Hitman World of Assassination reviewed almost 5 years after the trilogy ended. A deep look at freedom, design strengths, real flaws and why the Hitman trilogy still deserves more respect.
Hitman World of Assassination is the definitive unified edition that combines Hitman 2016, Hitman 2 (2018) and Hitman (2021) into one seamless platform. Instead of navigating three different titles, players now experience everything through a single doorway, which makes this version the most polished and complete form of the modern Hitman trilogy. The game is a soft reboot of the original Hitman games and organizes the full journey of Agent 47 into one coherent experience that respects the player’s time, intelligence and creativity. There are very few modern games that trust the player the way this one does. It has been almost 10 years since the first game in the trilogy dropped, and almost five years since the last game in the trilogy dropped, and despite its shortcomings, Hitman World of Assassination remains one of the most brilliantly designed stealth experiences ever released and easily earns a place among my top three favorite games of all time. Let us learn more about it and if it is worth your time!
Freedom that transforms every mission into your own personal story
What makes Hitman World of Assassination truly special is the sheer amount of control it gives players. Each location feels like a living playground with countless possibilities. You are not forced into a single route or solution. You study the environment, experiment with disguises, outthink guards and improvise even when everything collapses. Instead of relying on scripted sequences, Hitman World of Assassination rewards curiosity and intelligence. Plans never unfold perfectly, and that is exactly what makes them unforgettable. To put it simply, even if you play this game a dozen times, each playthrough will not be same.
This is a reason why this game is underappreciated and not for everyone. It is not a game where you just blindly smash your controllers. You need to use your brain and strategize. For players who love to think, there are few experiences in gaming more satisfying than spending twenty minutes studying routines, positioning a disguise and placing tools only to have a guard ruin everything. In most games, failure means frustration. In this one, failure flips into creativity. You are never stuck or ruined because there is always another angle. Although some of the missions in the older games were a bit linear, this Hitman trilogy however gives you unlimited freedom and this is what makes the Hitman World of Assassination trilogy even better than the original games and makes it impossible to play only once. Once you fall in love with the game, you return again and again, discovering new opportunities each time. The feeling of mastery comes not from learning how the game works but from learning how you work inside it.
A world that feels alive, beautiful and full of atmosphere
One of the reasons the modern Hitman game stands above others in the genre is the sheer attention to detail present in every location. The cities, crowds, lighting and interiors feel handcrafted and lived in. You feel the weight of every footstep in marble hallways and the tension of blending into crowds while security patrols around you. The Hitman World of Assassination trilogy is one of the rare games that take you on a ride across several countries across the world. You travel across a remarkable variety of environments, from dense urban chaos to remote isolated facilities. It is cinematic without being loud, artistic without being pretentious and immersive without drowning you in unnecessary clutter.
Every map feels like a meticulously designed stage, with layers that reveal themselves slowly as you explore. Rather than pushing you through straight paths, it invites you to wander and pay attention. As a player, you feel like an investigator studying a huge machine full of moving parts, waiting for the perfect moment to flip the switch.
A journey filled with emotional weight but could have been better in some ways
The story arc at the heart of Hitman World of Assassination carries emotional strength, especially through Agent 47’s relationship with Lucas Grey. Their bond represents a rare moment of bromance and human connection. After decades of cold professionalism and isolation, 47 finds someone who understands him not as a weapon but as a human being. This makes Grey’s death one of the most shocking and painful turns in the Hitman trilogy, not because it is dramatic, but because it feels unnecessary and wasteful. His death erases progress and drags 47 back to emotional emptiness. Instead of growth, it feels like the story ends where it began, which removes the impact that the writers were clearly aiming for. It is the strongest example of a lost opportunity.
Another frustrating omission is the absence of beloved characters like Father Vittorio and especially Victoria. Their return could have brought immense emotional value and meaningful stages of closure. It feels strange to see the Hitman game wrap up countless threads but ignore some of the most important figures in 47’s life. Their presence could have elevated the ending from powerful to unforgettable. Instead, it feels incomplete, as if a crucial piece of the puzzle was removed at the last minute.
Brilliant design that is occasionally dragged down by questionable logic
As much as I appreciate depth and realism, Hitman World of Assassination can break immersion in ridiculous ways. The disguise system, a core mechanic, can sometimes be absolutely ridiculous. NPCs frequently fail to recognize 47 even when he stands nose to nose with them in a disguise that clearly should not fool anyone. Characters who should immediately know each other struggle to identify the one bald man with a barcode permanently tattooed on his head. The most ridiculous part is when 47 disguises himself as Mr Pritchard. An ultra secure futuristic ICA facility, filled with cutting edge surveillance systems, retinal scanners, armed guards, data analysts, scientists and elite agents had no clue what this person looks like? Come on!
And the idea that 47 can instantly fit into anyone’s clothes like a shapeshifting mannequin makes no logical sense. There should have been certain limits to this- as not everyone has the same body size. It is one of the few aspects where the magic trick becomes too unrealistic.
While the disguise system remains clever mechanically, and probably the only game with this kind of mechanic, the lack of realism occasionally turns serious stealth into unintentional comedy. When immersion breaks, it breaks hard. Moments like that remind you that beneath excellent design lies a game still carrying the weight of old system limitations.
A mountain of content that keeps you playing long after the credits
One of the best things about Hitman World of Assassination is its incredible amount of content beyond the main missions. From bonus missions to side contracts to limited time targets, the Hitman World of Assassination trilogy keeps offering new challenges and encourages mastery rather than repetition. Side content can feel like like filler to some, but there are still many who love and enjoy it. It can also sharpens your understanding of maps and mechanics. Even after finishing the full story path, there is always another reason to return. It is rare to find a game that remains exciting for so long without becoming tedious.
IO Interactive deserves respect for continuing supporting Hitman World of Assassination despite working on their new James Bond game, with new content long after release. The rotating Elusive Targets, seasonal missions and fresh unlockable gear keep the experience alive without forcing players to buy constant DLC packs. It is rare today to see a studio offer ongoing updates and replayability without stuffing microtransactions everywhere, especially for a trilogy that is 5-10 years old. The dedication behind maintaining their content instead of milking it for money deserves genuine appreciation.
Final verdict on Hitman World of Assassination
Hitman World of Assassination is a triumph in game design, creativity and freedom. Plus you will love the story, especially if you have been following Agent 47 from the old games. It is a game where you feel like being inside a Hollywood action spy thriller movie. Plus, the game challenges the player’s mind instead of relying on empty adreline. It embraces patience over chaos and intelligence over aggression. No other stealth action game has ever delivered this level of depth or control. But at the same time, flaws exist and deserve acknowledgment. NPC behavior sometimes collapses into absurdity. The emotional heart of the Hitman trilogy is damaged by the unnecessary death of Lucas Grey. Although they tie up loose ends from the past games, failure to bring back Father Vittorio and Victoria leaves the ending feeling incomplete. Victoria could have played a very important role in helping Agent 47 and Grey take down the Providence- let us just we shall see more of her in future Hitman games, if they do come!
Rating : 9.5 out of 10 stars
