May 19, 2019

IO Interactive promises improved DX12 support for Hitman 2

HITMAN™ 2

Hitman launched with DirectX 12 support, so it was strange that Hitman 2 didn't. IO Interactive finally added support March, which has boosted frame rates on higher-end systems, and the studio is working to make it better on low-end rigs, it said this week.

In a Microsoft blog post, the dev team said that users were reporting improved performance since DX12 support was added, and internal testing had showed an 43% improvement in frame rates. However, that data was gathered on a six-core Haswell CPU and AMD Fury X GPU—with lower-end systems, DX11 still offers better performance, and IO wants to change that.

"DirectX 12 requires additional work on the part of the game, so in some cases the overhead of this may result in poorer performance compared to the DirectX 11 version," it said. "We are still optimizing our DirectX 12 implementation and we expect to see improved performance on additional configurations, but currently DirectX 11 may be the best option for players with less capable systems."

It didn't say when we can expect better performance on lower-end machines, but I'd expect that it'll come as the team receive more feedback from players. You can read the full blog post, which contains details as to why exactly DX12 improves performance, here.

May 6, 2019

Hitman 2 s new Miami Pack offers the game s first real level, plus Sean Bean

HITMAN™ 2

Hitman fans may have different preferred approaches to the business of unobtrusive assassination, but they all agree on one thing: more people should play Hitman 2. IO Interactive has a new entry-level Hitman 2 package that may help entice more players into Hitman 2’s “world of assassinations.”

The Miami Package, which is available on Steam for $11.99 USD (or your regional equivalent), includes the Miami location and The Finish Line mission, which has Agent 47 tracking down Kronstadt Industries CEO Robert Knox and his daughter Sierra Knox. It’s a sprawling location that features crowds, an underground parking garage, and a high-performance motor race.

The pack also lets you in on the Undying Returns Elusive Contract, which gives you a single chance to assassinate a character played by a very arch Sean Bean. That contract, incidentally, is currently available to all Hitman 2 players, and runs until June 3—so if you missed it the first time around, here’s your second chance.

With the Miami Pack, you’ll also get the introductory Hawke’s Bay location and the tutorial Nightcall mission which are included in the free Starter Pack introduced earlier this year, Ghost mode for Miami, the Himmelstein Sniper Assassin mode, plus all the current and future contracts for both Hawke’s Bay and Miami. Not bad!

Miami is an excellent entry point into the modern Hitman franchise, and at this price it’s a steal.

May 2, 2019

HITMAN 2 - Miami Pack

HITMAN™ 2 - IOI_LIVE

We’re excited to announce the HITMAN 2 Miami Pack, a great opportunity for new players to join the game for a low price and experience what that the World of Assassination has to offer, including the chance to play the high-stakes Elusive Target game mode and eliminate ‘The Undying’, played by Hollywood actor Sean Bean!

The HITMAN 2 Miami Pack is available now and includes a wealth of content and game modes including missions from the main campaign, online co-op in the Sniper Assassin Mode and 1v1 competitive mutliplayer in Ghost Mode. Plus, the Miami Pack also includes access to The Undying Returns, an Elusive Target featuring Sean Bean. This contract will only be active in HITMAN 2 from May 3 – June 3, making it the longest Elusive Target duration that we’ve had to date – but you’ll only have one chance to take down the target!

Read more about the Miami Pack right here: https://www.ioi.dk/hitman-2-miami-pack/

Apr 30, 2019

HITMAN 2 - Game Update 2.21

HITMAN™ 2 - IOI_LIVE

The HITMAN 2 April Update includes a major update for Ghost Mode, changes to how the Silent Assassin rating is achieved, a Silent Assassin Tracker, quality of life changes, menu tweaks and bug fixes. Many of the fixes and changes that were included in this update were reported by our players and community. We’d like to thank everyone who reported, upvoted or discussed these changes.
______________________________________________

Release Details and Server Maintenance
The April Update (aka 2.21) will arrive on April 30 and we expect it to be approximately 1.1 GB. There will be server maintenance between 11:00 and 14:00 UTC to prepare for this release.
______________________________________________

Game Update 2.21: What’s NEW?
Ghost Mode Location: Santa Fortuna
Our second location for Ghost Mode is Santa Fortuna. Welcome to the jungle.

______________________________________________

Ghost Mode: Emotes
We’ve added 4 new emotes that can be activated in Ghost Mode.

How Gracious – For those moments when a kiss speaks louder than words
Well Done – A slightly ironic clapping gesture aimed at your opponent
Evil Eye – Let your opponent understand they’re under severe scrutiny
Disbelief – Show appreciation of your opponent’s actions by shaking your head

Ghost Mode: Items
We’ve added 4 new items to Ghost Mode. Pick them up in Ghost Crates.

The Ghost Freeze Grenade will slow down your opponent for a short amount of time.
The Ghost Outfit Manipulator will simultaneously change both your and your opponents outfit to a new random one.
The Ghost Proximity Explosive will trigger in your opponents world if they come near it.
The Ghost Flash Grenade will blind and disorientate your opponent.

