With IO Interactive's Hitman 3 arriving in just under two weeks' time, the studio is getting ready to deliver the most expansive stealth experience the World of Assassination's trilogy has offered yet. Included in that promise is a brand new VR mode exclusive to PlayStation, with players able to perform Agent 47's elaborate array of executions while seeing through his eyes.
Although footage of the new mode has been under wraps since its announcement, today, IO Interactive shared a better look at how it feels to play Hitman 3 in virtual reality. The result looks to be a much more immersive experience, as players interact with the game's vast levels, hunt down elusive targets, and prepare extravagant assassinations all from a first-person perspective.
Throughout the trailer, it's clear to see that playing Hitman 3 in VR will offer a vastly different experience to the traditional, third-person stealth gameplay offered in the original two games. For one, players have to pick up objects in the world and physically attack foes, with the footage's opening moments showing a player grab a knife from a kitchen counter and swing it at a seated NPC's head. Meanwhile, it looks as though navigating through Hitman 3's levels will offer a level of immersive interaction prior games couldn't, as one sequence shows 47 having to push his way through a crowded dance floor at a nightclub.
Gunplay looks smooth as well, with the player able to utilize the unique perspective to set up creative kills and engage in heated firefights. Overall, it looks to be a wholly new way to experience The World of Assassination Trilogy, with IO Interactive claiming in the trailer that "there is no other VR game like this." The trailer also backs up the studio's claim that all three games would be available in VR, showcasing levels from not only Hitman 3 but also 2016's Hitman and 2018's Hitman 2. It'll be available on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 when the final entry in the trilogy debuts later this month.
With Hitman 3 closing out the team's exceptionally well-received reboot of the stealth-action series, IO Interactive will be ready to fully embrace its next major game: Project 007. The James Bond adaptation was announced last month and will supposedly see the developer's experience working on stealth games transfer over into an espionage-focused adventure based on cinema's most iconic spy. Reactions to the new title have been unanimously positive, with IO Interactive's history making it a perfect pick for a game based on the long-running film franchise. It'll be interesting to hear more about the upcoming game in the months to come.
Hitman 3 is going to release for the Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on January 20, 2021.