One mission offers a lengthy (and optional) murder mystery to solve, putting you in the unusual role of private investigator and interrogator. The end goal of killing your targets is always part of the deal, but Hitman 3 proves that there’s still plenty of room for more variety. Nearly every mission introduces something that upends what longtime players have come to expect. IO Interactive has been crafting these types of missions for years now, and that experience shows. Some shortcuts are in riskier locations, so you have to weigh that additional danger, but I enjoyed having access to more options. I loved meeting a partygoer outside of Berlin’s nightclub area and getting a guided tour of the map, but was relieved when I found a side door that let me slip right past him and security. They’re a great compliment to the series’ unlockable starting locations, ultimately giving you the ability to bypass sections of a level and make a beeline for whatever – or whoever – you’re most interested in pursuing. By unlocking specific doors or accessing ladders, those newly available paths are open to you on subsequent runs. Hitman 3 introduces new elements, including a camera gadget, but the most notable are its persistent shortcuts. It’s like visiting a supermarket sometimes you want to comparison shop, and other times you just want to grab some milk and get out of the store. Hours later, I was able to efficiently roll through without dawdling, killing both without anyone even knowing I was ever there. The first time I explored Hitman 3’s bombastic opening mission in Dubai, I methodically explored as much of the Sceptre skyscraper as I could before killing my targets. At its best, Hitman offers an experience like no other, delivering intricately crafted scenarios and giving players the tools they need to tackle missions in different ways.

The most recent games have taken that design philosophy to new heights. Hitman has always been about dropping players in unfamiliar locations, giving them a target, and then letting them run wild. Hitman 3 is not a good place to begin your Hitman journey, but it’s a satisfying way to say goodbye. Every mission in the final arc is a statement, demonstrating a mastery of level design and a darkly playful willingness to subvert expectations laid out five years ago. After playing through this stunning finale, I’m relieved that the studio stuck the landing. Over these three games, IO Interactive boldly set out to create a seamless Hitman experience that felt consistent, from the tutorial mission to the conclusion. With Hitman 3, his World of Assassination trilogy comes to its inevitably bloody end. Agent 47 has been an arbiter of death for decades now, using his finely honed skillset in a variety of dirty business around the world.

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