14 DAY TRIAL // The upcoming Hitman: Absolution is designed to reveal more of the sarcastic nature of lead character Agent 47 as the developers use the protagonist to comment on the nature of the game world and its other inhabitants.
Torben Ellert, the lead designer working at IO Interactive, has told VG247 that, “I think it’s important as you have the ultimate straight man in the middle and if it was just him in a realistic world the game would really become grim. By twisting the world just a little bit you come to a setting that can have dark humor in it.”
He added, “In the first game 47 walks up to his target – who I think was a big fat man sitting in a restaurant – and says utterly deadpan, “Fatty foods an kill”. I mean, that’s great but it only works because he’s the straight man and the world around him is so twisted.”
Ellert has also commented on the way video games have evolved in the last few years, saying that as the technology evolves, it allows developers to create more complex and interesting experiences, pointing to BioWare’s Mass Effect as one of the franchises that has evolved significantly over its lifetime.
The developer also name checked Spec Ops: The Line, from developer Yager and publisher 2K Games, as a game that successfully mixes gameplay and narrative in order to drive home a larger point about humanity and the consequences of one’s actions.
Hitman: Absolution will deliver the stealth-based experience that the series has always been known for, asking gamers to take out a variety of targets using Agent 47’s special collection of skills and weapons.
Despite this, the company also wants to draw in new players by offering more action-oriented sequences.
Hitman: Absolution will be launched on the PC, the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 on November 20 of this year.