TheHitmanfranchise is centered on finding creative and unique approaches to eliminating Agent 47’s targets. IO Interactive has created a strong gameplay foundation betweenHitman(2016) andHitman 2, which feature some of the most creative and entertaining levels in theHitmanfranchise.
With the direction that IO is taking the narrative, there is a great avenue to make the nextHitmangame feature co-op gameplay - and it definitely should. There are tons of ways that true co-op gameplay would revitalize and improve theHitmanseries as a whole.
RELATED:Hitman 3and New IP are Coming From IO Interactive
On the Topic of Narratives
To first explain how co-op would work, a quick story breakdown is in order. As one would expect, this section will containspoilersforHitmanandHitman 2,so skip on over this section if need be. 2016’sHitmangame sets up a narrative that has Agent 47 and Diana Burnwood working to ultimately track down and stop a mysterious Shadow Client that has been tailing Agent 47 throughout his life as a hired gun. As 47 carries out his contracts, the Shadow Client uncovers more information about the secret organization known as Providence,and slowly ropes 47 and Diana into the bigger plot. The contracts that 47 carried out were secretly orchestrated by the Shadow Client to take down high ranking Providence members.
By the end ofHitman, it is revealed that the Shadow Client actually knows 47, and inHitman 2,it is revealed that the Shadow Client is actually the final surviving member of Dr. Ort-Meyer’s experiments: Agent 6. Under the alias of Lucas Grey, Agent 6 uncovered that Providence was responsible for funding and heading Ort-Meyer’s cloning experiments, and Grey enlists 47 to help put an end to Providence once and for all - setting the stage for thenextHitmangame. Thanks to Grey’s similar skillset to 47’s, and their natural bond growing up, it would make perfect sense for 47 and Grey to work on contracts together to bring down Providence, so co-op inHitman 3is certainly justified through the narrative.
Larger Levels, More Challenges
HitmanandHitman 2had some of thebest levels in theHitmanseriesby far, giving players a large amount of freedom when it comes to taking down the targets. The levels were, for the most part, very large and featured many avenues and opportunities for players to utilize to their advantage. The jump fromHitmantoHitman 2also featured a noticeable jump in map quality and freedom, so in theoryHitman 3may feature even more intricate and sandbox-style levels for players to orchestrate the hits in. If the developers factor co-op into the design of the next game’s levels, it may mean the levels will be much larger to allow for multiple opportunities to be followed at the same time.
In a similar vein, there could be a whole subset of challenges introduced with the new levels that would cater to co-op players. For those unfamiliar,Hitmanis known for having special challenges oneach level in the gamethat act as self-imposed difficulty, like killing the target(s) without being spotted or having any bodies found (typically referred to as Silent Assassin). IO could easily modify some of the classic challenges to make them co-op focused, or they could design brand new twists that players would need to plan around for some added difficulty.
Revisiting the Classics With a Twist
One of the biggest surprises inHitman 2was the introduction of theLegacy Pack DLC, which added every single level fromHitman(2016) intoHitman 2. All of the levels were updated to work around the new features and items that were introduced inHitman 2, but the layouts and targets remained the same. In a perfect world,Hitman 3will have a similar feature that will allow players to revisit levels from the two previous titles, and if co-op is an option it will allow players to explore these classic levels in new and inventive ways. Those who have playedHitmanand playedHitman’s levels inHitman 2thanks to the DLC will be intimately familiar with the original levels, but adding co-op means that they can approach the levels with fresh eyes for chaos.
Hitman 2’s levels are already quite large and well-suited for having two players roaming around in them. There are a lot of opportunities in each level that players can orchestrate simultaneously so it would not be a stretch to have co-op added there. Levels like Columbia and Miami feel immense when playing solo, which makes them perfect for two players to run around in. HopefullyHitman 3will bring back the previousHitmanlevels (perhaps even for free for players who owned the first two games, likeHitman 2did).
Brilliant Synergy or Beautiful Chaos
There is one reason that stands out above the others as to whyHitman 3needs co-op: players will be able to pull of stunning contracts (or fail beautifully trying).Hitmanis all about pulling off elaborate and intricate assassinations without being detected, but some of the best moments in the series come from when a plan fails spectacularly. What starts off as a beautifully orchestrated hit quickly turns into utter chaos, especially during limited-time missionslike the Elusive Targets. When players embrace the chaos, it is some of the most fun the game can offer.
Now imagine that with two people. One person could be setting up an opportunity to take down a target when all of a sudden their partner accidentally alerts the guards. The plan falls apart, the target is going into lock-down, and the guards are after the second player. The players have to adapt to the rising tension and come up with an entirely new plan - and that is whereHitmantruly shines. With co-op, the possibilities are endless.
Hitman 3needs to have co-op for a multitude of reasons. From a narrative perspective, it would absolutely make sense for Agent 6 to join up with Agent 47 to exact revenge on Providence and those who orchestrated their creation. From a gameplay perspective,HitmanandHitman 2already have great level design that could easily be adapted to accommodate a second player, and many elements of the game would be incredibly entertaining with someone else working toward completing the contract.Hitman 2was very well-received, and IO has mentioned in the past that the current games are meant to be a trilogy, so it would be the perfect time to introduce co-op into the mix to give the next leg of Agent 47’s story a spectacular conclusion.
