Now that the latest Hitman episode is out, the first season is complete. We got the basic plot of what is going on, and can now predict how events will unfold in the second season.
While we wait for the second season, let's take a look at all the episodes that are available, and compare them in terms of world design, size, assassination opportunities, and general gameplay.
Note: The tutorial stage and the "Summer Bonus Episodes" will not be compared in this list. Instead, all the other locations will be talked about.
(CAUTION: If you are waiting for the disk version, and want to avoid spoilers, don't go any further!)
6. Colorado
Where to begin...? Well, let's see. For one, this mission makes you assassinate four targets (I'm not even going to bother naming them all). The other episodes had two targets instead. This one has double the targets, meaning double the effort to succeed.
Second, everyone on this level is armed with shotguns or fully automatic weapons. I'm not kidding! Even the chef who is cooking food for the militia has a sub machine gun strapped to his back! A bit excessive, don't you think? One small mistake, and you're dead in a fraction of a second.
Next, the whole level takes place on a huge farm. But the problem is the world design. It's ugly, boring, depressing, and not as colorful as the other episodes (if you're from Colorado, I apologize).
The only thing that I did like was how you could pretend to be a scarecrow by wearing a scarecrow costume. Other than that, nothing really impressed me about that level.
But one redeemable factor that this level has is the background music. I enjoyed this level's music more than any other level. But unfortunately, that wasn't enough for me to bump it up the list.
5. Marrakesh
This whole level takes place during a riot, and has you kill Claus Hugo Strandberg and General Zaydan.
When I first played this, I absolutely hated this level. The crowded streets seemed like I was in a labyrinth, getting to Zaydan was tough because the location that he was present at was full of soldiers, and the Swedish embassy was almost impossible to enter due to tight security (not to mention trying to find Claus since he moved all over the place and every room looked almost the same to me).
I had to replay this mission several times in order to map out my route, or wait for the perfect opportunity to kill my targets.
The map itself is pretty big, but since there are so many people (and when I say many, I mean a lot... like, really a lot...), it looks like it's pretty small.
On a positive side, one opportunity that I enjoyed was pushing a toilet onto Zaydan's head!
4. Paris
The first episode in the game takes place in an enormous mansion, during a fashion show. You must eliminate Victor Novikov and Dalia Margolis.
Back when I first played it, I enjoyed this level. It was big, there were many opportunities to assassinate both targets, and the setting really impressed me. But as more episodes came out, this one kept getting pushed down the list simply because I enjoyed those episodes more than this one, and would come back to replay them more than Paris.
On a side note, Paris has a very unique and interesting assassination opportunity. When Victor has to give a speech at the end of the fashion show, you can break the winch that is holding the decorative ceiling, thus making the ceiling come down and crush Victor, as well as any other unfortunate soul standing too close to him.
For a level that mostly takes place inside a building, it's not too bad. It was pretty good when it first came out, but lost its title as my favorite episode when other episodes debuted.
3. Hokkaido
The final episode in season one takes place in a hyper-exclusive hospital facility, known as Gama. Agent 47 must eliminate Yuki Yamazaki and Erich Soders.
Though it's a hospital facility, it feels more like a scientific laboratory. The main reason is because of the wing where Soders is located. There are advanced operating machines, computers, oh, and a live-beating heart that is located in the basement, and that pumps blood to Soders to keep him alive...
This level also has a Kill Bill easter egg. One of the corpses in the morgue has a jumpsuit and motorcycle helmet very similar to the Bride's. There are also two challenges that deal with the movie. One of those challenges is to kill eight masked guards with a katana, while wearing the yellow jumpsuit.
The facility itself is located high up on a mountain. When you first start playing and go to the balcony, you'll see another enormous mountain out in the distance, as well as a little town at the base of the mountain.
Hakkaido has many interesting assassination opportunities, many of which deal with you tempering with the operating equipment. But one that I found most enjoyable was the assassination opportunity in which Agent 47 pretends to be a yoga instructor. He baits Yuki all the way to the edge of the area while doing yoga, only to push her off the edge, and see her plummet down the mountain...
Though Hokkaido is all sci-fi and is set in a snowy mountain, it didn't stick to me as much as the next two levels. Don't get me wrong, I loved Hakkaido, but the setting was once again inside a building, and not as gorgeous as the next level.
2. Bangkok
Taking place at a resort hotel, Bangkok has two targets for elimination: Jordan Cross and Ken Morgan.
Bangkok's hotel is absolutely breathtaking. There are tropical plants, flowers, trees, butterflies right inside the building! As for the outside, there is a huge river, a gorgeous sunset, and a city in the distance.
Also, the hotel provides many fun opportunities to assassinate the targets. For example, dropping coconuts on their heads is one of those opportunities. But the most unique one is impersonating a bug exterminator, and pouring gas (that is actually meant for bugs) into the ventilation system, thus knocking out everyone in the hotel's atrium, including the two targets who happen to be there at the wrong place and at the wrong time.
The only problem with Bangkok is that it is much smaller than Sapienza (coming next), as you are limited only to the hotel, and a very small bit of the exterior (the garden). If it was bigger, it would easily be my number one favorite location!
1. Sapienza
Sapienza takes place in Italy, and has Agent 47 eliminate Silvio Caruso and Francesca De Santis, as well as neutralize a deadly virus.
Sapienza is my favorite level out of all them. It has gorgeous world design; there is a mansion, a church, a crypt, a beach, even a cave that holds the virus! Adding to that, Sapienza has those little alleyways and boutiques that resemble real life versions of those places. It's a very classic European town that certainly sets the mood for the assassination mission.
Sapienza is big enough for you to explore since you are not limited to a big building, and you can go anywhere you want... except the water.
The level also has a unique assassination opportunity in which Agent 47 dresses up as a plague doctor, and pretends to be a mannequin, waiting for the perfect opportunity to slit Silvio's throat. Or, if you prefer a more classic opportunity, there is a clock tower and a church tower, both of which present excellent sniping positions.
What were your favorite episodes? Did you enjoy Colorado more than Sapienza? If so, leave a comment down below!
