Highlights

• Hitman series has revolutionized stealth games with its intricate level design and emphasis on thought and patience in eliminating targets.
• Spin-off titles like Hitman: Sniper and Hitman Go offer unique gameplay experiences that capture the essence of the mainline series in different ways.
• Hitman 3 is a cinematic and epic finale to the World of Assassination trilogy, with standout missions like the Knives Out-inspired Dartmoor level. The game's support continued with the Seven Deadly Sins DLC, providing enhanced missions with unique rewards.

The Hitman series has been around for over two decades and has seen eight mainline entries and two unique mobile phone spin-off titles. Stealth games have often been referred to as the thinking person's action game, but developer IO Interactive has taken this kind of stealth to another level with its Hitman series.

The scope of Hitman's level design is far beyond what has been seen in other stealth games like Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid. Levels require thought and patience, and players can spend hours exploring the intricacies of each mission to find the best ways to eliminate Agent 47’s targets and achieve the Silent Assassin rank at the end of each level.

Updated April 23, 2024, by Michael Llewellyn: The Hitman series offers players replayability far beyond most games. Their levels are packed with details, world-building, and assassination opportunities that can make each playthrough feel and react differently based on the player's actions. The World of Assassination trilogy has mastered this free-form gameplay, but new fans shouldn't miss out on the earlier titles. This list is updated to include more specifications for title and their availability.

14 Hitman: Sniper

A Mobile Spin On The Sniper Assassin Mode From Hitman 2 - No Metascore

Hitman: Sniper was released in 2015 for iOS and Android systems. It is a spin-off that works similarly to the Hitman Sniper Assassin mode in Hitman 2 and the stand-alone Sniper Challenge mode for Hitman: Absolution.

Hitman: Sniper plays like a gallery shooter with several objectives for the player to complete their mission. The player can create openings by setting up traps, using distractions, and other mechanics that Hitman fans will enjoy. However, the touchscreen controls are often at odds with the zoom function, and players will be frustrated by accidentally shooting their guns when trying to use the scope.

13 Hitman: Codename 47

The First Game In The Agent 47 Series - Metascore - 73

Hitman: Codename 47 was released in 2000 and is the first game in the series. It laid the groundwork for what would become a great series using several mechanics like taking and using disguises, the concealed sniper rifle, and the need for stealth.

Just like its newest titles, the game rewards the most cost-effective methods to complete a mission and gives penalties for killing civilians or getting spotted by witnesses. Unfortunately, many of these mechanics feel antiquated by modern standards making the game feel unpolished. The first title was never released on another platform aside from the PC, and even though it had something of a retelling through Hitman Contracts, a remake of Codename 47 using the current engine would go down well with fans.

12 Hitman 2: Sniper Assassin

The Sniper Assassin Mode From Hitman 2 - No Metascore

The Sniper Assassin mode included in Hitman 2 is now part of the Legacy pack in Hitman 3, and the package consists of separate missions that place Agent 47 at a single vantage point using only a sniper rifle. While that may sound simplistic on paper, the levels retain their sandbox feel and allow 47 to cause as much chaos and distractions as possible.

In addition to the main objectives and targets, there are Challenges like causing environmental accidents like shooting suspended objects such as chandeliers or heavy wall-mounted speakers to fall on a target, killing them instantly. Making these hits look like an accident can lead to hilarious and memorable moments.

11 Hitman 2: Sniper Assassin – Knight And Stone

An Interesting Side Game With Co-Op Gameplay - No Metascore

The Knight and Stone missions were part of Hitman 2’s standalone online co-op gameplay missions. Up to three players could take part in sniper missions where players take on the roles of Agent 47, Knight, and Stone.

Like the Sniper Assassin missions, the characters remain in place, but the environments are still sandboxes that can be manipulated. The missions offer bonuses for synchronized kills, and the new characters Knight and Stone are far more talkative than 47, offering players a new dynamic. Unfortunately, these missions are no longer available, as the developers focus on the single-player aspects of Hitman 3 instead, but fans are hopeful that it will make a comeback.

