Hitman Trilogy HD

Time to live the Hitman series as it is rebooted with high definition visuals and improved surround sound. Eidos has rejigged the last three games of the franchise prior to last year's sequel Hitman Absolution -- 2002’s Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, 2004’s Hitman: Contracts and 2006’s Hitman: Blood Money. We fire a warning salvo to all trigger happy gamers that these three master pieces are not for you. They about stealth mode after all you are Agent 47, the bald headed assassin not John Rambo. My only complain is that Eidos should have added the first game of the series Hitman: Agent 47.

The trilogy is all about different possibilities of assassinating people. Do you want to kill the Yakuza boss by fugu poisoning or take out pudgy Scottish crime boss hiding at a slaughter house by a surprise attack through the skylight or simply smuggle a gun into the room inside a roast chicken? Choice is entirely up to you. It all depends how innovative one can be. Plotting, planning, staying in shadow or disguising yourself is how you can master the art of killing. The objective in all three games are quite simple take out the target without drawing any attention and going guns blazing is not an option.

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By playing the three games, you get to see and appreciate the evolution of this franchise's game play. In Silent Assasin, Agent 47 takes up missions so that he raise fund to free his priest friend. The game tests your skills when it comes to baffle the enemy patrol routes, camouflage in the shadows as and move for the kill without raising any alarms.

Contracts, on the other hand, focuses on the past of the hitman. Even though the game play remains the same but it challenges you as it tougher with tigher and more responsive reflexes especially Agent 47's movement are no longer at a snail's pace.

Blood Money upped the ante as our suave assassin has improved his close combat skills. In the previous games, he struggled and lacked the natural flow like Pierce Brosnan in action sequences in James Bond. My favourite feature was when you have to clear the scene of evidence left behind. With more sophisticated and devious ways of making assassinations look like accidents pushed the game play envelop.

High definition has made the environment and facial features look more crip and clearer especially in Silent Assassin and Contracts.

The Hitman Trilogy is a great way for new gamers explore Agent 47's adventures. But even with improved visuals, the older two games -- Silent Assassin and Contracts -- still look aged and retain chunky and slow movements which can be quite frustrating at times. Also not including the first game Hitman: Agent 47 is a cardinal sin. But when it comes to stealth killing mode, no other game can match up to what the Hitman series offers.

+: Three Games in one package, improved visuals

- Clunky controls, games show age

From the April 2013 issue of FHM India.