I didn’t mean in terms of play difficulty. I meant in terms of easy to make for the developers.
The game mechanics just aren’t good enough to enjoy taking the guards down in gun fights or hand to hand combat. There aren’t enough fun kill opportunities either if any really to make doing it stealthy or unnoticed enjoyable either. I hope to be proven wrong though by someone posting their creative gameplay.
I wouldn’t blame the gun mechanics in this case, I’d blame the environment. The cars are just so narrow that all you’re really doing is shooting straight down and enemies are walking directly into your line of fire, it’s just one big choke point
I played it first time through as a guns blazing run (thought that’s how 47 would handle it in that situation) and while it was fun (except the armoured guards, screw those guys) I’ve definitely had more enjoyable gun fights in Hitman in more open spaces where I have enemies coming at me from various angles and I can flank them etc.
Yeah, agree there. Kicking guys off of moving trains is badass, but even it gets old
You can also pull them out of moving trains too! Variety
Though there are also spots with barrels for setting people on fire but I haven’t tried those yet. It could have been cool if there were more options like dropping cargo on top of their heads or something, but I don’t mind.
I liked the moment when I realized I could kill non-targets and not see a non-target killed penalty. I always loved the loud finale of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin.
Definitely, could have added so many more kill opportunities which would have improved the level massively. What ways do we actually have to kill people other than the explosive barrels, guns, melee and kicking/pulling off the train?
I´ve only done a single (mostly stealthy) playthrough of it so far and kinda rushed it tbh to see how the story ends, but it seemed like - despite being very linear - there´s quite a bit of variety to it and will definitely be more interesting going suit only.
As a story-driven finale to the trilogy, I think it works. And it´s got those proper Bond-like vibes (though I agree with @TheContractor that more intel scattered around would´ve been nice, especially given the train´s history as an ex-KGB “black site”).
However I would´ve probably preferred it to be a +1 epilogue level rather than a full location. And I still think that IO could do a “proper” Hitman level on a train (more carriage/disguise variety, luxurious train, etc.), so here´s hoping they do in the future. The constant guard-filled sections make it a somewhat monotonous drag in this regard (but again, I might change my opinion once I give it a few more different goes).
It does have one of the coolest disguises in the whole trilogy though (Providence Commando Leader - got some Fallout Enclave vibes from it) and a nice cameo (Orson Mills). Plus I like the extra decision options at the end.
Also, did I miss something or is there a sensible explanation as to why the computers in the level have ICA desktops? Is it just an asset reuse or does it have an explanation that I may have missed?
I thought the same, I assumed asset reusing but they definitely have generic computer screen assets so I have no clue. Story-wise it doesn’t seem to make sense (unless they’re all just reading the leaked ICA files)
Completely agree and it is a little annoying IO did a ‘Hawkes Bay’ again after people were annoyed by it in H2. Think a train level could work too, but the carriages would need to be a fair bit wider
it’s sad my initial worries about the mission were proven right. this time there certainly isn’t going to be even contracts mode unlike hawke’s bay. they could make a cool et or an escalation here but that would require substantial work of designing new wagons and disguises
I mean all Hitman games have ended with an action set piece/sequence so I guess it makes sense the World of Assassination Trilogy ended with one, too.
It’s a good “get revenge” level. I loved blood money’s last level, but it had no depth after the twist. I see this level as ioi trying to do that better. The tone of doing that level sa/so is great imo.
That said, I think the challenges are limited. I unconsciously “mastered” the level by just being comprehensive. There isn’t a point to doing matter difficulty, so I feel like there’s missed opportunity.
Sorry for bringing the topic into this thread, but it was just too fitting:
I finally played this level after reinstalling the game due to the disconnect error and what happened? I got it again right after 47 told Edwards “This is how it feels to lose everything.”
While it works great as a revenge level, and the narrow corridor of the train does great at conveying the singular focus that 47 has at that moment - it is also full of really interesting challenges if you’re trying to do it Silent Assassin style, and it really coveys 47’s commitment to perfection if you’re doing that given that the route requires you to be climbing in and out of the train constantly.
I got SA my first go through and then someone pointed out that there are no non-target kill penalties and that changed how I saw the mission. After all, our purpose is To Take Them All Down.
It’s good to have options. I thought I’d done an SASO run but it turns out I lost control at some point and shot a mofo in the head… I’m sure he had it coming.
Mild Mendoza spoilers below:
Particularly if you found Sean 2.0Orson unbearable in Hawke’s Bay since a conversation I overheard in Mendoza indicates he’s probably one of the elite goons who you gun down. I haven’t gone through the process of stripping them all to find if one has a g-string and a chest scar… yet.
Haha, keep us posted.
Warning, long post ahead.
I like it. It was short and linear but that’s okay for the climax of the story. And nothing says epic final more than slowly making your way to the top of moving a train full of armed mercs to confront The Constant . My personal highlight was when 47 had to opportunity to dress up as the commander of the Elite Unit and then simply walked past the squad of heavily armed mercenary while they saluted him. That scene summed up Hitman almost perfectly!
Besides it’s a tradition that the last level of the game is different: Codename 47 had a battle in the basement with the 48s. Silent Assassin had you take out all the Mafiosi in the church and then beat Sergei in a gunfight. And Blood Money had the famous funeral battle.
Sure, the level reminded me a lot of Absolution’s map design: A linear corridor full of guard where you have to reach the end. Except… it was actually good. If every linear level in Absolution had been like this, I probably would’ve enjoyed the game. It felt rewarding walking past the above-mentioned elite soldiers in a disguise. It also felt rewarding blinding them with the lights and running past them. And it felt rewarding taking them all out in a gun fight. You actually had options.
The final confrontation with The Constant was another great moment. I felt they did the character justice. You could even apply some good old cruel mercy ala Dishonored to him.
Was it the best level ever? No. Do I want more linear levels in future Hitman games? Absolutely not! I like my sandboxes! But I’m ok with a linear map for the final confrontation, if it’s well done. And this one was extremely well-done.
If you’re in the commando leader outfit, you’ll have the option to talk to one of the elite guards who salute you. He will reveal that the one next to him is Orson. And yup
I think this level can be a good finale for the WOA I’m sure though that if only this game had 6 proper maps and THEN this final level no one would complain at all, because it’s not a bad level at all even if linear I just wanted another last sandbox map after Mendoza.
Agreed. It’s a complete trash level. Can’t force myself to like it either.