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It’s laborious to overstate simply how a lot there’s to do in Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Version. This Nintendo Switch 2 port of the newest entries within the legendary stealth collection comes full of all the pieces from 2016’s Hitman, its follow-up Hitman 2, and the newest instalment Hitman 3 plus heaps of downloadable content material (DLC).
Evaluation data
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Change 2
Out there on: Nintendo Change 2
Launch date: June 5, 2025
You get a complete of three principal story campaigns, tied collectively by a servicable overarching plot. Storytelling has by no means been the principle enchantment of Hitman, nevertheless, which lies as a substitute in its extremely replayable, richly detailed world places.
There are 21 right here (or 25 if you happen to rely the extra restricted tutorial and Sniper Murderer phases) ranging all the way in which from a high-profile Paris vogue present to the annual assembly of a sinister secret society on a distant North Atlantic island, the highest of a skyscraper in sun-drenched Dubai, and the high-tech rain-swept streets of Chongqing.
Every of those is an expansive open-world sandbox that’s designed to be replayed again and again. As Agent 47, the world’s best murderer, your goal is all the time the elimination of a extremely guarded goal – however the way you strategy that’s totally as much as you.
Suggestions loop
You possibly can dash by means of a stage and shoot your goal within the face, earlier than mowing down legions of guards on the way in which to an extraction level like a bald John Wick, however cautious stealth is all the time more practical and rewarding. The likes of Splinter Cell’s Sam Fisher may depend on futuristic tech to stay undetected, however Agent 47 simply wants a easy change of garments to get by. Knock out a guard and you’ll steal their outfit, exploring in any other case restricted areas and getting near your goal with out the worry of being stopped.
Costume up as a member of a upkeep crew, and also you could be allowed to tamper with harmful tools – establishing the right, undetectable accident kill. Agent 47 can change into virtually anybody, wherever, and the probabilities that this opens up are virtually countless. You’re all the time free to experiment, however those that want a extra guided expertise can comply with devoted mission tales – elaborate, showstopping eliminations that require a number of steps to drag off.
Each playthrough contributes to a location’s total mastery degree that unlocks new weapons, instruments, beginning places, and so forth. You may go in for the primary time armed with only a silenced pistol and your trusty fibrewire, however earlier than you realize it you have got entry to compact sniper rifles, undetectable poison syringes, lockpicks, explosive rubber geese, throwable decoys, flash grenades, and a lot extra. You’ll be able to even begin armed with a floppy fish to slap enemies over the top.
Finest bit
Each location in Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Version is excellent, although the New York financial institution of the Golden Handshake mission stays a agency favourite. It’s a completely indoor atmosphere, however that doesn’t imply that it’s small. There are a number of flooring to discover and a few nice Mission Tales together with a full-on financial institution heist to drag off.
Even once you’ve completed the principle story, this Signature Version comes with the unbelievable Affected person Zero aspect marketing campaign on high of heaps of bonus missions to grasp. You even have Escalations (bite-size challenges that layer-on absurd circumstances to usually hilarious outcomes), live-service Elusive Goal contracts that may solely be tried as soon as, seasonal challenges and phases, the Sniper Elite-esque Sniper Murderer ranges, and a roguelike Freelancer mode.
For the $59.99 / £54.99 asking worth the worth is simple, although it’s a disgrace {that a} small quantity of content material is gated behind additional paywalls. Some beauty packs, for instance, and, extra considerably, the additional Sarajevo Six marketing campaign are locked behind further $4.99 / £4.49 purchases.
There’s a lot right here already that almost all gamers probably wouldn’t even discover, however for die-hard Hitman followers like me who’ve already paid for such extras on a number of different platforms, it’s a disgrace that this Nintendo Change 2 model isn’t actually one hundred pc full.
Missed shot
With gigantic crowds of NPCs and sophisticated AI interactions, Hitman World of Assassination is a really technically demanding sport. The Nintendo Change 2 port runs at a degree that I might take into account nearly ok, supplied that you simply don’t intend to play so much with the system docked. In handheld mode, texture high quality and backbone takes an apparent hit in comparison with the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 variations, although this isn’t vastly noticeable on the smaller display screen until you evaluate the photographs aspect by aspect.
The render distance has additionally been lowered by a good quantity, and there’s extra pop-in than different platforms – even the Xbox Series S. When the picture is static, it seems about on par with the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 variations of the sport to my eyes – which isn’t the worst consequence when you think about the battery life and cooling limitations of a handheld console. The body price is secure in most conditions too, averaging between 40 and 50 fps, however is liable to dips in sure areas of particular phases.
The streets of the leafy Vermont suburb Whittleton Creek, for instance, are noticeably extra jittery, as is the dense rainforest of Ambrose Island. Signature Version additionally appears buggier than different variations with small visible points, like floating objects and doorways generally vanishing when opened, lowering immersion. Neither of those complaints quantity to something that renders the sport unplayable, however I’m hopeful that issues can be smoothed out in future patches.
As for the docked expertise, that is sadly the place all of it falls aside somewhat bit. Blowing the image up on a giant display screen permits you to admire a few of the advanced lighting, climate, and reflection results at play, however makes the cutbacks way more obvious. Once more, the expertise is rarely horrifically unhealthy, however in order for you Hitman World of Assassination on a giant display screen you’ll unavoidably be a lot better served by the PS5 or Xbox Collection X and Collection S editions.
There are additionally some areas the place I really feel as if developer Io Interactive has actually missed the chance to make some easy adjustments to essentially benefit from the Nintendo Change 2 {hardware}. Foremost is the sport’s management scheme, which is successfully an identical to different console variations. There’s no Pleasure-Con 2 mouse aiming right here, and even fundamental gyroscope help which is disappointing given how a lot it might enhance precision aiming with long-range weaponry.
Hitman World of Assassination can be nonetheless restricted by the dearth of a correct offline mode. Certain, you may technically play the sport with out an web connection – however you must sacrifice entry to actually all of your development. Until you’re eager to run round with default loadouts, you must be on-line. Whereas I wish to play at house, this may very well be a dealbreaker for these searching for a brand new favourite to play on the go.
With all that mentioned, is Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Version value selecting up? I might say sure as, regardless of this model’s flaws, you’re nonetheless getting a completely playable model of one of many best stealth video games ever made. There’s loads right here to maintain you busy and, with a couple of updates beneath its belt, we may very well be taking a look at essential Nintendo Change 2 launch.
Ought to I play Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Version?
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Accessibility
There are sadly no devoted accessibility settings in Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Version. The sport options subtitles, that are enabled by default, and a few fundamental help settings together with an intention help.
How I reviewed Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Version
I performed Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Version for greater than 10 hours on Nintendo Change 2, experiencing each location within the sport at the very least as soon as.
I’m a die-hard Hitman fan, and have spent greater than 900 hours in Hitman, Hitman 2 and Hitman 3 on Xbox One and Xbox Collection S, along with roughly 200 hours in Hitman World of Assassination on PC and PlayStation 5 so I in contrast my expertise intently to that.
First reviewed June 2025