This mission is like a cruel temptress. It’s so atmospheric and stark in its beauty, but it makes you want to kill yourself.
3 Likes
I can’t say I hate this mission,but I definitely don’t love it either.Let’s say it’s ok and I kinda like it.The snowy setting and the main title soundtrack are AWESOME,but it takes ages to traverse the map and complete the objectives.
The mission is also too linear.Ok,Fabian can be killed in quite a few ways,but taking into consideration how useful his disguise is (and how annoying it is to complete the mission without it),there are not too many reasonable ways to kill him to be honest.Probably only putting laxative in his soup which takes quite long and the speedrun method of making him flee which is extremely difficult to learn from my own experience.Bjarkhov can only be killed (reasonably) by meeting him as Fabian or by sniping him.
The submarine objective can be annoying,but once you know how to do it consistently without getting random alerts,it’s not that bad.
So yeah,not necessarily a bad mission (the atmosphere saves it 
), but it’s one of my least favourites in the game for sure.
2 Likes
This mission is arguably really fun if you have enough patience to experiment with the targets and their routes.
For those who don’t know what I mean: after 20-ish minutes Fabien makes his way to General Bjarkhov’s boat where they meet. Soon after they use the nearby car to visit the nuclear sub.
Its a lot of fun to get all 3 in one stone by blowing up the sub when they’re standing next to it. 
8 Likes
It would have been a better mission if you didn’t have to run for minutes to get to a next objective 
4 Likes
I cant tell you how often the little railway-thingy killed me, because i jumped down on the wrong site of it, or when i jumped down on the the right of it but it immediately turned back to the soldier i left behind at the station lmao.
It’s an okay mission, a bit tedious but alright. It was the demo version of Hitman Contracts and i played it countless times.
3 Likes
THATS why you can plant the bomb on/near the car, thank you!
4 Likes
I always felt the atmosphere in this level was incredible, it captures being isolated in cold, hostile territory better than any other level. Yeah the mission itself sucks but I didn’t mind it. I hope they return to this kind of vibe at some point, it might fit into project 007 well.
4 Likes
Welcome, Apex!
The first time you start the level and you’re standing in a plane at a Siberian military base with just a syringe, some wire, and a couple pistols really acclimates you to that feeling. It’s something.
Ah, the Bjarkhov Bomb. This level is flawed, but I do still quite like it.
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As others have said, the atmosphere is great: An isolated military base and frozen wasteland during a raging snowstorm that makes you feel cold just by playing it (I love that 47 still arrives in a suit and tie for some reason)
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The map itself is too large, and I’ve no idea why it’s split in two. It also has what is perhaps the Most Useless Area in the entire franchise, the airport service tunnel.
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The targets are okay, I like 47 disguising himself as Fuchs and then having an incredibly- suspicious conversation with Bjarkhov. However, Fuchs’ loop is too long and, as with most of the old games, kill opportunities are limited. The targets do eventually meet up and have a conversation if you can wait that long.
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I always like having ICA insiders you can speak to on the map. I also like the authentic Russian language with no subtitles, so you don’t know what the base’s loudspeakers are saying or what the soldiers are shouting at you. It immerses you a lot more than the WoA trilogy.
(Someone on YouTube has translated the Russian dialogue and recorded the Bjarkhov/Fuchs conversation if you fancied searching that)
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This level’s a bit glitchy to get Silent Assassin. You basically have to nudge a guard so he doesn’t get killed by the exploding submarine.
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I actually think this would be a great mission to remake. We’ve not had a proper military base level for a while, and a next-gen version where you could explore a plane/submarine/cargo ship amid a blizzard would be wonderful (if only IO weren’t now allergic to snow)
1 Like
Honestly the ICA insider is one my main reasons I would like a far more detailed planning system in a hitman game to this day, being to have more contacts on the inside, agents you get to hear and talk to, as well as coordinate with on site intel would just be so cool.
Imagine having spotters that highlight guards or people of interest in certain areas so you always know where they are, even across the map?
Imagine meeting up with an agent disguised as a civilian on a park bench, and taking a briefcase or drop off containing a weapon of interest in it and using it to kill your target (like the 50 cal in silent assassin)
Imagine having actual getaway drivers you talk with, or undercover staff that tell you where certain items are, or give you keys for access.
Imagine hiring snipers to take shots and kill people for you if you get into combat (think like a mix of the sniper opportunity in Mendoza and the mission “Not the Pizza Guy” from Watch Dogs)
I just want a Payday 2-esque type of preplanning system because it allows you to individualize your experience to what you want and makes you feel like your more like an assassin with a plan rather than a great killer just winging it. I think freelancer will have a little bit of this with the weapons dealers, but there is so much more you can do with a preplanning system.
Always have loved the dark, cold and isolated vibes from this mission!
Hitman Contracts is and will always be a badass game!!
1 Like
