Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (2002 Video Game) User Reviews

Hmm.. Upgrades.

[ChrisTreborn · 8/10 · 5 April 2005]

I don't like those 3 fingers racing-shooting PC games but when it comes to Hit-man it is different. It's not a fighting game, it's a Thinking man Action game. I firstly know about this game a few years back from a Magazine CD presented as demo. From then I became a die hard fan of this game. The way the producers treated this game, so human, so accurate, any one who likes to be in their dark side truly like this title.

The sequel to IO Interactive's PC action game Hit-man. The original game, which cast you as a genetically enhanced assassin, received equal shares of praise and derision. Fans loved its gritty tone, ultra sharp aesthetics and tense pace. Critics cited unresponsive controls, an awkward camera system, and vague mission objectives as the causes for its downfall. Needless to say, IO has pledged to address all of these issues in this sequel.

Hit-man 2 (Spoilers******)

On Sept 5th 1964: Series 4, clone 47 has been successfully taken out of his incubation chamber. When the Preliminary medical examination suggests a completely flawless clone, he has been given the number 640509-040147, which as per standard procedure, has been tattooed to the back of his head. On July 8th 1993: Clone 47 was successfully completed all his training courses that make his creators to go for a master plan. But he escapes from them and began to live for himself; His new life as a Hit-man.

That was the past, this time he tired out of his living, now seeking for the salvation. He retires from the business, and leading a peaceful life. But things went wrong when his best friend was kidnapped by some Mafia, making him to take his dropped Weapons.

Scripted by Morten Iversen, Hit-man 2: Silent Assassin gives a new life to the early project. With the voice talent of David Bateson as the Hit-man Agent 47, Eidos brings a good grip to the cult saga. The soul of Hit-man provided by Jesper Kyd smashed this time also. Those choruses dominate every aspect in the game.

The greatest thing I like in Hit-man games was its weapons/equipment portion. It was well accurate, well placed; in this second run it just increased its facilities. I just like that! Even though it has some drew backs I give this title 8 out of 10.

Hit-man 2.nd = 2.nd life's 2.nd Turn.

Better. Much better.

[BroadswordCallinDannyBoy · 9/10 · 22 November 2007]

Now here is a sequel that is bigger and better on virtually every level. The story is more developed and there are much more cut-scenes. All are well done. There are more levels with greatly varied terrain and all sorts of obstacles. Each location that you travel to is a mini campaign of sorts with several missions that follow each other back to back. One of the locations, Japan, has you landing in a valley, sneaking past well protected check points and sniper towers to a castle's gates. Then making your way past the gate in the next mission and finally, in the third, taking out the head of an international crime syndicate in his castle. This high alpine fortress comes complete with patrolling guards, basements, and a courtyard with a helicopter. I couldn't help but notice a parallel to one of my favorite movies of all time, "Where Eagles Dare." Better yet, just like in that classic action movie, there is nothing preventing you from starting a castle wide shootout in one of the many corridors! Though, be careful, if your target escapes, you failed.

Another interesting addition that "Silent Assassin" has is your performance evaluation for the assignment that you have just completed. Unlike the first where you received a paycheck, which was only deducted from if you killed cops and civilians, here you are evaluated on stealth and aggression. This is a much funner system since in the first game many players inevitably saw the bug that when you have accumulated money by the game's later levels, you could essentially kill without remorse. Some levels didn't even have civilians or cops so you could turn them into your own killing ground, like Schwarzenegger did at the end of "Commando." Technically there is nothing stopping you here from doing that, but if you want the prized Silent Assassin rating and the bonus weapons that come with it, you'll have to be discreet. Ironically, when awarded the Silent Assassin bonus weapons that come in the shape of assault rifles and generally better guns, you can't really use them to get the rating on later levels. And there is no option to replay levels that you have completed, thus your new weapons end up being strictly for show. Though, they do come in handy on one particular level... I'll leave that for you to figure out.

