Honestly don't remember the game being this bad.

[DaveMcDamage]

Hi all,

 

Back on release I remember I got the 100% trophy and achievement completion for this game on 3 profiles. Now I do remember it seemed to favour shooting your way through as opposed to the stealth path, but man did I forget how broken the stealth is in this game. 

 

There is next to no point in changing costumes in this game whatsoever. I actually intended to go for the silent assassin suit only way this time around, but man is it turd. Got it on the current sale for £12.99 and feel ripped off. 

 

I think outside of turn based remasters, it proves that a tiny lick o' paint just isn't enough to make a 10+ year old game worthy of playing, especially when it comes to controls and mechanics. I'm currently at the old building after the getting past the strip club and I know there are some great stages ahead, but wow... what a let down. And that friggin checkpoint system  Pointless!

[DreddPirateRobb]

Yeah, I had the same experience when I went for platinum. I actively tried to take the stealth approach but it was useless. The guards only had to look out of the corner of their eye and my cover was blown instantly. I gave up and just played it as a shooter just to get it over with. Absolutely weakest game in the series.

[Akrioz]

33 minutes ago, DaveMcDamage said:

I think outside of turn based remasters, it proves that a tiny lick o' paint just isn't enough to make a 10+ year old game worthy of playing, especially when it comes to controls and mechanics.

Absolution was always bad though. I played it when it was free on PS+ and it was a horrible experience.  

[Guest]

Yeah, stealth with costumes in that game is pointless since it seems everyone's an enforcer. The shooting was always made much tighter than it should've, which I can only assume they did to get more people to like it/get into it. (This worked on me since it was my first hitman game and I stayed on board). Especially compared to the rebooted games in recent years, the game really doesn't hold up. Which is mostly a shame because the very few levels that are actual 'hitman' levels, like towards the beginning with the sushi level and the strip club level, were pretty fun. It's the rest of the levels that are a bore, at least to me.

Edited July 26, 2021 by ChunkyKong64

[DaveMcDamage]

6 hours ago, ChunkyKong64 said:

Yeah, stealth with costumes in that game is pointless since it seems everyone's an enforcer. The shooting was always made much tighter than it should've, which I can only assume they did to get more people to like it/get into it. (This worked on me since it was my first hitman game and I stayed on board). Especially compared to the rebooted games in recent years, the game really doesn't hold up. Which is mostly a shame because the very few levels that are actual 'hitman' levels, like towards the beginning with the sushi level and the strip club level, were pretty fun. It's the rest of the levels that are a bore, at least to me.

I think my favourite stages in Absolution are...

 

The orphanage.

The gun store. 

Hope and the barber shop. 

And then the very last level. 

 

Currently at Dexter Industries and this was always my least favourite of the game. I think every Hitman always has that one particular level which is just utter turd. 

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, DaveMcDamage said:

I think my favourite stages in Absolution are...

 

The orphanage.

The gun store. 

Hope and the barber shop. 

And then the very last level. 

 

Currently at Dexter Industries and this was always my least favourite of the game. I think every Hitman always has that one particular level which is just utter turd. 

 

Yes the gun store and barber shop were two good ones, too. Diamonds in the rough.

 

[DaveMcDamage]

On 7/26/2021 at 3:51 PM, ChunkyKong64 said:

 

Yes the gun store and barber shop were two good ones, too. Diamonds in the rough.

 

The orphanage too. 

 

The courthouse has some good challenges but its a friggin pain to do when just wanting to do a suit only. No doubt it can be done, but I'd probably have to attempt that longer than it took me to finish the whole game. 

 

Done hard mode with all intel collected in just over 10 hours. All I have left is 15 play styles to unlock, 28 challenges and then 47 sniper shots... which I assume accumulate as its been a while since I attempted that one. 

[OnuR10Ly]

I remember pre ordering this trash on steam to get that sniper challenge. I felt like i was playing poor man's max payne. I remember it barely had any stealth. 

