“Hitman: Episode 2, Sapienza” review

Ten years ago, I went to Mardi Gras for the first time. Well, not exactly. There’s too many loud people there for my liking. But I did play the classic “Murder of Crows” mission from “Hitman: Blood Money”, which takes place in the midst of the famous New Orleans festival. The map boasted explorable bars, restaurants, streets and alleyways thronged with hundreds of NPC’s, police, and a touring politician being hunted by a trio of assassins in bird costumes.

In past games, the series relied on locations that were either remote or cordoned off, like military bases deep in snowy Russia, or heavily guarded gang hideouts. “Murder of Crows” was the first time the series presented a location that felt busy and bustling, a real world setting, rather than a custom built playground for Agent 47 to run amok in.  Booting up “Hitman: Episode 2: The World of Tomorrow” gave me the same feeling as I stepped into the sun drenched streets of Sapienza.

Building on what made the Paris set “Showstopper” mission so good back in March, “The World of Tomorrow”” widens the scope of Hitman even more. Whilst a huge improvement from previous games in terms of intricacy and detail, the exclusive fashion show on the banks of the Seine was still a single location.  Sapienza on the other hand, consists of an entire Italian costal town brimming with stories, corners and possibilities waiting to be discovered.  In complete contrast to the sometimes dark and dusky mansion, Sapienza is bathed in bright Mediterranean sunshine, and it gives IO Interactive the chance to flex their graphical muscle.

The town is vast, featuring a maze of twisting streets, a multitude of shops with fully explorable interiors, several huge churches, and a busy harbor front. And that’s without even mentioning the main target’s glitzy seaside villa, complete featuring a golf course, infinity pool, and a hidden bioweapons lab. (Shhh! That last one’s a secret!)

Although Sapienza doesn’t feature the teeming crowds of NPC’s Agent 47 pushed past in Paris, the smaller number actually suits the location. The town feels more alive, populated by groups of loud-mouthed tourists, milling in the sun, taking selfies, eating gelato, and sunbathing on the beach. Conversations can be overheard, some hinting at assassination opportunities, some merely demonstrating the black humour the series is known for. Sapienza feels authentic and believable, just like New Orleans did back in 2006.

Like Episode One, Episode Two is best played with all hints and “Instinct” mode disabled. It may be harder, but trust me; it adds more depth and replayability. There are a huge amount of opportunities that can be manipulated to 47’s advantage, and they are best discovered organically, wandering around the map, overhearing conversations, and quietly observing NPC behavior. I won’t spoil them, but the unique “Accident” kills return in full force, and are just as gratifying (and sadistically amusing) to carry out here. The new mechanics introduced in Ep.1, such as the “Trespass” system, continue to work well, adding further options to 47’s skillset. Weapons and tools unlocked during Ep.1 also carry over, which was a nice surprise.

Hitman’s controversial online mode also remains, and so do the problems. Despite a recent patch, you will still be booted from the game, and lose unsaved progress if the connection drops. It’s annoying when it happens, but it’s still a rare occurrence. Extra features, such as weapon stashes and starting locations still aren’t available offline, and it seems odd that such a pivotal feature of the new Hitman should be cut off. Loading screens are still long, but briefer than before. Contracts mode adds new, (and sometimes ridiculously hard) contract challenges, and the much touted Elusive kills were unavailable at the time of writing.
Many people will still be annoyed by the lengthy wait between each episode, but I still love the amount of time it gives me really sink my teeth into each one.  Whilst it’s annoying we have to wait until (presumably late) May to see Agent 47’s shiny chrome dome again, I’ll still be thoroughly enjoying my stay in Sapienza.