Hitman: Blood Money

Hitman: Blood Money is a single-player stealth game. The fourth installment in developer Eidos's popular series, Blood Money returns to the classic puzzle-murder gameplay that has made the Hitman franchise a success.

In the game, the player takes on the role of the mysterious assassin Agent 47; each mission is presented as a flashback to a case in which the FBI pursued 47. As in the previous games, each mission revolves around a particular assassination. 47 must make his way to the target (or targets) and eliminate them without being detected. Careful planning and reconnaissance are the key to making a silent kill, although sometimes things don't go according to plan. When this occurs, 47 will have no choice but to shoot his way out. A perfect undetected kill earns the coveted Silent Assassin rating, but most players will have to go back to a mission several times before earning this accolade.

Blood Money expands on the mechanics of previous games by adding more ways for the character to interact with his environment. Agent 47 can now use another character as a human shield to protect himself from enemy fire; whereas he previously had to hide bodies in alleys or empty rooms and hope no one found them, he can now stuff an enemy's body into a handy container for improved concealment. Equipment is a little more complex in this installment as well; Agent 47 can now upgrade some of his weapons and gear with additional features as the game goes on.

As he carries out his missions, Agent 47 will also have to watch out for a new feature -- rival assassins. Even though he's a murderer, 47 has a certain code. His rivals, however, are completely ruthless; like 47, they're genetically-engineered killers, and they'll require all of the player's wits and ingenuity to defeat. Eventually Agent 47 will have to put his deadly skills to use protecting the President of the United States from his rivals.

Hitman: Blood Money is a well-executed Hitman game, but it features few changes from the previous outings. If you're already a fan of the series' stealth gameplay and high-stakes spy-fi storyline, Blood Money offers a few new twists, but if you've been there and done that, you aren't going to see anything particularly new.

Pros

• Tense stealth gameplay
• Expanded item customisation
• More complex unarmed combat

Cons

• Repetitive plot
• Notoriety system has limited in-game effect