10 Hitman 3 VR

Immersive VR Action Through The Eyes Of Agent 47 - No Metascore

• Released: 2021
• Developer: IO Interactive
• Platforms: PC VR and PSVR

On the PlayStation 4 – or the PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility – Hitman 3 also comes with a fantastic VR mode, which is currently exclusive to the PSVR. This mode allows players to play the game through the eyes of Agent 47 and is incredibly immersive.

Thanks to the VR mode, players now seem to have a new line of sight that allows 47 to observe the environment in brand-new ways. Moreover, it is one of the best-looking games on the PSVR, which is surprising considering the size and scale of the missions. The Hitman VR mode is now available on the PC as part of Hitman 3's year 2 plan. Unfortunately, as a direct port of the PSVR version, it lacks any enhancements that many PC players would have expected and it's a choppy experience by comparison impacting half of its audience.

9 Hitman Go

A Surprisingly Fun Boardgame-Style Entry For Mobile - Metascore 81

Hitman Go was launched on Android and iOS mobile systems in 2014 but was later released on the PlayStation 4 and Vita in 2016. Instead of a third-person perspective featured in the mainline series, Hitman Go was a turn-based, top-down game where Agent 47 moved around using grids.

Despite resembling a board game, this mobile entry captured the puzzle-like mechanics of the mainline series more simplistically and fitting for mobile devices. Elements of the series are missing, like completing missions without killing non-targets and the restrictive nature of Hitman Go has inescapable linearity. It scores well but doesn't feel like a proper entry in the Hitman series.

8 Hitman: Contracts

The Darkest Entry In The Hitman Series - Metascore 77

Launched in 2004 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC Hitman: Contracts' story is told in past tense, and gives players a chance to catch up with the first game's events without having to endure playing it. Contracts featured many retold and reworked missions from the original game retold through the memories of a mortally injured Agent 47. Hitman: Contracts make each mission feel like a self-contained story with world-building and unique characters that draw fans into the hit as they calculate the best methods to take down their targets.

In addition, Contracts is much darker and more violent in tone than its predecessors, which is immediately evident in its opening level at Meat King's nightclub. The globe-trotting Contracts take players to locations like Romania, Siberia, the UK, Rotterdam, Budapest, Hong Kong, and Paris. The Paris Mission features an action-packed epilogue, seemingly inspired by the movie Leon: The Professional. It's another entry in the series that holds up well against the new titles and one of the series darkest in its story and tone. Hitman: Contracts was remastered for the PS3 and Xbox 360 as part of the Hitman HD Trilogy, but is unavailable on modern consoles. Hopefully, IO will revisit this classic and make it available to new fans.

7 Hitman: Absolution

A Cinematic And Focused Story With Outstanding Visuals - Metascore 79

Hitman: Absolution was launched in 2012 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and was later bundled in the Hitman HD Enhanced Collection on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2019. While not as fondly remembered as other titles in the series, Hitman: Absolution introduced a lot of new gameplay mechanics and features, like Instinct Mode and Online Contracts, both featured in the World of Assassination Trilogy.

However, some of the level designs are more linear than its predecessors, and the locations - aside from - Hunter and Hunted, lacked a lot of variety or size synonymous with the series. Furthermore, during the later stages, Agent 47 will often find himself forced into frustrating and unavoidable firefights losing sight of why fans loved the series so much. However, despite its flaws, Absolution is still a thrilling game in the stealth genre. It features one of the best and most cinematic stories in the Hitman series, building 47 as a character giving more context to the complex relationship between him and his handler, Diana.

6 Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

A Groundbreaking Entry And Massive Step Up From Codename 47 - Metascore 85

Released in 2002 on the PC, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and the Xbox Hitman 2 offered players an authentic sandbox experience that became the standard for the series going forward. It's also available as an HD release in the Hitman Trilogy set for the PS3, and the Xbox 360 and Hitman HD Enhanced Collection. Where the first game in the series felt like a rough draft or experimentation of ideas, its direct sequel Hitman 2: Silent Assassin polished everything for it to become the series fans love today.

Using disguises and hiding in plain sight played a big part in being as stealthy as possible. Additionally, Hitman 2 has a variety of ways to eliminate targets and achieve the Silent Assassin grade, from poisoning drinks, setting up traps, or sniping from a distance. Players can even run in and use an aggressive approach, but the reward comes in being the assassin Agent 47 is supposed to be. The original Hitman 2 is one of the highest-scoring games in the series, but its age and unrefined mechanics compared to its successors make it clunkier than the latest entries.