Ghost Mode: Phantom
We’ve added the ‘Phantom Assassin’ Challenge to Ghost Mode. Complete it by eliminating 100 targets in Ghost Mode (any location) and unlock the Phantom Suit.

Ghost Mode: Target Variation
We’ve added 4 new variations of the Ghost Mode target, for a total of 5. Whilst keeping the same visual style, the targets will now have more variation in their appearance. It doesn’t matter what they look like if you want to unlock the Phantom Suit though, just eliminate 100.

Ghost Mode: Rematch
We’ve added the option to immediately go into a rematch with the same opponent.

Silent Assassin Scoring
We’ve implemented new and finalised rules for earning the Silent Assassin rating. Our goals for this rating is to keep it as the pinnacle accomplishment for the game, where earning 5 stars and the highest possible score was something to aspire to and difficult to achieve.

The mission scoring will now be calculated based on these parameters; Objectives Complete (20k), Never Spotted (20k), No Noticed Kills (20k), No Bodies Found (20k), No Recordings (20k), Non-Target Kill Penalty (0), Time Bonus.

To earn the Silent Assassin rating in any mission, players will need to complete all objectives and exit the mission, without any of the following 7 events occurring:

1. An NPC escalates to the Compromised state.
2. An NPC escalates to the Suspicious state.
3. An NPC catches Agent 47 trespassing.
4. An NPC finds a dead or pacified body. (Accident kills and poision kills do not fail this event)
5. Agent 47 is spotted performing an illegal or suspicious action through a camera by an NPC. (If there is no guard watching the camera feed, 47 will get recorded but can still earn the SA rating by destroying the evidence.)
6. Getting recorded by a security camera and failing to destroy the evidence.
7. Agent 47 kills a non-target.

Additional: For events 1-5, if the NPC that triggers the event is a target (and no other non-targets trigger the same event or gains knowledge from the target), the SA rating will be retained on mission end.

Silent Assassin Tracker
Keep track of your status towards the Silent Assassin rating during gameplay. The tracker will display as an icon next to the mini map and the colour will show whether SA will currently be awarded for the playthrough. In cases where SA is not currently achievable but could be later on, for example if Agent 47 was recorded by a security camera, the tracker will display as red and then turn to green once the evidence has been deleted.

Read the complete release notes here: https://www.ioi.dk/hitman-2-april-update/

Apr 11, 2019

Hitman 2 DLC will visit a bank, prison, and resort later this year

HITMAN™ 2 - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Alice O'Connor)

Ian Hitman will be get a summer job robbing a bank, in autumn stop by a prison for a spot of sniping, then put his feet up with a visit to a holiday resort, developers IO Interactive revealed today. They’ve laid out their rough plans for the next few seasons of Hitman 2, see, both those paid expansions and the freebies coming for everyone. A holiday resort sounds such a rich opportunity for manhitting, a classic murder mystery location where everyone can pretend to be someone else but only the elite have the guts to choke out a stranger then squeeze into their Speedo.

(more…)

Apr 11, 2019

Hitman 2 gets a bank level this summer

HITMAN™ 2

Hitman 2 has already seen some fantastic additions since release - take hunting down Sean Bean and that snow festival, for example - but the upcoming content looks particularly exciting, as IO Interactive has announced new bank, resort and prison locations. I wonder if you visit them in that order.

In a post on IO Interactive's website, the developer detailed the game's content plans for the upcoming year. This includes new sniper maps, the new locations, special assignment missions and unlockable items such as a flamingo costume. Each of the new locations will add "new targets, challenges and mastery unlocks that can be used in all locations".

Silver players get access to sniper map Hantu Port and The Bank, but you'll need gold to try out The Prison or The Resort.

Apr 11, 2019

Hot damn, Hitman 2's 2019 roadmap promises a new level set in a bank

HITMAN™ 2

Bank levels are always a good idea. Just ask GTA 4, 5 or Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. Today, as IO Interactive revealed the roadmap for its Hitman 2 content coming later this year, it revealed the two new locations coming to the game as part of the more expensive editions of the game: The Bank and The Resort. Gold edition players get both, while Silver edition owners get The Bank. Nothing more is said about them, but a bank level has to have an option to stage a heist, right?

The Bank is scheduled to arrive this summer, while The Resort is arriving during the Fall. Also coming are freebies for all Hitman 2 players, including new themes for an existing in-game location.

In the fall, meanwhile, a new prison-themed sniper map will be added to the game for Gold players. Free players get a new outfit, an antique knife, Ghost Mode for Mumbai, and a couple of new themes.

For most players, I imagine the two new locations will be the centrepiece of all of this—I can't wait to see what IO has been up to since Hitman 2 launched last year. We named it our best stealth game of last year, and I think it's the game I played and enjoyed most last year, other than maybe Into the Breach.

To end, then, here's a crisp image that details everything coming to Hitman 2 this year, which a notice cautions is subject to change: