Product Description

Hitman: Contracts delivers more action-packed and suspense-filled missions, with a greater variety of ways to make the perfect kill and an increased arsenal of firearms and close-combat weapons. A new graphics engine showcases your "work" in brutal detail and brings the new locations to life. An improved control system and more gradual learning curve will ensure that the game is accessible to all aspiring hitmen.

Hitman: Contracts takes you into the mind of Agent 47, the most ruthlessly efficient contract killer in history. The game begins in Paris as Agent 47 finds himself wounded and trapped in what is a dangerous situation, even for him. Hitman: Contracts explores the dark psychology of killing for a living and promises to be the most disturbing episode in the series.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5174 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Eidos
• Released on: 2004-04-30
• Rating: To Be Announced
• Platform: Xbox

Amazon.co.uk Review
With its winning mix of action, strategy and stealth, Hitman Contracts marks a successful third entry in the franchise, and has some neat new tricks up its sleeve. That said, the core of the game is still fundamentally the same as before. You take the role of a genetically modified hitman who from the off finds himself in deep trouble, holed up in a tight spot surrounded by people who want him dead. The reasons why become clear as you play your way through a series of flashbacks, some of which draw heavily from the previous games in the series. Fortunately, the similarities also stretch to the gameplay, which is by turns taut, tense and violent. The game gives you plenty of freedom in choosing how to tackle the various missions you're presented with, and particularly in the early stages it's tremendously good fun working out the best way to achieve an objective.

There are a couple of drawbacks: the game is a little shorter than might be expected, and it is more of an evolution from previous adventures than a independent sequel. But these are minor niggles, especially when you consider that this is the best game to date in the Hitman franchise. It's going to be interesting to see how creators Io Interactive develop the series, but for now they've given us a healthy dose of what's gone before, and made it a little better. --Simon Brew

Customer Reviews

This aint Doom
I first played Hitman a while back and although I was blown away by the style of game I wasn't all impressed with the Graphics levels and animation.
As the sequels come out they do get a lot better, I would say though you get more of an experience having all 3 titles as you know why the bald man with a bar code on his neck does certain things.
Getting to grips with the game is hard for some gamers but for all of you Metal Gear, Max Payne lovers you will crack this in an hour.
The largest difference from the games you play like Max Payne is it is not all about how much devastation you can rain down on the enemy but how clever and clean you make your kills.
Don't get me wrong you still get to take out enemies with a large range of Sniper rifles, Hand guns, shotguns etc but that's only if you get caught out. He he he, watch out for Eidos rag doll effects, bodies react differently to the calibre of weapon.
The games scenarios have been planned and mapped perfectly, sound and animation around the levels are smooth and the lighting is much improved thanks to the superior graphics card of the Xbox over the PS2.
You walk like a stone cold killer around these levels, taking place all over the world taking out a variety of wrong doer's, use syringes, knifes, guns and poison and escape the area unheard.
What makes this game though are the costume changes, you will have to wear uniforms and civilian clothing to blend in around some of the deadliest gangs in the world, place a foot wrong and they don't mess around.
All this together with a good story line and control method make for tense experiences and really pleasing results.
9/10
Dissected by Killa

Buy this, its worth it!!
The hitman series has caused contreversy from the offset. Obviously being a psychotic bald assassin is not to everyones taste. Its definately to mine though. This game is arguably the best in the series (some would say number 2 is still the better). You start at one of the most disturbing opening levels in a game, in a mental institute. On your journey around the hospital you'll see other assasins who just couldnt handle themselves, and very strange patients wandering aroung garbling utter gibberish. You are lead to believe that this level is a simple walkthrough, but 5 minutes in and you will hear a swat team crash through the building. Its up to u how u handle it. How about stealing a swat uniform, and join them running around, or how about getting your ballers out and shooting your way through?. That is the great thing about this game, its totally up to u on how u complete missions, (the going mad with a rifle is fun at first but you'll regret it later!). The graphics are a little below standard, but the musical score is atmospheric and works well. Killing has never been so rewarding on the xbox. Buy this and become as disturbed as me. ha ha ha.

A good game but......
I'm a huge fan of the Hitman Games, and was eager to get my hands on the third edition (Contracts). After working through the first half of the missions and on to the second half, I started getting the sense I had seen some of the missions before. Went back to the first Hitman and low and behold, nearly all of the missions are direct copies of those in the first game. If youve not played the first Hitman theres no problems, however anyone who has will see these copies.