5 Hitman: Blood Money

Holds Up As One Of The Best Stealth Games Of All Time - Metascore 82

Hitman: Blood Money is the fourth entry in the series and is often celebrated as a favorite among fans. Hitman: Blood Money features the most compelling story in the series and is told through interview segments between a journalist and the former head of the FBI.

The sandbox-level design was more flexible than its sequel Absolution. The game features some of the most varied and the series' most memorable missions. In addition, enemy AI saw significant improvements, and the newly introduced notoriety system added to the tense atmosphere. Missions variety and immersion are ramped up, with outstanding levels like A New Life and A Dance With The Devil being standouts. Hitman: Blood Money was repackaged with Hitman Absolution and enhanced in 4K for the PS4 and Xbox in 2019. Hitman: Blood Money: Reprisal was launched in 2024 for Android, iOS, and the Switch and holds up well in handheld form.

4 Hitman (2016)

The First Entry In The World Of Assassination Trilogy - Metascore 84

Hitman was released in 2016 and worked as a reboot for the entire series and as a sequel to Hitman: Absolution. The game returned to its roots with non-linear sandboxes filled with content and replay value that could rival most single-player experiences.

The game was launched as episodic content, which worked surprisingly well given the scale of each level. The structured release schedule allowed players to explore and do everything on offer. Hitman 2016 is as immersive as an espionage TV series with an intriguing story that develops through the cutscenes between missions. The first entry in the World of Assassination trilogy Hitman also benefited from the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S enhancements that came with Hitman 3.

3 Hitman 2 (2018)

An Improved Sequel With Even Better Level Design - Metascore 82

Hitman 2 is the second game in the rebooted franchise and follows directly from the events of the last game. This time, developers IO Interactive ditched the episodic nature in favor of a full game, and the levels are just as large as the first game but more refined and better detailed than ever.

Every mission will take players hours to discover and understand everything and where the openings are. Then there is added replay value with new objectives unlocking at the end of the missions giving way to even more opportunities to experiment with the endless cause-and-effect scenarios that play out. It scores slightly lower on Metacritic which may have been because it was more of the same, but the mission design and story make it a superior entry.

2 Hitman 3

A Big Budget Finale That Feels Like James Bond Experience - Metacritic 86

The final chapter in the World of Assassination trilogy, Hitman 3 is arguably the best Hitman game of all time. The third title is a far more cinematic game than its predecessors and an epic finale to an already amazing library of Hitman games. The Dartmoor mission is a standout with its Knives Out-inspired murder mystery. Even though the games have had a Mission Impossible and James Bond feel, Hitman 3 feels like a teaser for things to come in the studio's future Bond game, Project 007.

Furthermore, if gamers own the previous two games, they will gain access to the Legacy missions to allow them to replay the older games with the new features and include improved visuals if playing the PS5 and Xbox Series X. The support for Hitman 3 continued throughout, with its Seven Deadly Sins DLC. These are enhanced missions with themes based around the Seven Deadly Sins. Each level also rewards the player with unique weapons and gear for completing them.

1 Hitman: World Of Assassination

The Complete Set Of The Hitman Trilogy - No Metascore

Thanks to the update launched in January 2023, the Hitman trilogy was repackaged as Hitman: World of Assassination. This version makes it easier for fans to access all three games without activating season passes for legacy content. The trilogy package is available for Hitman 3 owners, but access to the Seven Deadly Sins content requires fans to purchase the Deluxe Pack.

Freelancer Mode

Along with the rebranding, Hitman: World of Assassination includes the new Freelancer Mode. Freelancer is a roguelike, placing Agent 47 in randomized missions and targets. Completing hits and completing side objectives rewards players with Mercer points which can be used to purchase better equipment and weapons. Unfortunately, failure will result in 47 losing half of his Mercer points, and continued failure will end the Freelancer campaign, meaning players will have to start again. Agent 47 will keep all the items and weapons he collected in each mission and store them at the home base.