Yet another change from the original is the option to switch from third person view to first person (invaluable in aiming) and the ability to save mid-level. There are three difficulty settings, on the hardest of which you have no mid-level saves, unless you're awarded them for tasks completed), and on the easiest you have plenty so beginners of the series might find this a more pleasant experience that the first game. And experts will be pleased with the fact that "Silent Assassin" is much longer with at least twice as many missions than the first and cool little features, such as being able to use a golf club as a weapon and the ability to peak through keyholes. Though it's a shame the mini-gun from the first game is strangely absent from this one. But no matter, the bigger weapons selection makes up for it.

If "Hitman" was engrossing with its premise and gameplay, then "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin" is dangerously addictive. Better in almost everyway. --- 9/10

Rated MATURE for violence

Fun to begin with, but gets boring

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 7/10 · 25 December 2004]

Having never played the original Hit-man: Agent 47 when it came out way back in 2000 I originally played the sequel for the cheap thrills of blasting enemies halfway across the screen (those silenced Ballers really pack a punch). Upon playing it again I'm sorry to say that the game has not aged well in the past 11 years. I guess I have been spoiled by HD graphics and higher resolution so much that the bland-ish environments didn't do much for me. The game takes place in a variety of locations around the world but never feels atmospheric. There is some really poor AI and glitches all over the place too.

From fans of the franchise I have gathered that the fun in the Hit-man games is the variety of ways you can infiltrate the target's safety and wipe them out. Well...not in Hit-man 2. There's only a couple of levels where you get more than one option, and most of the time it's quicker and easier to just go in all guns blazing than waste precious hours with stealth.

I have no doubt that the Hit-man games have become more immersive as the technology refined over the years, but Hit-man 2 is an unspectacular reminder of that era between CD-ROM shooters of the late 90s and the current generation HD consoles. Fun to play through one, and then inevitably forgotten forever afterwards.

Graphics B- Sound B Gameplay C+ Lasting Appeal C-

More people need to play this game...

[Nolf_ · 5 November 2003]

If only there were more missions... This game was so great. The grafics are top notch and the guns are pretty darn realistic. Each level has so much detail and there are a billion different ways to complete each level. This game really shows you the life of a hitman. The quick thinking, stealth, smarts, the gun skills, and the take out missions. Unlike many games, the AI is very intelligant even on the easy level setting (I play on professional, and wow, it's difficult). Also, this game is pretty creepy mostly due to the music. Like the last level when I first played this game the music made my palms sweaty and my heart was pounding out of my chest. Anyway, if your up for a challenge play this game NOW. More need to play this AMAZING game.

An Artistic Stealth Masterpiece (13 Years Later)

[sibulelemvayo · 8/10 · 30 May 2023]

HITMAN 2: Silent Assassin is the HITMAN game that put the series on the bigger map. It's a challenging and suspenseful stealth game that feels unique, requires skill, but has some unfair obstacles.

The art direction and atmosphere is beautiful and vibrant. It's a surprisingly artsy game with diverse cultural aesthetics complimenting the slightly cartoony art style of the game. The soundtrack is phenomenal, unforgettable and ambitious.

The story is surprisingly touching. Codename 47 before it was fairly light and simplistic on its story. That game had some rough writing, which resulted in a story that was okay. Silent Assassin, however, contains a much more focused, fleshed out and unique story. Easily the most heartfelt story that a stealth game could have. The writing, dialogue and overall storytelling is great. The voice acting is still quite rough, though. It's a tragic story with a lot of questions and story moments left for the player to interpret in their own way.

The gameplay and level design still feels ahead of its time, but feels much rougher after playing the recent World of Assasination trilogy. The AI is very inconsistent and some game mechanics feel unpolished. Once you come into grips with the way the game plays and feels, it's a rewarding and compelling experience.

