Hitman 2 is renowned for its freedom and replayability but replaying the game now also means accepting some harsh realities that can detract from the fun. Although the title had some big shoes to fill as the follow-up to the fan-favorite Hitman (2016), its improvements in key areas like level design, gameplay mechanics, and even the humor in the dialogue mean that some even consider it the peak of the World of Assassination trilogy.
However, it was also subject to some criticism on release for its lack of innovation in comparison to its predecessor as well as the lower production values. Despite only being a four-year-old game, enough time has passed to give one of the best stealth games a fair assessment as to its flaws as well as its strengths. These are the major drawbacks that become hard to ignore when replaying Hitman 2 today.
Hitman 2 Still Feels Like A Hitman Expansion
Whilst it was a criticism that was leveled at Hitman 2 on launch, one of the biggest issues that emerges when replaying Hitman 2 is that it still feels almost inseparable from Hitman (2016). Seamlessly picking up the story and providing more of the large sandbox levels that made Hitman (2016) so well-liked, Hitman 2 arguably doesn't change enough to really feel like its own game rather than an expansion.
Along with the fact that the levels from the 2016 Hitman are included in the game as the "Legacy Missions Pack," Hitman 2 suffers for its closeness with its predecessor because it means the game doesn't have as strong an individual identity. The iconic video game assassin deserves ambitious titles that do him justice and, despite being a fun experience, Hitman 2 doesn't quite provide that.
Hitman 2 Never Needed The Multiplayer Modes
One of the topics that dominated the conversation surrounding Hitman 2's launch was the multiplayer modes. The competitive gameplay of Ghost Mode drew criticism for not fitting with the style of the game's single-player and the staple Sniper Assassin mode was likewise criticized for only having one map at launch.
However, what replaying the title drives home is that Hitman 2 really never needed these multiplayer modes. Now that the servers for Ghost Mode have shut down and the player base has moved on to Hitman 3 forSniper Assassin, Hitman 2 now feels like the focused offline sandbox game that it was always supposed to be. With its new Freelancer mode, Hitman 3 also seems to be focusing on single-player modes and that could be to its benefit.
Hitman 2's Lack of Cinematic Cutscenes Still Disappoints
Hitman 2 made some significant improvements in gameplay from Hitman (2016) but its story was widely considered a downgrade on its predecessor's. However, whilst it is the weakest story of the trilogy, the game's globetrotting and the slightly silly twist-heavy plot is hardly that much of a departure from the series.
Instead, it's the complete lack of Hitman's amazing cinematic cutscenes that make the story feel so much less engaging to experience. One of the best parts of replaying Hitman (2016) is reliving those cutscenes and Hitman 2's cardboard cut-out interactions simply don't have the same appeal on a replay. Four years after its release and the cutscenes in Hitman 2 already feel like they've aged poorly as a result.
Hitman 2's Strengths Don't Sell Well
Regardless of what the movie got wrong about Hitman, it's a testament to the selling power of Agent 47 and the stealth assassin concept that the franchise was adapted for the screen in the first place. Because of that, it's surprising that Hitman 2 received disappointing sales, being quickly surpassed by Hitman 3 in 2021 (via GameRant).
Replaying Hitman 2 now means facing the reality that, despite having some of the best level design and ideas in the series, the game's strengths simply aren't that marketable. Rather than putting its story experience at the forefront, Hitman 2's focus on improved design elements, more challenges, and entertaining kills works better for die-hard Hitman fans than a general audience. The poor sales mean those might not be the priority with future titles.
Hitman 2's Polished Mechanics Make It Hard To Go Back
The Hitman series has produced some of the most replayable video games ever made and so it's unsurprising that playing through Hitman 2 again is tons of fun. However, the quality-of-life improvements it makes in the general gameplay as well as additions like enemies being able to notice Agent 47 if they spot him in a mirror mean that Hitman 2 feels uniquely great when replaying.
The flip side of that is that it makes it a lot harder to go back to older Hitman games that don't have that attention to detail, especially those made before the World of Assassination trilogy. Refined and polished mechanics might not be something that draws the player's attention directly but, over time, Hitman 2's extra level of quality does make a difference. Replaying it just draws attention to how much the older titles have aged in comparison.
Hitman 2 Doesn't Have Hitman's Peaks
Hitman 2 is considered an improvement over Hitman (2016) in almost every area aside from its story and that makes it arguably a superior game on balance. In reality, Hitman (2016) is still considered by many to be the better title, and replaying Hitman 2 gives an important insight as to why.
With Hitman (2016), truly standout locations like Sapienza, which was not only beautiful but also full of hidden features, remain some of the most memorable parts of the series. Though Hitman 2 has more consistently great levels overall, it doesn't have any that jump out in the same way. Anyone replaying Hitman 2 and waiting for it to peak in quality like Hitman (2016) would end up being disappointed.
Hitman 2 Is Too Funny
Hitman 2 is primarily a serious stealth combat game, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a lighter side. In fact, one of the things that was praised about the game was that its dialogue was genuinely clever and funny in comparison to previous titles, and it arguably has the funniest challenges of the World of Assassination trilogy.
Along with having some of the funniest disguises in the Hitman series, it makes for an entertaining first playthrough. However, it arguably becomes less of a positive when replaying in the context of the series as a whole. If anything, Hitman 2 is a little too funny and ridiculous for its own good, detracting from the weight of some of the other games and setting them up to feel disappointingly dry in comparison.
Hitman 2 Suffers From Having No Elusive Targets
A level that has the player hunt down Sean Bean had players understandably excited for Elusive Targets when they landed in Hitman 2 and the game mode ended up delivering tons of fun extra missions. However, although legacy Elusive Target levels still sometimes appear in Hitman 3, it still feels like a notable absence from Hitman 2 when replaying now.
As timed events that could only be completed once, Elusive Target levels arguably didn't fit that well with Hitman 2's focus on replayable sandbox features in the first place. Even so, they provided a variety that the game is sorely missing now, meaning there's a lot less reason to keep playing Hitman 2 when replaying compared to playing it for the first time.
Hitman 2 Makes Hitman 3's Challenges Feel Lackluster
When it comes to the very best sandbox games, having bonus goals to ensure the player always has some objective to work towards often helps make for a more satisfying gameplay experience. In the Hitman games, those come in the form of challenges and Hitman 2 delivers tons of them, from silly executions to genuinely tricky ones.
Along with the great rewards that come from completing them, Hitman 2's "more is more" approach in this area stands out even more when replaying because of how Hitman 3 attempted to streamline the challenges system. Whilst Hitman 3's challenges aren't bad, the game just doesn't feel as satisfying in this area. Replaying Hitman 2 means that going back to Hitman 3's challenges after will inevitably be a little disappointing.
Hitman 2 Is Far Too Underrated
Hitman 2 received a positive reception upon its release and there are many fans that still celebrate the game but arguably it's not nearly as well-appreciated as it deserves. Landing in the middle of the trilogy, it automatically gets fewer points for innovation than Hitman (2016) and less for refinement than Hitman 3.
In addition, the fact that Hitman 3 essentially includes Hitman 2's levels in addition to its own means that it automatically gets overlooked as its own game as a result. Actually replaying Hitman 2 reveals it to be the perfect example of what the newest Hitman trilogy has to offer, so it's tough to accept that so few players rate it as highly as it deserves.
Source:gamerant.com