[EdinhoN]

It says a lot about a Hitman game that whenever you blow your cover (shit stealth mode in a stealth franchise lol), I usually end up on gunfighting like it was GTA.

On Hitman 2 2018 (a masterpiece!) whenever I blew my cover, I always reloaded checkpoint because stealth is well done on this reboot, maps are all good with a lot to explore in each one, stealth works pretty fine and it encourages you to try new things "hmm what happens if I put sleeping pills on the AC unit?"

[EDGES]

that's my reaction with most old games that I thought were good when I replay them now, for example Mafia 2, but from what I remember of Absolution, I liked it a lot when it released on PC, I plan on playing it in the future on PS4 for the trophies so I hope it won't totally take away my pleasant memories of it

 

but you are 1000% right about 10 year + games given the HD treatment not being enough, Mafia 2 is a 10 year old game and it's a nightmare, that game needed the Resident Evil 2 Remake treatment so bad

Edited July 27, 2021 by LockheedPrime

[DaveMcDamage]

4 hours ago, LockheedPrime said:

that's my reaction with most old games that I thought were good when I replay them now, for example Mafia 2, but from what I remember of Absolution, I liked it a lot when it released on PC, I plan on playing it in the future on PS4 for the trophies so I hope it won't totally take away my pleasant memories of it

 

but you are 1000% right about 10 year + games given the HD treatment not being enough, Mafia 2 is a 10 year old game and it's a nightmare, that game needed the Resident Evil 2 Remake treatment so bad

If you're gonna go for the trophies then all you need to remember going in is that the stealth is kack. Basically (if you cannot remember) is that if you wear a cop uniform and pass a cop, you might as well be carrying a terrorist banner or something. On anything past hardmode its friggin pointless. But if you're a cop and pass a chef, then its alright. Other than that the controls and cover shooting are ok. 

 

I just had a quick try of Blood Money as I knew this game is older than white dog shit, but in its day it was an amazing game. Just had a quick go and the controls are fucking awful. No idea where the 4K visuals are because it looks near enough as good as it did on release, only this time its 3 million years later and so the look and animations are dog shit. And I forgot all about that awful fucking slow crawl he does. 

 

For a company that has worked on this franchise for 20+ years, I'd say old or newer games, they still haven't mastered what they want from it. It always feels limited somehow, despite its choice of takedowns. And I still don't understand why you can't smash someone with the handle of your gun to KO them movie style. And go all MGSV and pick people up instead of dragging them... Christ!

 

But yeah. If you're game is reaching 10+ years, then a remaster just won't cut it. Maybe a turn based or puzzle game can get away with a lick o' paint. But action adventure and all other games who's genre has progressed so much when it comes to controls and mechanics, then slight visual upgrades are just a piss take. 

 

 

Got the platinum now anyways with Absolution. 

 

Edited July 27, 2021 by DaveMcDamage

[jh7459]

Abandoned this game like nine years ago.  I always considered maybe going back and finishing it up.  This thread is not giving me much encouragement. ?

[dalailama1989]

I recently replayed this and liked it (again).

Even after playing the recent tremendous Trilogy, which is near perfect in terms of gameplay, I now see where they took some good things they introduced in Absolution and made them better (like Instinct and "mission stories").

However, there were quite a few things I didn't remember from when I played it in 2012/13. Totally forgot about the section/checkpoint-system which indeed is a bit weird. Also, I didn't remember about half the missions, so it was nice to do them again.

Blood Money, which I also replayed, didn't age nearly as good and feels pretty clunky (I know it is even older..)

Edited July 27, 2021 by dalailama1989

[DaveMcDamage]

13 hours ago, jh7459 said:

Abandoned this game like nine years ago.  I always considered maybe going back and finishing it up.  This thread is not giving me much encouragement. 

Its not an awful game mate by anymeans, its just not a good Hitman game. Perhaps back then all that felt wrong was the disguise system, but when they did the new trilogy for the PS4 era, it felt hard going back to a sloppy mechanic like that. In terms of the rest of the gameplay its not that bad mate but the disguise system really lets it down as you really cannot take time to enjoy the surrounds and plot your tactics as your cover is forever being blown. 