Brilliantly savage, beautifully written and excessively thrilling

[speedupvishnu · 9/10 · 5 September 2011]

There are two types of stealth based video games - one, which requires the players to hide in the shadows, avoid lights and scrape by, and the other, which requires the player to blend into the environment. Hit-man 2 - Silent Assassin tops in the second category. This was the first Hit-man game I played, and as usual the game did manage to get my eyeballs properly. The levels are really tough and mind-boggling but experienced players will have no problem getting through the 'Normal' and 'Expert' mode. But 'Professional' is a really hard one. But each stage, would require more than one rendition to clear. The A.I is brilliantly scripted, and you can feel that there everywhere. You can't control the environment, like you did in H1, but this time the scenario is really difficult. The player controls could be beefed up a little bit, because you feel the game is slow at times. All in all, the game rocks. And it offers chances for coming back and playing the game once again.

Worthy follow-up?

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 7/10 · 13 October 2008]

I don't know if this was the first to fall into the trap... I would say that Commandos 2 did, as well. Sequels to difficult originals, made easier. The difference being that last-mentioned added new, truly worthwhile stuff, and is still fun as well as challenging. This comes up short in all three of those categories. Ah, this does introduce some things... it's just that more often than not, they're useless, at times even in the way. The pistol-whipping is the main example of the latter. The hiding in the back of trucks is fine, but it barely occurs in this at all(and yes, I do know and remember about the jump that is in the one before this... meanwhile, are any people going to claim that camping in a car surpasses the coolness of that?). And will someone please teach 47 how to lay down? No, that isn't in the others, either, but I never missed it as much as I did in this. They did put in crouching. Not all the fresh material is bad. There's greater detail on certain things. Moving on... granted, this can be entertaining. It just doesn't really have you going back that much. And the tension is considerably less... if you mess up, you can almost invariably just shoot everything(it's not punished, merely noted, and there's little to gain other than pride, from playing it all straight). No, I'm not denying that such can be enjoyable... elsewhere. Should stealth titles really have to include that? That's not "opening the product up to a wider audience", it's settling. You want versatility in one of these? Look at the amount of ways that you can take out your target(which, mind you, I don't believe has really grown between "Codename" and this one), or the different ways to successfully complete your tasks. The briefings' insistence on the importance of sneaking stands in stark, and unintentionally funny, contrast. A couple of traditions from the first are continued, but they worked and seemed better, there(how many times did this feel the need to string several missions together, so you can't pick equipment but once before them? And then the inconsistency with the disguises...), and that's not even getting into what is done to the returning characters here. The training is fairly pointless, and it won't particularly help(the map will, though) unless you already "get" it, in which case all it is is "this is how you move"(and while I get what it's there for, could they not have come up with something else, other than that weird scarecrow?). This is more buggy, and among the glitches are ones that really bother. Frustration is rather likely, and while the predecessor to this also could instill that, it at least was addictive and less compromising. The people who complained that it was too hard, and you had to use 3rd person view(is the alternative, the 1st, useful at any point in this? Even a single one?)... are you sure it wasn't just the wrong type of game for you? Not trying to kick anyone out of the club, but the simple fact remains that no product is for everyone, and I'd really prefer that that which is the way it should be remains so, instead of being messed with to make it mainstream. The interface and weapon selecting control is severely worsened here, costing you seconds that, guess what, quite possibly are invaluable. Slowing you down, at times forcing you to break to a halt. Why was it changed, anyway? If it ain't broke... this is sillier. Cheap "laughs" are found herein. The "jokes"... eh. The plot comes off as something thrown together to get this made. Did they have to go... where they did? Make it... *shudder* "personal"? No, they did not. They did better with Contracts and Blood Money. After the intriguing, dark story of the previous one that had sci-fi elements, we get this popcorn flick crap. To aid you in keeping a low profile, a suspicion meter is brought on. It is one of the things that stay with the series. It is not the only of those that were, thank goodness, improved. It's nice enough to have... it's just tough to work with. Takes too little for it to respond, and a lot for it to go back down. OK, I'm done tearing this apart. There are positives to this. This has a rating system that tells you how well you did, and the exact stats of aspects that determine if you get Silent Assassin, and/or how close you were to it... that being the highest that you can get, requiring that you weren't found out, taking planning, and a near-perfect or flawless execution. The saves, limited in number(albeit extra ones can be earned, occasionally), were a good idea. The stylizing remains, if it fails a couple of times, here. The graphics are excellent, through and through. The animations have gotten smoother. The cut-scenes, apparently, and possibly, all in-engine this time around, are usually well-done. The lighting is fantastic, just about entirely without exception, and this lets you impact it. With appropriate application of bullets, you can render rooms in the shroud of darkness, and that can take a considerable chunk of the risk out of your job. The level design does feature some interesting work, if the total number can deceive... this can take a few hours to beat. They span one or more real-life locations, and multiple countries and environments. This takes one approach to anesthetic, BM takes another one. Which is better comes down to preference. The guns are yet again pretty sweet, and from here on out, you get to keep them once you've brought them with you at the end of your objectives, as opposed to buying what you use. The sound is solid. The music, still by Jesper Kyd, is marvelous(if not necessarily the best of the franchise). I recommend this to any fan, and those this appeals to. 7/10

