Welcome to a new feature in which we talk through our playthroughs and pathways, the steps we always take, and those we inherently avoid. The current planned series is based on 2016’s HITMAN, and you can expect to see some videos to accompany it.
HITMAN is best when you have to improvise, not because everything falls apart and more, but because sometimes you just need to have a reset. In the following article, and video we attempt to stake out a target, then improvise a secondary plan
I really wanted to stay unseen, have no additional casualties and cause enough confusion to exit the map undetected. This rarely happens. Chasing that is why I keep at this game; I’ve only managed a single assassin-rank Elusive Target, but I’ve been so close, and that’s why I keep trying.
The plan for this target was heavily reliant on the brief, which showed the target walking into the entrance of the mansion. So the plan was use the sniper rifle near the safe house, then leg it.
The problem was, he didn’t appear.
Seeking out a disguise which could get me into the building to look around, I intentionally caused an investigation with the goal of luring out a singular guard — or at least causing enough noticed mayhem that the target would have to be secured.
Too many guards responded, which is obvious in retrospect, so I waited for them all to leave and hopped the fence, beaning a cleaner with a can of expired spaghetti sauce, BOINK. The body gets hidden in a nearby closet, but his was a needless concussion, as directly opposite the closet there lay an identical outfit.
47 wanders to the front of the mansion, dressed as a member of the cleaning staff, ready to wander around the grounds looking for the target, when the guy walks straight out the door in front. I bring up the inventory — what can I use that will be fatal, but also delayed?
Exploding mobile phone it is. I throw it in his path, hoping either the target or someone by his side picks it up Initiating the fuse, it rings. I try to keep an eye on the target whilst being far enough away to not raise suspicion, and prepare a backup plan in case I’ve misjudged the distance between target and phone holder.
The target does a backflip. It’s glorious. I go to erase all the footage of me hanging around the grounds and slowly walk out scot-free.
Hitman is currently available on Xbox One, PS4, and on PC.
PATHWAYS is an ongoing series about the way we make our journeys through the worlds of games. You can read the rest of the series here.