. Watch out: the fifth is very difficult.
* '''Sniper Assassin''' is a mode where you snipe targets from a fixed position in one of three new maps. If you want to complete this mode fully, be ready to use an online guide and spend a lot of time. This mode used to have co-op multiplayer in Hitman 2, but it's now offline.


* Elusive Targets: you are locked in once one target is dead or one objective is completed. Before this point, you can restart! Take advantage of this to learn the mission. Be absolutely certain before you pull the trigger!
* '''Ghost Mode''' was a multiplayer competitive mode in Hitman 2. It's now offline.
 
==Gameplay Tips==
===The Basics===
 
* Do the tutorial missions in the Prologue first. They're well-made and genuinely very helpful.
 
* There will be a dot over the heads of people that will see through your disguise. Some "enforcer" characters will always have a dot, because they'll alert off of you no matter what you're wearing.
 
* Mission Stories will lead you through fairly scripted target kill opportunities, but other options abound. Get creative! You can use the options menu to increase or decrease how handhold-y these are.
 
*  The normal difficulty mode is Professional and is suitable for most purposes. Master mode makes play much harder, adding cameras and guards (especially on missions from the first Hitman), increasing detection speed and generally making the game a pain to play. There's very little reason to ever touch it.
 
* Other than some extremely minor interactions, a couple easter eggs, and some NPC comments, there is no difference between the different starting suits you can choose from.
 
* The game autosaves frequently and has a series of autosave slots (which can be a lifesaver), but it's a good idea to make a manual save before you try something that seems risky- or when you've set up a scripted event that can be resolved in several ways.
 
* 47's movement is silent even when running, except in Master Mode where people will investigate footsteps. Running also isn't suspicious, so don't waste time going slower than you have to.
 
===Hitting Mans===
 
* Experimentation is fundamental to Hitman. Doing missions over again and completing more challenges unlocks more tools, weapons, starting points, etc by gaining "mastery" over that location. Unlocked items can be taken into other missions; some of these items, such as poisons, subsonic pistols, crowbars, breaching charges and lockpicks, are extremely useful in many settings and worth prioritizing.
 
* All waiter/servant/cook disguises allow you to poison any food or drink without raising suspicion. Similarly, tech and maintenance-related outfits often allow you to freely sabotage some things. Look for a red icon to show what's still suspicious.
 
* In most maps, sniper rifles are illegal to carry while wearing any disguise. Use a briefcase.
 
* Agility actions such as hanging from railings or climbing drain pipes are very noticeable, but they aren't illegal unless you're doing so in an area you're not allowed to be in.
 
* Most challenges don't require finishing the mission unless they explicitly state otherwise, meaning you can save, drop a chandelier on someone's head to complete the challenge, then load your save without losing credit.
 
=== Becoming a Silent Assassin ===
* Silent Assassin rank (SA) requires completing a mission without killing nontarget NPCs and without any living witnesses to any illegal activity, including being caught trespassing. It's okay to be spotted doing something illegal by a target, as long as they die before they can tell anyone.
 
* Targets killed in accidents or by poison will not break Silent Assassin, and people knocked out by something that's plausibly an accident (like a sedative or a banana peel) will not break Silent Assassin. Just don't try to move them, or people will realize something is up when they're found!
 
* Being recorded by a camera and not erasing the footage from a security room server rack will void your Silent Assassin rank when you leave the mission. Breaking the server rack (whether by using it, shooting it, shocking it, etc) erases the footage and disables all cameras in the map.
 
* There is an option to turn on a "Silent Assassin indicator" in your HUD. It's the pair of pistols next to the minimap-if it's green, you will get SA upon leaving the map. Red means you've blown it by killing a nontarget or by being spotted (though if you were spotted by a target, you may be able to salvage things). Yellow means SA is disabled, but the situation is salvageable- usually, you were recorded by a camera.
 
* "Suit only" means clearing the mission while only wearing one of 47's suits (so you cannot start from a position that puts you in disguise). Silent Assassin Suit Only (SASO) is generally the pinnacle of restricted, tryhard completion for a given mission.
 
===Advanced Manhitting===
* Propane gas tanks can be used as "portable accidents"; death to an exploding gas tank will always be considered an accident kill, allowing for "silent" assassinations even in public areas. Explosions from these or fire extinguishers can also blow locked doors open.
 
* The Haven Island environment is very tricky for a hidden reason- all NPCs have much longer vision range on this map.
 
* Unlike other maps, there are no disguises in the New York map that will let you safely poison things.
 
* You can place items in suitcases to carry them without attracting attention, or to let another NPC carry them somewhere useful. A favorite tactic is to use an emetic bomb in a suitcase to cropdust a target who is otherwise in too public a place.
 
* All default non-disguise outfits count for Suit Only challenges, meaning you can (and probably should) do them dressed up as a clown or Santa Claus.