[Sinthoras_96]

I agree that the checkpoint system in this game sucks. With free saving like in every other hitman game it would be much better. 

 

But I still think that this is one of the best games in the series. I really like the more linear story driven experience and the dark and dirty atmosphere of this game. 

They really nailed the presentation. Also  47 telling you his own thoughts on the mission when you check your objectives is very nice. It connects you more with the character. 

 

I feel much more engaged with this story than with the reboot trilogy story tbh. 

 

I would love another linear game like this with a cinematic approach but with gameplay from the last trilogy (free saving, better disguise system). 

 

To be fair though, I understand why the disguise system is how it is. Imagine if it would be like in the newer games that a cop doesn't spot you in a cop disguise for example. With linear missions like in this game, it would be possible to simply walk through the level, if there are only cops in it (escape from the burning hotel level for example). The disguise system of the newer games would be completely overpowered here. 

 

Adding free saving instead of checkpoints would make stealthing much less frustrating in this game though. It's a shame that they didn't rework this. 

[DaveMcDamage]

13 hours ago, Sinthoras_96 said:

I agree that the checkpoint system in this game sucks. With free saving like in every other hitman game it would be much better. 

 

But I still think that this is one of the best games in the series. I really like the more linear story driven experience and the dark and dirty atmosphere of this game. 

They really nailed the presentation. Also  47 telling you his own thoughts on the mission when you check your objectives is very nice. It connects you more with the character. 

 

I feel much more engaged with this story than with the reboot trilogy story tbh. 

 

I would love another linear game like this with a cinematic approach but with gameplay from the last trilogy (free saving, better disguise system). 

 

To be fair though, I understand why the disguise system is how it is. Imagine if it would be like in the newer games that a cop doesn't spot you in a cop disguise for example. With linear missions like in this game, it would be possible to simply walk through the level, if there are only cops in it (escape from the burning hotel level for example). The disguise system of the newer games would be completely overpowered here. 

 

Adding free saving instead of checkpoints would make stealthing much less frustrating in this game though. It's a shame that they didn't rework this. 

I making my Mass Effect Andromeda the last open world game I touch for a while. They might say its not open world but like the majority of devs they whack on a massive map with nothing to do except the same crap over and over. 

 

Hitman was always best in the smaller settings like a hotel but having so many way to do things that replaying was actually something to look forward to. I mean even the tutorial of Hitman 2016 was loads of fun because of the amount of ways you could go about it but the area was small enough that replaying wasn't a chore. Hitman 2 kind of wrecked it with bigger maps though, even though they were very well done it felt replaying them was a grind. 

 

 

[Sinthoras_96]

21 hours ago, DaveMcDamage said:

I making my Mass Effect Andromeda the last open world game I touch for a while. They might say its not open world but like the majority of devs they whack on a massive map with nothing to do except the same crap over and over. 

 

Hitman was always best in the smaller settings like a hotel but having so many way to do things that replaying was actually something to look forward to. I mean even the tutorial of Hitman 2016 was loads of fun because of the amount of ways you could go about it but the area was small enough that replaying wasn't a chore. Hitman 2 kind of wrecked it with bigger maps though, even though they were very well done it felt replaying them was a grind. 

 

 

Yeah the newer games should have had a fast forward function. For some challenges you literally had to wait 10 minutes for everything to set up properly. That was really annoying sometimes. 

[DaveMcDamage]

3 hours ago, Sinthoras_96 said:

Yeah the newer games should have had a fast forward function. For some challenges you literally had to wait 10 minutes for everything to set up properly. That was really annoying sometimes. 

Yeah that would have been amazing. Like as soon as you have completed it once, then you get better mechanics for the next attempts. A bit like how MGSV required an S rank which could be done in minutes, but then you could use loads of stuff to complete the other requirements without worrying about rank. 

[Eispan]

I'm with the OP on this one. Absolution PS3 was my very first Hitman game and back then I thought I had a blast. Completed the HD Trilogy Remasters afterwards also on the PS3 and kinda enjoyed them more.  Then six yearls later came the World of Assassination series which is undoubtedly the best in all of the Hitman releases combined.  So coming back to Absolution PS4-R was a total shock as I do not remember it being this bad.  It is just a stealth game pretending to be a stealth game.  Everything that DaveMCDamage had shared is exactly the same experience I had and I am sure we are not the only ones to claim this.  Going proper stealth is a waste of time as the game will eventually be bias against you towards the end of the level and mess things up - no matter how very VERY careful and methodological your approach is.

 

I am currently going RAMBO-gung-ho right after earning the Jack-of-all Trades and Challenges trophies.  There is absolutely no point treating this game like a proper stealth game.  It's just a pretentious insert to the series and a very inconsistent one when it comes to stealth mechanics.  Aren't you glad that no Absolution 2 came out and instead Square Enix gave the IP to IO Interactive which eventually led to the highly acclaimed World of Assassination Trilogy.

 

I just finished the Fight Night chapter, I can't wait to be done with this game.  I hope Blood Money PS4-R would be a lot LOT better to play than this game. The thing is after playing the PS4 remakes, it's just so hard to go back to the old broken mechanics of the PS3-era releases.

 

 

Edited May 29, 2022 by Eispan

[DaveMcDamage]

On 5/28/2022 at 11:23 PM, Eispan said:

I'm with the OP on this one. Absolution PS3 was my very first Hitman game and back then I thought I had a blast. Completed the HD Trilogy Remasters afterwards also on the PS3 and kinda enjoyed them more.  Then six yearls later came the World of Assassination series which is undoubtedly the best in all of the Hitman releases combined.  So coming back to Absolution PS4-R was a total shock as I do not remember it being this bad.  It is just a stealth game pretending to be a stealth game.  Everything that DaveMCDamage had shared is exactly the same experience I had and I am sure we are not the only ones to claim this.  Going proper stealth is a waste of time as the game will eventually be bias against you towards the end of the level and mess things up - no matter how very VERY careful and methodological your approach is.

 

I am currently going RAMBO-gung-ho right after earning the Jack-of-all Trades and Challenges trophies.  There is absolutely no point treating this game like a proper stealth game.  It's just a pretentious insert to the series and a very inconsistent one when it comes to stealth mechanics.  Aren't you glad that no Absolution 2 came out and instead Square Enix gave the IP to IO Interactive which eventually led to the highly acclaimed World of Assassination Trilogy.

 

I just finished the Fight Night chapter, I can't wait to be done with this game.  I hope Blood Money PS4-R would be a lot LOT better to play than this game. The thing is after playing the PS4 remakes, it's just so hard to go back to the old broken mechanics of the PS3-era releases.

 

 

Indeed. I don't have a problem with old visuals, but old mechanics and controls have destroyed some serious gaming nostalgia for me. The worst yet has been the GTA trilogy before they remastered it. I couldn't get past the intros because the controls were so bad for this day an age. 

 

But another problem I had with the Hitman Absolution game was this. I loved the idea of the girl being the next best upgraded clone, but who the hell came up with these villains for this game. Even the huge hulking mexican fella made no sense whatsoever. Now if they were all in a different game, or maybe an individual mission then it wouldn't have been so bad, but again these whole game and everything going for it just aged so badly. 

 

Looking forward to playing Hitman 3 though. 

[F3rn1ck]

The truth is that the gameplay seems very good to me, it is not too far from what its previous installments represent, its scenarios are incredible, the possibilities of achieving the objective are very wide, a game that, if you are a fan of the Hitman franchise, you will not you can lose!🙌🏆

[Solid-Fisch]

Never played the HD ps4 version but got plat in the ps3 version in 2014 and I remember I loved the game back then. It wasn't the usual Hitman feeling but I really like it, the gameplay and it's over the top story (just remembering the nun's lol). Dunno why you guys think it's bad?