It has only been a day since Hitman 3 released, and players are already finding ways to make impressive speed runs through the game’s various levels. In perhaps one of the most noteworthy feats posted on the internet so far, one player managed to beat the first level of Hitman 3 in less than 2o seconds.
Hitman 3 is the final installment in IO Interactive’s World of Assassination trilogy that began in 2016. The trilogy is essentially a reboot of the franchise, and explores the story of Agent 47 and his struggle to uncover the secrets of his past. Hitman 3 has received positive reviews from fans and critics so far, and has been lauded for its detailed and complex environments. The game was so popular at launch that IO’s servers crashed from the amount of players logging on.
Those players are already finding ways to speedrun through the assassination title. A player known on YouTube as Frote7 shared his record breaking speedrun through the first level, which he completed in an astonishing 17 seconds. The opening level tasks Agent 47 with assassinating two high-ranking members of Providence, the secret agency that created him. Frote7 accomplishes the feat with two well-timed headshots and a bag of magnesium to stun nearby witnesses, escaping before anyone questions why a bald man with a barcode tattoo on the back of his head is running around the building.
Frote7 could not have completed the swift speed run without using shortcuts, a new feature in Hitman 3. The mechanic allows players to easily pass through things like locked doors and latches that they already unlocked in a previous playthrough. Frote7 had already unlocked the doors that he used to reach his targets in a prior playthrough, allowing them to go back and complete the mission with lightning speed.
Hitman 3’s missions are similar in structure to past Hitman games, meaning Agent 47 is put into an open environment with NPCs and his targets. It is then up to the player to decide how to take out the targets. This has led to fans to play through the Hitman games several times to find new and creative ways to take out their targets. Frote7’s speed run is undoubtedly impressive, but other players are already looking for ways to beat their record.
With Hitman 3, IO interactive has secured its place in the gaming world as one of the chief developers of stealth-based games. IO's next major project is the untitled 007 game, which many fans hope will borrow some of the mechanics that have made the World of Assassination trilogy so successful.
Hitman 3 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.