Hitman 3is the latest outing of the fan-favorite Agent 47 and the finale to the trilogy, started byHitman2016. The game is already shaping up to become a strong candidate for this year’s GOTY award.
Game Rant gaveHitman 3a 4.5 out of 5 stars, with praise aimed at the game’s spectacular collection of levels and the inherent replayability that comes standard with these newerHitmangames. The commercial andcritical success ofHitman 3means that single-player stealth focused experiences can still make an impact, which makes a strong case for Ubisoft to bring back the fan-belovedSplinter Cell series.
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Hitman 3 Already Selling Above Expectations
Hitman 3released on January 20and has already recouped its development costs within a week. IO Interactive’s CEO has said they are very happy about the game’s commercial reception, particularly asHitman 3is IO’s first self-publishedHitmangame. The most interesting thing about these newerHitman 3games is that they aren’t made with the lowest common denominator in mind. After divisive reviews forHitman: Absolution, the team worked closely with hardcore fans to create the next installment in the series.
Hitman2016 launched to massive critical acclaim and IO has since tweaked the formula in different ways for the next two games rather than going for radical changes. The newHitmangames, which also includeHitman 3, reward methodical play and taking one’s time with a level as they meticulously plan their route to executethe funniestHitman 3killspossible. On top of that, these games are single-player focused with an interesting spin on multiplayer, such as the ghost mode inHitman 2.
This Makes It A Perfect Time For Splinter Cell To Return
Splinter Cellsaw its last entry in the form ofSplinter Cell: Blacklist, which released in 2013. The game reviewed positively, as fans of its predecessorSplinter Cell: Convictionand older games such asSplinter Cell: Chaos Theoryboth found a lot to love there. However, the game sold well below what publisher Ubisoft had in mind, which meant that Sam Fisher had to wait it out whileAssassin’s Creedwould rake in the sales.
The sales success ofHitman 3means great news for the possibility of a newSplinter Cellgame.Splinter Cellalready has a potent formula inSplinter Cell: Blacklistwhich allowed for both careful ghost runs and a high-chaos panther and assault playstyle. Since its release,many stealth gameslikeSplinter Cellhave released but never quite captured the essence of what it’s like to be the titular covert operative, Sam Fisher.
As much as fans of the series have given hope to see the series make a return, the community lights up at the possibility of seeing anything that would indicate otherwise.Ghost Recon: Wildlandshas featured Sam Fisher in a DLC, voiced by the iconic Michael Ironside. Ubisoft’s live-service tactical FPSRainbow Six Seigealso saw Sam Fisher being addedas an attacking operator recently in Operation Shadow Legacy, which indicates that the developers are currently testing the waters. The fan reception to these events has been optimistic for the most part, and the launch ofHitman 3should give the publisher a final push to give the developers another crack at the series.
Hitman 3is available now on PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia.
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