Freelancer - Pre-Release Discussion

Everyone is so thirsty for Freelancer that any movement from IOI is being watched like a hawk.

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yep we have to wait patience

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you know i would love if ioi add a hitman target like 47 killed 17 why not another one

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It will come out of nowhere when we least expect it.

At the minute, like you say, we’re waiting for any bit of news like hawks :joy::joy:

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What do you guys think the odds are on being able to unlock items in the course of Freelancer that will retroactively be usable in the main game?

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I’d say 99.99999999% given how every other thing added to Hitman 3 has had some sort of unlock tied to it: Deluxe Escalations, 7DS Escalations, Seasonal Events, Featured Contracts, ETs (albeit the same unlocks as Hitman 2), the ET Arcade, and Ambrose Island

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How about the difficulty level? Will it be beholden to the difficulty you have the main missions set to, or solely to the difficulty of the chosen contract, represented by the number of skulls on the dossier, as shown in images?

I would think that it would be at a consistent difficulty level (either professional or hopefully even master, as it is technically a post game experience), but you have additional optional objectives that make it tougher (represented by the skulls).

Even though I play almost exclusively on professional difficulty, I would hope that freelancer is on master mode only because it fits the tone and mechanics of freelancer much better (and professional mode can be a bit too easy when it comes to physically sneaking around).

I hope not, that would really go against the current (good) trend of increasing accessibility in games.

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It should have the same difficulty options as the normal levels do. Let the players decide rather than forcing everyone to use the same difficulty.

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I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s like Escalations with the default level set at Professional. Hitman has never had any mode with only Master difficulty set. And unless you can choose between the three levels, Pro seems to be the default.

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There’s a difference between accessibility and difficulty, Hitman isn’t a game that normally requires super fast reaction times, it’s more about strategy and patience. So making the experience more “difficult” with master mode doesn’t make it more inaccessible, especially considering that master mode is more about playing it safe and slow.

Besides this is again post-game content, for people who are familiar with the game and are likely higher skilled. I do want games to be accessible so that more people can enjoy them, but it doesn’t mean we should or need to simplify them and make them super easy in order to do that, it can take all the fun out of an experience.

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Going with the “like escalations”, I wonder if saves will be abled.

Slightly related, I also wonder how long the campaign/missions were designed to be.

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Difficulty is one aspect of accessibility, though.

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I’m hoping so and personally, I can’t see any reason why Freelancer unlocks couldn’t be used in the main game?

IOI might confirm more details on this closer to it’s launch.

It’s possible you won’t be able to save per level (like Escalations) but your progress per level will be saved (like… well Escalations). :joy:

One possible reason: it would change how every other aspect of the regular game is played. Right off the bat (based on leaked items) it would alter existing Featured Contracts and some Escalations that required specific kill conditions that normally couldn’t be achieved by items you could enter into the level with.

I kinda get the feeling that all the unlocks for that mode will be specific to that mode. Which isn’t unprecedented: Sniper Assassin gave us an ammo type we can’t use in other modes (Shock). Also Ghost Mode had items specific to that mode as well.

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Not really a relevant point since those items made sense to stay restricted in that mode - the ghost coin/flashbang/explosive and the freeze grenade would’ve been completely pointless outside of Ghost Mode as there was no alternate reality/opponent for them to effect.

True. Just saying it’s happened before (mode specific items).

It also depends if we are talking only about new gameplay items, or new cosmetic items (including suits).
I expect some cosmetic items to be rewarded / unlocked. It’s just too great an incentive for players to pass on.

As for new items : from the reveal we can see at least two category of new items :

  • some, like the burner phone, looks to be specific to the Freelancer gameplay loop
  • some, like the gas canister, are new “normal gameplay loop” items

The second one could be bonus core-game unlocks. They would work and playable in “normal” missions. On the other hand, Freelancer will have a different gameplay balance. Freelancer is rogue-like. Some items might be more powerful, but balanced by being both one use and costly. Both don’t exist in the core game, and might render them way too OP.
Some other might be new, but with lighter tweaks (coupled with some aesthetic). Those one I could definitively see as unlock.

The gameplay reveal shows that items come in rarity. Maybe legendary items will be also unlocked in the core game once purchased the first time in Freelancer. There has been asks for a more free / open ended unlock progression after all. Maybe in addition to a mastery ladder.

I wouldn’t even be surprised if the ICA eletrocution phone makes a return (if Freelancer exclusive). If it was me, I would even make it cartoonishly expensive (it is an item from an extinct organisation, rare on the black market after all) and linked to a challenge called “Was It Worth It” to eliminate an head of organisation with it. As a joke.

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26th January 2023

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