Slated to release on January 20, Hitman 3 is the next iteration of IO Interactive's seminal series, acting as a dramatic conclusion to the World of Assassination trilogy first started back in 2016. It will also offer six new maps set in a variety of new locations, including China, England, Argentina, and Dubai, as well as an expansive VR mode that lets players interact with Hitman's levels through the eyes of its protagonist. As it stands, the game is shaping up to be a fitting culmination to Agent 47's list of daring adventures through his last three video game outings.
With Hitman 3 launching tomorrow, critics have gotten their hands on the upcoming game and, with the embargo dropping today, are ready to share their opinions on the newest entry in the series. As it stands, the title has currently drafted in around 70 reviews from different outlets, providing a wide range of critical opinions surrounding the stealth-action sequel.
So, without further ado, what are critics saying about Hitman 3? Does the game live up to the franchise's best outings or does it drop the ball right as IO Interactive crosses the finish line?
Game Rant (Cameron Corliss)
"All told, though, Hitman 3 is one of the best stealth games ever made. Those that have enjoyed the last two games in the rebooted trilogy will find more to appreciate here, while newcomers to the franchise will get a highly replayable romp through expertly crafted levels. The disjointed narrative may be off-putting to some, but those willing to overlook the shortcomings of the story are getting an otherwise near-perfect stealth game with exceptional replay value and astounding visual fidelity."
Score: 4.5 / 5
VG24/7 (Alex Donaldson)
"Taken individually, Hitman 3 feels like great value, with plenty of variety and lots to do. When taken as a whole, the World of Assassination trilogy is hands-down one of the best and most complete-feeling trilogies in video game history. It’s a fitting finale for 47 – at least for now – and it has naturally left me thrilled to see what IO does with James Bond or whatever else comes next. It might only be January – but I can pretty much guarantee this will end the year as one of my 2021 favourites."
Score: 5 / 5
IGN (Luke Reilly)
"Rich, rewarding, and highly replayable, Hitman 3 is a superb installment of IO’s idiosyncratic but much-loved stealth series. The fundamentals haven’t changed since 2016 but its collection of outstanding maps makes for a refined, reliable, and robust curtain-closer to the current Hitman trilogy. Six maps may sound slim but each one is huge and designed to be played several times over – and even then it’s very unlikely you’ll have uncovered all of its creative and surprising assassination opportunities. There really isn’t a weak one in the bunch. This barcoded butcher has made a lot of appearances over the past 20 years, but Hitman 3 is definitely one of his best."
Score: 9 / 10
PC Gamer (Andy Kelly)
"Despite a couple of weaker levels, Hitman 3 is a sensational stealth game. Berlin, Chongqing, and Dartmoor represent the series at its best, which is a fine way to end the trilogy. And if you own the first two games you can—once Epic figures out how—access all of those levels here, with improved visuals and the ability to use the new game's gadgets and weapons in them. Do that, and this is easily one of the best games on PC. If this was a review of the trilogy as a whole, I'd stick a couple more points on the review score. But even on its own, Hitman 3 is a magnificent videogame and a perfect swansong for Agent 47."
Score: 9 / 10
Gamespot (Phil Hornshaw)
"What's good about Hitman--its level design and the creativity, experimentation, and exploration that affords--is great in Hitman 3. It closes out the trilogy by brilliantly playing off everything that came before it, making use of and then subverting expectations, and rewarding players for their willingness to master the complexity of both its individual levels and the series as a whole."
Score: 9 / 10
Game Informer (Jeff Cork)
"Hitman 3 concludes a chapter in the greater Hitman story, but it doesn’t feel like an ending. There’s an abundance of content and side activities on offer, and the trilogy as a whole is bound to be a long-term destination for would-be assassins. IO Interactive’s final act in the trilogy anticipates and rewards player experimentation, features meticulous level design, and has moments of ghoulish catharsis that makes me cackle aloud. My enthusiasm for it all is as indelible as the barcode tattooed on the back of Agent 47’s head."
Score: 9 / 10
Screen Rant (Christopher J. Teuton)
"Hitman 3 is the best of the newer Hitman games and quite possibly the best Hitman game in the franchise. The need to constantly be online (especially in a single-player game) and the small amount of locations may turn some players off, but the density and replayability of the areas which are included make for some of the best assassination missions IO Interactive has created so far. Agent 47, Diana, and players have all come a long way since 2016, but Hitman 3 acts as a perfect conclusion that any longtime series fan should be happy with."
Score: 4. 5 / 5
PCGamesN (Jordan Forward)
"While they don’t always pay off, these tweaks to the formula finally have me invested in Hitman’s story, and the inconsistencies they introduce make some levels, like Berlin, among the most memorable in the series. They do also lead to a disappointing finale, but the good generally outweighs the bad. Hopefully, this experimentation finds fertile ground in IO’s upcoming Bond game, because I don’t want to wait for another Hitman trilogy to play another stealth game this good."
Score: 8/10
Overall, it seems critics are pleased with the final entry in IO Interactive's coveted stealth-action trilogy, citing it as a fitting send-off for Agent 47 and the Hitman reboot trilogy. Many have cited the game's maps as being experimental and adventurous new offerings for the series, with most reviews citing the murder-mystery-focused Dartmoor map as the standout level. Meanwhile, the visuals are apparently better than ever, with the game being described as a technical powerhouse that showcases the advanced hardware of modern PCs and next-generation consoles. The only complaints seem to be from some claiming there are a few weaker levels in comparison to others and that the game hasn't changed a whole lot in the time since Hitman 2.
Currently, the game's PC version (which is its most reviewed copy) is pulling an 88 on Metacritic, which puts it well above its predecessor which managed to pull in an 82. Of course, the coming days will offer more reviews, so that number could well change. However, It seems it'll be the game to beat in 2021's rankings, offering a high-scoring title to kick the year off with a bang. The coming months will definitely bring some potential fellow high-ranking names, however, with The Medium debuting in a few weeks, Little Nightmares 2 launching in February, and Returnal debuting in March.
Hitman 3 releases on January 20, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia.