Cell Shading making it easier to render in VR and the dual wielding is a result of it being a rebuilt system.
Probably smart having it as separate thing that can get dedicated time and income, but not so much with it being Quest 3 only. Maybe after a year it’ll come to PSVR2, but whatever. I don’t have the room or money for these anyway.
I didn’t plan on buying a Meta Quest 3 (I got Quest 2) but this is tempting me. With my birthday coming up, maybe I’ll use it as an excuse to buy a new one.
It is, Cell Shading is often used to help reduce geometry on objects in turn improve performance for hardware that under performs.
The most controversial example of this practice is with Black Ops 4. At launch the game was so unstable that people had to use the Cell Shading mode provided just to reach high rounds on the Classified Zombies map since you needed to achieve an absurd round level to complete the Easter Egg.
As for my controversial opinion on this VR iteration… I’m not happy with the fact that fan requested features such as Dual Wielding is locked behind arguably what will end up being an inferior version of Hitman 3.
I get this is an “overhauled” version, but VR is such an acquired taste and I’m trying to wrap around why they would double down and essentially re release VR again this time on an arguably worse storefront than the EGS store.
I really like the VR version, it is hella glitchy and weird but really fun to play! Just not “real Hitman” but more chaos and experimentation.
I just hope that Quest 3 exclusivity will result in a proper pc version after some time. I skipped H3 because of Epic for a year and I’ll gladly wait for this as well 
Based on my research all last week for the PSVR2, improved VR re-releases on other platforms is a bit of a common thing, when a company is eager to push past the limitations that lesser-powered versions are stuck on.
XR Games even did a remastering of the Zombieland VR game (also subtitled “Reloaded”) to PSVR2 that drastically changes the art style and improves visual quality and replayability. (And given their games history, they kind of have a thing for cel-shaded art styles)
Most of what I’ve found is related to Quest 2 → to PSVR2 releases, and I don’t know how much more powerful the Q3 is to the Q2, but still. Just worth noting that maybe some VR titles can’t be so easily fixed by patching in overhauls. 
Still annoyed this might mean never any PS5 version…
Agree with you. IOI has emphasized stealth approach in its last entry (WoA) compared to Absolution or BM. Considered as “aggressive approach”, removal of dual wielding and human shield made sense when Hitman 2016 was released.
Last year, Freelancer mode had changed that. SA is no longer the goal of this mode. SA is just a prestige objective amidst others. Minor objectives favor innocent kills (like guards). And it’s not the small money penalty for non-target kills that will discourage rampage gameplay.
Actually, only the reset of the campaign when 47 is downed restrains killing spree approach.
So, in my opinion, introduction of dual wielding, humanshielding, and point shooting (the last two were already present in the alpha before being removed) is no longer an absurdity.
Yeah, I was initially stoked (and still am to a degree) that I could play it, but I just realized that my family doesn’t have the latest Meta Quest, which is a requirement for this game. It’s not worth it to buy a crazy expensive headset just for one game.
This VR iteration will probably be just a cool novelty for a handful of people, realistically. Maybe if it’s successful enough they’ll add on things like dual wielding in an update down the line for other platforms. One can only hope.
Still curious to see if 47’s unstable/shaky arms will persist here too, like it does in the other VR version
I think human shields are still too powerful, as they change the power balance once a player is confronted with enemies, to a degree that would be insanely OP, even in Freelancer. Sure, S/A is not the top rating anymore, but there’s several leaps of logic when it comes to game balance that we’re forgetting here.
Having two silverballers instead of one is just a damage amp (and maybe some funny ragdolls) for silverballers. Too aggressive for Base-WOA, but perfect for Freelancer. By comparison, Human Shields fundamentally changes how you interact with guards in a combat situation where you always have the upper hand because you can make any guard you put in a choke-hold stay with you, and make any guard aiming at you stand down. That is fundamentally OP.
And point shooting doesn’t quite make sense to have anymore. It’s not particularly broken, but 47’s guns and most of his other weapons work pretty well honestly, better than they have any right to. Even stylistically, it doesn’t really fit WoA, and is a product of IOI copying RDR2.
Just because “X was in the alpha!” does not mean it should return to the game proper. There are very good reasons why IO cuts weapons and mechanics, and it’s not to annoy us. It’s to make sure the game feels fair to play on both sides; the AI must feel fair to fight, and the player must feel powerful, but not overpowered. Have the power fantasy, but don’t overdo it.
That’s what it is really a Novelty, you’re either really into it, you’re not into it. Or you check it out for an hour and you get tired of it soon after.
The fact to the matter is VR in general has an unprecedented barrier of entry depending on how you approach it. This could range from a persons health, the big financial paywall to obtain the hardware, to simply not wanting to give up your personal information to meta since they had a dubious past with that type of thing.
I hate being a negative nelly, but the install base for this iteration of VR HITMAN is gonna be so small that “Exclusively on Meta” that’s been advertised on top of that it’s exclusive to the most recent iteration of the headset.
With VR still being a relatively niche but broad corner of the gaming sphere it’s hard to say if this will be successful.
If done right, I don’t see why it would - there are two situations in which I can see you being able to take a human shield:
By sneaking up to a guard - this directly implies you are not in the midst of combat and you’re choosing to either start it, or have someone coming to your location and you want to be ready.
You’re already in combat and accosting a guard. Providing that taking a human shield still requires you to do a QTE, during which time you’re still being shot up, instead of being overpowered, this will be your last-ditch option to obtain some cover if you’re exposed in a firefight. This can of course be further tempered by having guards disregard the hostage if you’re killing people or spend too long.
To be completely frank, even if human shields were an option right now, you’re only going to use them when you’re in trouble. Otherwise, standing behind a doorframe and headshotting everyone running at you remains the go-to strategy.
No one talking about that it is probably again that cosplay guy in the trailer? Or am I wrong?
QTE’s are notoriously quick from start to finish in this game (and there’s slow motion!), and are consistent letters/ buttons might I add. That part has already been learned for anyone playing now. Adding an extra button press is not gonna change much and I don;t think you’ll die in that time either unless the entire map is out for your blood.
That’s kind of my point though. It’s too specific and too powerful when used. And when you do use it, the tables turn and you essentially have a walking get out of jail free card.
That depends on the map, and I’ve been in multiple situations where you get swarmed because you stay in one place, as the AI just flanks you instead of going head first. Hitman WoA maps have very few dead ends, and most rooms are not boxed in fully, and many don’t even have any additional cover inside said rooms to use.
Again, WoA was not made for this mechanic, and it shows in both the ways guard combat works and the how the levels have been made.
Also, slightly related, do guards shoot at you when you’re in a fist-fight with another guard?
I know, and that doesn’t matter because you can only be so fast, during which time you’re taking gunfire. There is every possibility you’re going to get shot dead before acquiring the human shield.
If you have your back to the wall and are able to retreat, perhaps. More likely, you’ll have an opportunity to even the numbers before the hostage expires. If you’re exposed from behind and there’s guard(s) behind you? Agent Down.
what the fuck is that we was waiting for new maps or dlc maps like in hitman 2 or ghost mode we will pay for it this is bullshit
Why were you waiting on that? IO has had barely anyone working on HITMAN for ages now…
My friend, the developers of this game did not provide additions worthy of the title of this series, except for the main maps of the game, which also feel as if they are repeated. All of these additions are not worthy … 7 deadly sins what the fuck is that . better if they spend time to create new maps or to edit old ones like snow in whittleton creek or no limited time for elusive targets to new players or to give us new options like ability to choose time of day or option to edit suits of Agent 47 Look at the previous part of the game, very appropriate additions. new york heaven island. why imbrose island this is not assassins creed or sea of thieves
Seven Deadly Sins led to Freelancer, an entire new game mode, being created. There are various things embedded in Freelancer that came from 7DS. Items collected in locations moving between load screens for the first time, players picking their own objectives and Showdowns (Lust is just a reversed Showdown - using visual clues and traits to find the non-target) are just some examples.
To say nothing beneficial came out of 7DS is, to be entirely honest, an utterly stupid opinion.
I thought so too. Not a fan, but that’s just my preference. I’d love to see fresh and new actual Agent 47 footage, not guy-pretending-to-be-47 footage.
The game needs things that make it last for a very long time, such as a mode that makes you come back to play it every time like ghost mode and brings together players. The stupid thing is not responding to the players’ requirements and what they want in the series. we want a coop mode or something not a banana mk2 or bones mk3
Speak for yourself. Co-operative mode is about the last thing I want, at least.