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IO Exploring “Different Aspects” Of Agent 47 In Absolution

Ben-Dutka 9 Comments

If you're familiar with the long-running Hitman series, you know storyline was always a major component.

And in the new entry, Hitman: Absolution , developer IO Interactive looks to focus more on the protagonist, the mysteriously named Agent 47. Lead Producer Hakan Abrak told the PlayStation Blog that the team is trying to dig deeper; i.e., into the "personal feelings" of the bald assassin. When asked if Absolution was a re-envisioning or a reboot, Abrak replied:

"I don’t know that I’d go that far, but we are exploring different aspects of Agent 47. The story is darker, more personal. You get to experience Agent 47 being placed in an unusual situation. He’s not just taking on contracts; he’s being hunted and he’s hunting for personal reasons. If you’re a longtime series fan, you know that’s very unusual for the cold, calculating Agent 47."

Also, from a gameplay perspective, Abrak said the team wanted to create a "more complex, more believable artificial intelligence," and they used the Glacier 2 engine to realize their ambitions. We'll be very interested to see how Hitman: Absolution turns out…

Related Game(s): Hitman: Absolution

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Hitman Dev Comments On Changes In The Stealth Genre

Ben-Dutka 15 Comments

If you hadn't noticed, there has been a lot of genre-blending going on this generation.

And that's simply because newer technology allows developers to implement more gameplay mechanics, so we're not necessarily limited to one style. Hitman: Absolution game director Tore Blystad addressed the franchise's departure from pure stealth and talked about how the genre was shifting .

" It’s difficult looking at the stealth genre today. All the IPs have moved off in all kinds of directions and, while some are pretty close to us, some have gone off in completely different way. Like the new Metal Gear… I don’t know what the hell that’s all about, but it’s definitely not a tactical espionage game any more. "

That's true but at the same time, avid Hitman followers have complained that the new entry – currently in the works at IO Interactive – isn't indicative of the kind of gameplay they enjoy. I.e., they're seeing too much running 'n gunning. However, IO has made it clear in the past that such an approach would be entirely optional, and Blystad reemphasizes that point:

" We spent a lot of time on guns, the models and the weapon collection – it’s gun porn, sure, but the fans really like it. But using weapons in the levels themselves was practically useless as a mechanic, kind of a missed opportunity. We had to look into a viable way of using these guns and not just having them there to look at in a viewer, and that meant that we had to implement this dynamic combat AI and spend a lot of time with it.

It doesn’t detract from the other aspects of AI or gameplay – it just adds another dimension, something 47 should always have been able to do. "

It certainly makes sense that if you're going to have the option of gunfights, you should at least have a functional and even robust system in place, right? Provided all the bells and whistles associated with full-on stealth are there, the fans shouldn't be disappointed at all. We never mind options; we only mind replacements.

Related Game(s): Hitman: Absolution

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Devs Used PS3 As Lead Platform For Hitman: Absolution

Ben-Dutka 11 Comments

We're hearing this quite often: developers are using the PlayStation 3 as the lead platform in the game design process and it seems to work.

In a recent IncGamers interview with Hitman: Absolution game director Tore Blystad, he confirmed that the PS3 was the lead platform for the latest Agent 47 quest.

Unsurprisingly, he said the PS3 can be difficult to work with, but can ultimately produce better results in comparison to the Xbox 360. Said Blystad:

"The PS3 is a difficult beast, so if it works on that then we take that as a good sign for the other platforms. Most of the developers are using the PS3 kits to test their stuff.

The PS3 and 360 versions look very similar to each other because the memory and things like that are of a similar power. But the way the systems use the memory makes the textures look a bit different sometimes, and we have to trim them down on occasion [for 360]."

A number of developers have taken this approach and occasionally, we hear of teams that have completely switched; they once started on the 360 and then moved to the PS3. Platinum Games is a good example, as Bayonetta was designed first on the 360 and was later ported to the PS3, while Vanquish began its life on Sony's machine, and both versions of that game turned out very well.

We have high hopes for Absolution because this is one great franchise that deserves a top-quality installment.

Related Game(s): Hitman: Absolution

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Hitman: Absolution Debut Trailer And A Word From IO

Ben-Dutka 12 Comments

If you're a veteran stealth fan, you know all about the venerated Hitman series.

And you're likely excited about the freshly announced Hitman: Absolution , the new project at IO Interactive. Agent 47 is back and this time, the people he trusted have betrayed him, and he must work through a complex conspiracy to clear his name.

The debut trailer and more information can be found at the PlayStation Blog and first and foremost, we're lovin' the freedom feature. As IO Community Manager Nick Price says, "you don't just have one finish line at the end of the race – you have lots." Then he says the team is "taking everything to the next level," which could mean just about anything…but it still sounds encouraging. This franchise deserves a fantastic iteration; Agent 47 is also a damn cool character.

But just so we're clear, IO- this is still a stealth game, right? Not an action game with stealth options? The twitch-gaming crowd hasn't affected you guys, too, I hope…

Related Game(s): Hitman: Absolution

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Hitman: Absolution Going Hollywood With Actors And Story

Ben-Dutka 22 Comments

We've heard a lot about L.A. Noire pushing the motion capture boundaries, and about how it brings cinematic movie-like interactive entertainment to the next level.

And you'll soon start hearing similar technical claims for the recently announced Hitman: Absolution , the latest installment in the revered franchise, in development at IO Interactive. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised to learn that publisher Square Enix wants to take a "Hollywood approach" to this new iteration:

They've got a cast of a dozen Hollywood actors for both voice performances and mo-cap. This includes Keith Carradine (he's the new villain) and Marsha Thomason (she plays Diana Burnood, Agent 47's handler), and as for the technical stuff… Well, let's just say all the performance capture is being done at Giant Studios, also used by director James Cameron for the film, "Avatar." This new game wants to place "more emphasis on the emotional human stories that evolve," so it's important to go to such lengths. Said Tore Blystad, IO game director:

"We had actors like Marsha and Keith come in and do full-body acting with facial and voice being captured simultaneously in scenes. Some of these scenes were very complex with all kinds of props and interactions amongst the actors."

Blystad said this work is actually closer to theater work than a film process, which is something we've heard from industry insiders before. As for the actors, they seem enthusiastic about the project and even downright impressed. Said Carradine:

"The character I play in Hitman: Absolution is as multidimensional as any well-imagined character should be. The vividness of the world entered by the gamer hinges on detail. To fully engage the attention of the player requires nothing less than the most completely realized universe of geography and personality."

The game is going be more serious and much darker than other titles in the past, and actually, the hope is that the movies will follow suit. Yeah, producer Adrian Askarieh is helping with a second "Hitman" movie now, so just get over it. As for the game franchise, it has sold over 10 million copies worldwide since first appearing in 2000, and it seems very likely that Absolution could be the next step for the series.

Related Game(s): Hitman: Absolution

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Hitman: Absolution Announced, Agent 47 Returns

Ben-Dutka 27 Comments

Although it always seemed to toil in the shadow of other games, Hitman remains a widely respected franchise amongst stealth aficionados.

Not all entries were excellent but many satisfied that aforementioned group of demanding fans, most of whom will be excited to learn about Hitman: Absolution .

A teaser trailer for the game hit YouTube earlier today (see it below) and not long after, developer Io Interactive and publisher Square Enix officially announced the fresh installment, in development for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. We're not sure when it will arrive, but we know it's being built "from the ground up using Io's proprietary Glacier 2 engine." Absolution will also pay a visit to E3 next month.