* Pro mode is unlocked after you've developed some mastery in a given main story episode. It's much, much harder than the main game, with new guards, cameras, mechanics, and combat is almost instantly lethal. The big change, though, is that players only have one save per run on Professional- and you must complete the mission to complete each challenge and gain Pro mission mastery and unlocks. Pro mode's rewards are 99% cosmetic, and are thus best left for after you've truly mastered the rest of the game.


[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:Games]]

Latest revision as of 06:44, 5 August 2024

Versions and Always Online

This page refers to the Hitman "World of Assassination" trilogy, encompassing a first game released in 2016 and two sequels released in 2018 and 2021 that "consumed" the content of the previous games. Content from the earlier entries is generally less complete and some systems are now disabled - you want Hitman World of Assassination. See the details below on the complexities of which packs to get with it.

As a headsup, Hitman is always online- you need to be connected to the IoI servers to do just about anything. The servers are generally reliable, fwiw.

DLC

Hitman has a lot of its content available in a confusing mix of game of the year, season and episode formats; figuring out which is which is incredibly confusing, there are entire guides and infographics on reddit dedicated to this. You will get all of the core game content from the trilogy and almost all other content with the "World of Assassination Deluxe Edition" version (note this is not the same thing as the "Deluxe Pack." Several other DLC are also available; many of these provide content for additional game modes, which are explained further down this page. Major separate bits of DLC other than the 3 main entries include the following:

  • The Sarajevo Six Campaign Pack are six very old missions with unique targets in Hitman 1 levels, with a unifying plot. Because they're so old, these missions have pretty limited special features, and are probably only interesting if you're a hardcore fan.
  • The World of Assassination Deluxe Pack includes two entire additional maps with missions from Hitman 2, two sniper mode maps, several "special assignment" missions with new targets in somewhat modified Hitman 2 maps, the Seven Deadly Sins collection (see below) and several added "Deluxe Escalations." Also a boatload of cosmetics. This is worth getting if you get the base game and find you like what it has to offer.
  • The Seven Deadly Sins Collection is a set of seven gimmick-based escalations that use the maps from Hitman 3 to try radically unusual, experimental gameplay approaches. These tend to be more weird than fun, though they come with a handful of nice unlockable items.
  • Hitman 3 Trinity Pack is entirely cosmetic variants of items you can get elsewhere ingame.
  • The Disruptor and Undying Packs give permanent access to a pair of celebrity guest-based elusive target arcade entries (see below), along with a small set of ingame items, weapons, suits and cosmetics for the Freelancer game mode. None of the unlocks are game-changing (and the Disruptor pack stars a real asshole), so these are probably only worthwhile if you're absolutely jonesing for more content.
  • The Street Art and Makeshift Packs provide cosmetic variants of weapons and cosmetics intended for the Freelancer game mode. If you are considering trying to 100% this mode (you crazy person), do not get these until you have done so. For complicated reasons, having these DLC significantly increases the grind needed to complete this mode's challenges.

Game Modes

  • Featured and Live just promote recent additions or stuff that's available for a limited time.
  • Campaigns gives you the main story of the game in linear order. This is mostly useful for your very first playthrough. Additional mini-campaign expansions are also available from this menu, but you can find all of this more conveniently in...
  • Destinations, which organizes all the main stuff in Hitman by map location. Hitman is all about trying different things; after you play through a story mission once, you're expected to jump around between missions you've already cleared and unlock new equipment to broaden your options. Since almost everything in the core game is here, this is usually the best way to navigate the game.
  • Escalations (available from the "Destinations" interface) are multi-level special assassination challenges in mission settings from the main game. Beating one level of an escalation will unlock the next, and will add to or change the requirements needed to complete it. Escalations vary from straightforward ways to learn about a map to bone-crunchingly hard to weird gimmick play. They're generally recommended only after you have gotten comfortable with the main game and have earned a lot of useful equipment.
  • Elusive Targets (ETs) are assassination targets that are available for a limited time and on a cycling basis. These targets appear in special mini-scenarios in existing mission maps, and if you fail in killing them, that's it- no more chances until they come back around again. You can safely and freely exit an ET attempt until you complete any objective (including picking up key objective items), at which point you are locked in. Alt-F4 remains an option, though.