not as good as I expected

[asim34522-1 · 4/10 · 24 March 2008]

I was really looking forward to playing Hit-man 2 and wanted it. I borrowed it and me and my brother played it. The first level 'Anathema' was a good level. It has good graphics but not as violent as Hit-man Contracts and Hit-man Blood Money. The second level was the reason I didn't like this game. The second level you have to assassinate some ex-army general idiot having a meeting with his friends. The game was really hard because they're all targets. Not a simple clue for which one is the right target. I tried and tried but got tired and sick of this game. I have not played Hit-man Codename 47 but I can say that Hit-man 2 is the worst out of the three I've played. (Contracts and Blood Money). 4/10 is my vote. My opinion: don't buy this game if you're looking for a good one

Absolutley Brillant - One of the best

[Cyclone_Chyno · 28 March 2004]

Now to start I never played Hitman 2. I first heard bout the game in previews then someone who had bought it gave me a loan. At first i hated this game because I found it to be slow moving but then I was given it as a present. After playing it I actually fell in love with it. This game is cool in that it makes you want to go stealth. You can solve problems with multiple solutions but eventually you want to see if you have the skill to do it through stealth. And you will need a high amount of skill because at times this game seems impossible but believe me if you stick with it you will be rewarded with a great sense of pride. Overall anyone should buy this 10/10

One of the most standout games in a long time.

[klauke · 6 December 2002]

Simply put, this game is outstanding. The graphics are top class, the physics engine rivals that of unreal tournament 2003, and the gameplay is one of the most amazing thing ive come across in a video game in a long time. Each level is brilliantly designed, and the fact that each mission has numerous ways of completion, really helps create a non-linear feel to the whole thing, not to mention, making this a game you can replay over and over again. One key theme to this game is the whole "silent assassin" thing, so be prepared to spend a lot of time waiting for that perfect moment to make your move - of course you can just run-and-gun your way through the levels, but youd be missing out on something that makes this game truely unique. Nothing beats the feel of stalking in the shadows, picking your moment carefully, and when the times right, strike with the utmost precision....and where if you dont watch your step, it could all be over. An easy 8 out of 10 - you need to get this game.

Pretty good stealth game, but flawed and not for everyone who gets bored or frustrated easily.

[practiced_bravado · 4 March 2004]

With "Hitman: Contracts" soon to be released, I decided to go back and replay this title to refresh my skills and walked away fairly satisfied with the gameplay and graphics. The thing "Hitman" does so well is make you feel like the ultimate badass contract killer. Yet, it's not the kind of game that you should go in with guns blazing (although you can do that), but with strategic planning and a quiet, slow pace.

It seems strange then, that so many noisy firearms are up for grabs, only in the final level are you encouraged to blow away bad guys "Max Payne"-style. Yet, by then, the thoughtless shootout is welcomed, since throughout the entire game you have to mix brainpower with firepower.

That, in itself, is not for everyone, but it's the goal of the game. Besides, walking into a highly inhabited area, killing the "mark" and then strolling away as if nothing ever happened is much more satisfying then just to kill everything in sight. It makes you feel much more "professional", after all you are playing the role of a hitman.

