The revamp of the Hitman series began with the 2016 soft reboot and the second installment in the “World of Assassination” trilogy brought back the focus on massive environments. Agent 47 was dispatched by Diana Burnwood and Lucas Grey to these places in their fight against the Constant and the targets were found all around the world.
The best locations in Hitman 2 were those that provided a fun experience through the theme of the setting, along with the inventive ways the 47’s victims were taken down in these unique environments. While some of these locales were more memorable than others, they all allowed players to live out their hitman fantasy and assassinate targets in inventive, often absurd ways.
Hawke’s Bay
Playing out more like a video game movie of the so-bad-it’s-good variety, Hawke’s Bay places too much emphasis on making 47 out to be a covert spy. The area has no room for exploration as the targets’ house is the only location to go to.
The mission was clearly designed to be a prologue to the main game but doesn’t offer much replay value. The best way to make the most out of the map is to figure out ways to take down enemies using stealth, although the lack of an immersive environment continues to be an issue.
Whittleton Creek
An homage to Hitman: Blood Money’s mission called “A New Life,” Whittleton Creek is a suburban neighborhood where 47 has to figure out how to take his targets out without disturbing the people of the community. The seemingly benign suburban setting is an interesting location that serves as a break from the otherwise “busy” locations like Paris or Tokyo.
The downside to Whittleton Creek is that players can feel limited by the environment, as even slight moments of going out of line can result in just about everyone learning of 47’s identity. While this can be seen as a challenge, it can also come across as frustrating to tiptoe around the neighborhood for so long.
New York
The level design of this mission is such that it makes Hitman seem like a video game directed by Christopher Nolan. In addition to the sleek interiors and almost silent soundtrack, the mission features an action centerpiece that is straight out of a heist movie. The bank 47 infiltrates features a puzzle scheme that challenges players to figure out how to open the vault the hitman wants to access.
The mission has the tendency to be suffocating to a degree due to the many twists and turns in place, but there’s a definite level of satisfaction to be derived once all of the tasks are complete. It’s a backdrop that is amazing to behold upon the first playthrough but can be tedious in replays as it doesn’t offer much replay value.
Miami
It’s always nice when a sunny, vibrant mission is on hand and Miami’s race track provides this setting. A major advantage to this level is the many ways the targets can be killed, with large-scale eliminations right in front of the crowd or smaller-scale ones when Agent 47 lures them to their doom. Another draw is the setting’s outlandish details such as enabling 47 to assume one of the funniest disguises in the Hitman series: a giant flamingo.
Miami’s expansive environment has its drawbacks as well, though, as there are moments when 47 has to race around the map just to find items to use all the way back in another area. It can lead to players simply going for easy kills rather than creative ones to save time, with the scramble to get the job done severely impacting the entertainment value of the mission.
Santa Fortuna
The mission can be daunting for new players as Santa Fortuna doesn’t provide many hints over how to eliminate the targets that are spread out across the map. This eventually becomes a worthy challenge and players are encouraged to figure out the best ways to assassinate the bad guys.
The expansive nature of the backdrop isn’t much of an issue here since there are quite a lot of areas divided into sections, meaning stealth can effectively be carried out without 47’s position being exposed. The increased number of targets also carries the potential for a different manner of kills.
Haven Island
This location might just be the most beautiful one the Hitman series has so far provided. When players explore the island to accomplish their mission, they encounter a multitude of beautiful visuals: the clear blue ocean, the lush green foliage, and the luxurious cabins that are scattered throughout the island. with just about every area being gorgeous to behold.
Carrying out the killing of targets is much simpler here compared to other levels, which allows the experience to flow seamlessly without the pressure of figuring out the finer details. Conversely, those who like to be challenged might not see as much value in this area.
Isle Of Sgàil
It’s thematic locations such as this one that Hitman 2 is among the best-reviewed titles in the series. The castle and the Gothic architecture provide an eerie backdrop for players to navigate, with the additional responsibility of ensuring that the Constant isn’t killed.
Elements like passing the initiation of the Ark Society, scaling the castle, and meticulously planning the targets’ demises make this location filled with all kinds of entertainment value. The production design deserves special mention for really making the setting alive; as far-fetched as it may appear, there’s not a moment a player doesn’t believe this location can realistically exist.
Mumbai
Featuring a look into both poor and rich neighborhoods, Mumbai has 47 infiltrate the slums and a Bollywood movie set. The contrast between the settings turns this mission into a dual quality affair, as 47 has to get gritty when entering the slums and the movie set requires a stealthier approach.
What truly makes Mumbai stand out is the presence of techniques to kill the targets without having to be actually present in the locations. Things like making a different killer take down the target or manipulating the machinery to cause freak accidents against the victims allow Mumbai to be a thinking person’s mission that asks the player to be more strategic with their gameplay.