Other ways to play the game are under Game Modes:

  • Contract Mode lets you create new custom assassination contracts in mission settings from the main game, as well as play the creations of other players. This mode offers a lot of options, but be aware that many custom contracts (especially ones "featured" by IoI) are made by expert players and may require all sorts of special game knowledge.
  • Elusive Target Arcade lets you practice going after Elusive Targets in sequential sets, with an added optional condition. Beating these sets will unlock a different set of rewards from mainline Elusive Targets. Beware- failing an ET in one of these sets will still make you start from the beginning, and will lock you out of the set for a day (unless they're the above DLC arcades, which don't have lockout timers).
  • Freelancer is a sort of endless roguelike mode involving randomized missions, conditions, limited inventory, a lot of additional difficulty, and a horrendous grind for challenge completion. It's recommended for people who have mastered and gotten bored of the normal game, but some people only play this mode, as it's much more freeform. The details of this mode, along with its bugs and irregularities, could fill a separate guide- check the SA thread or steam guides for more info.
  • Sniper Assassin is a mode where you snipe targets from a fixed position in one of three new maps. If you want to complete this mode fully, be ready to use an online guide and spend a lot of time. This mode used to have co-op multiplayer in Hitman 2, but it's now offline.
  • Ghost Mode was a multiplayer competitive mode in Hitman 2. It's now offline.

Gameplay Tips

The Basics

  • Do the tutorial missions in the Prologue first. They're well-made and genuinely very helpful.
  • There will be a dot over the heads of people that will see through your disguise. Some "enforcer" characters will always have a dot, because they'll alert off of you no matter what you're wearing.
  • Mission Stories will lead you through fairly scripted target kill opportunities, but other options abound. Get creative! You can use the options menu to increase or decrease how handhold-y these are.
  • The normal difficulty mode is Professional and is suitable for most purposes. Master mode makes play much harder, adding cameras and guards (especially on missions from the first Hitman), increasing detection speed and generally making the game a pain to play. There's very little reason to ever touch it.
  • Other than some extremely minor interactions, a couple easter eggs, and some NPC comments, there is no difference between the different starting suits you can choose from.
  • The game autosaves frequently and has a series of autosave slots (which can be a lifesaver), but it's a good idea to make a manual save before you try something that seems risky- or when you've set up a scripted event that can be resolved in several ways.
  • 47's movement is silent even when running, except in Master Mode where people will investigate footsteps. Running also isn't suspicious, so don't waste time going slower than you have to.

Hitting Mans

  • Experimentation is fundamental to Hitman. Doing missions over again and completing more challenges unlocks more tools, weapons, starting points, etc by gaining "mastery" over that location. Unlocked items can be taken into other missions; some of these items, such as poisons, subsonic pistols, crowbars, breaching charges and lockpicks, are extremely useful in many settings and worth prioritizing.
  • All waiter/servant/cook disguises allow you to poison any food or drink without raising suspicion. Similarly, tech and maintenance-related outfits often allow you to freely sabotage some things. Look for a red icon to show what's still suspicious.
  • In most maps, sniper rifles are illegal to carry while wearing any disguise. Use a briefcase.
  • Agility actions such as hanging from railings or climbing drain pipes are very noticeable, but they aren't illegal unless you're doing so in an area you're not allowed to be in.
  • Most challenges don't require finishing the mission unless they explicitly state otherwise, meaning you can save, drop a chandelier on someone's head to complete the challenge, then load your save without losing credit.

Becoming a Silent Assassin

  • Silent Assassin rank (SA) requires completing a mission without killing nontarget NPCs and without any living witnesses to any illegal activity, including being caught trespassing. It's okay to be spotted doing something illegal by a target, as long as they die before they can tell anyone.
  • Targets killed in accidents or by poison will not break Silent Assassin, and people knocked out by something that's plausibly an accident (like a sedative or a banana peel) will not break Silent Assassin. Just don't try to move them, or people will realize something is up when they're found!
  • Being recorded by a camera and not erasing the footage from a security room server rack will void your Silent Assassin rank when you leave the mission. Breaking the server rack (whether by using it, shooting it, shocking it, etc) erases the footage and disables all cameras in the map.
  • There is an option to turn on a "Silent Assassin indicator" in your HUD. It's the pair of pistols next to the minimap-if it's green, you will get SA upon leaving the map. Red means you've blown it by killing a nontarget or by being spotted (though if you were spotted by a target, you may be able to salvage things). Yellow means SA is disabled, but the situation is salvageable- usually, you were recorded by a camera.
  • "Suit only" means clearing the mission while only wearing one of 47's suits (so you cannot start from a position that puts you in disguise). Silent Assassin Suit Only (SASO) is generally the pinnacle of restricted, tryhard completion for a given mission.

Advanced Manhitting

  • Propane gas tanks can be used as "portable accidents"; death to an exploding gas tank will always be considered an accident kill, allowing for "silent" assassinations even in public areas. Explosions from these or fire extinguishers can also blow locked doors open.
  • The Haven Island environment is very tricky for a hidden reason- all NPCs have much longer vision range on this map.
  • Unlike other maps, there are no disguises in the New York map that will let you safely poison things.
  • You can place items in suitcases to carry them without attracting attention, or to let another NPC carry them somewhere useful. A favorite tactic is to use an emetic bomb in a suitcase to cropdust a target who is otherwise in too public a place.
  • All default non-disguise outfits count for Suit Only challenges, meaning you can (and probably should) do them dressed up as a clown or Santa Claus.