The game, however, does have some flaws that keep it from being great, something I'm hoping "Contracts" will improve on. For instance, you can't tell how much noise you are making as you quietly approach your adversaries, they just all of a sudden get the drop on you. Another one being the way the anesthetic works. It takes far too long to dispense, making you a vulnearable target. The victim also does eventually wake up from it, even a full dose, making it pretty useless. I hope "Contracts" lets you use a tranquilzer gun.

The A.I. is a little too unforgiving, making this unplayable for more casual gamers. One last thing, the nightvision goggles seriously impairs your vision by making you see through a "cone". "Splinter Cell" did this much cooler and easier, given it was essential to that game. Well, there you have it, my review of the game. It is very good, but takes patience, lots of it, to fully grasp the game and appreciate its pleasures. *** 1/2 stars out of 4.

Pretty good stealth game, but flawed and not for everyone who gets bored or frustrated easily.

[practiced_bravado · 4 March 2004]

With "Hitman: Contracts" soon to be released, I decided to go back and replay this title to refresh my skills and walked away fairly satisfied with the gameplay and graphics. The thing "Hitman" does so well is make you feel like the ultimate badass contract killer. Yet, it's not the kind of game that you should go in with guns blazing (although you can do that), but with strategic planning and a quiet, slow pace.

It seems strange then, that so many noisy firearms are up for grabs, only in the final level are you encouraged to blow away bad guys "Max Payne"-style. Yet, by then, the thoughtless shootout is welcomed, since throughout the entire game you have to mix brainpower with firepower.

That, in itself, is not for everyone, but it's the goal of the game. Besides, walking into a highly inhabited area, killing the "mark" and then strolling away as if nothing ever happened is much more satisfying then just to kill everything in sight. It makes you feel much more "professional", after all you are playing the role of a hitman.

The game, however, does have some flaws that keep it from being great, something I'm hoping "Contracts" will improve on. For instance, you can't tell how much noise you are making as you quietly approach your adversaries, they just all of a suddent get the drop on you. Another one being the way the anesthetic works. It takes far too long to dispense, making you a vulnearable target. The victim also does eventually wake up from it, even a full dose, making it pretty useless. I hope "Contracts" lets you use a tranquilzer gun.

The A.I. is a little too unforgiving, making this unplayable for more casual gamers. One last thing, the nightvision goggles seriously impairs your vision by making you see through a "cone". "Splinter Cell" did this much cooler and easier, given it was essential to that game. Well, there you have it, my review of the game. It is very good, but takes patience, lots of it, to fully grasp the game and appreciate its pleasures. *** 1/2 stars out of 4.

This game deprived me of sleep

[Audie-T · 27 January 2006]

This game has seriously deprived me of much needed sleep this past week since playing it for the first time.

What can I say? There's so much depth and different variables in each mission alone, there are more than enough missions to satisfy the most hungry tactical-shooter fan.

When you've successfully completed a mission for the first time, you'll want to go back and try different methods, approaches to get a higher score (=more stealth and less violence), the ultimate score being that of Silent Assassin where basically nobody sees you and you only kill your designated target with one bullet or stab (or strangle).

Another old game that I've been a fan of is Ghost Recon, a tactical shooter with many simulation elements. The thing is, to survive in "Hitman 2" you can use the approach of methodically killing every baddie in sight. This can also be fun to relieve stress and frustration of repeatedly failing a mission.

For a 2002 game, the graphics are still beautiful and a pleasure to behold, in combination with the excellent atmospheric music (with strong Star Wars influences in some places) these elements make a fantastic game for the lovers of tactical shooters.

Regular FPS 'run and gun' players steer well away. This game needs brains and not just in the blown-out variant.

10 out of 10 with a subtraction of 1 for stupid ethnic stereotyping in *some* missions. So in all 9 out of 10 but still I can't stop playing it!

Fairly good, but not for the "gamer of gore"

[Quackle · 2 February 2003]

If you are the sort of person to enjoy games full of blood and guts, this is not the game for you. You are an assassin and in every mission you have to kill a specific person, and getting detected reduces points.

Hence, I found this game rather boring if you can't go in guns blazing all the time, but you may find it enjoyable.