Hitman
I actually think I'd put Bangkok in last place for Hitman; I avoid Colorado because I feel like it's overly complex, but at the same time it has some great opportunities and loads of stuff to discover. Bangkok feels like one of the smaller levels, and the targets aren't particularly interesting. So I think I end up with:
- Sapienza
- Paris
- Marrakech
- Hokkaido
- Colorado
- Bangkok
EDIT: swapped Paris and Sapienza, after some thought. If we're talking locations, rather than missions, Sapienza pips it for The Author alone, but Landslide and (to a lesser extent) The Icon help, too.
Hitman 2
Similarly, running challenges for the last few unlocks on Isle of Sgàil brought me round on it quite a bit, so I think it's moved up my list, and New York has moved down; it's a great setting, but the mission doesn't have much variety, and there's just not a whole lot to do there.
- Miami
- Mumbai
- Isle of Sgàil
- Santa Fortuna
- New York
- Whittleton Creek
- Haven Island
Hitman 3
Still only 3 levels finished, so I'm not going to try ranking them yet. Dubai looks great, and has some amazing challenges and assassinations; Dartmoor does some very interesting stuff with the formula, and really raises the bar on the environmental storytelling/Mission Story side of things; and Berlin's got such a different mission structure, with a lot of flexibility and some great challenges.
Chongqing is almost a letdown after the two levels preceding it, purely by nature of being so traditional, but the setup is very cool, and I'll admit I was feeling very tense when Spoiler - click to showsneaking into the ICA facility.As long as it holds up on repeat plays, though, it seems like a massive location, with tons to discover.
Most of the Hitman 3 missions seem to have more space in them than are actually used right now - it feels like they're specifically designed for more targets or special assignments in the future.
It's particularly notable in Mendoza - which I think is Hitman 3's largest level - where two out of the three mission stories are centred around
Spoiler - click to showthe wine production
which is a tiny part of the whole level. Exploring yesterday I found an
Spoiler - click to showunderground section
which expands for miles in all directions but is almost completely superfluous to the tasks you have to carry out at the moment. It could just be they're being kind to the Contracts mode players but if we don't get at least an Elusive Target there it'll be a missed opportunity.
Compare and contrast to Hitman 2 - levels like Miami and Sgail are absolutely stuffed. They managed to cram a Special Assignment into Miami and he's literally in the only unused bit of the level, a small yard about ten seconds from where you start.
I think IOI have hinted that there is DLC on the way for H3 but that it won't take the form of new levels. Building their existing ones with future opportunities in mind seems like a smart way to go.
(That last level is fun - but I won't be replaying it any time soon).
Did a 'loud' first run and have been working on suit only & silent assassin runs. The level has more nuance than it maybe shows on the first play. It's refreshing.
There's a surprising amount to do in Hawke's Bay, too. At least, there was in Hitman 2, but with the challenge packs being removed, and their rewards into regular progression, I'm not sure if that still applies.
I'd probably rank Colorado above Bangkok, to be honest. The assassination opportunities are more interesting and varied at least, and I much prefer its open plan layout to the hotel in Bangkok.
Whittleton Creek is done. That felt pretty quick, after Mumbai. Less ground to cover, I suppose, but the lower Mastery requirement probably helps. Got all of the Classics, which I think I'm still missing from some earlier levels.
I got Hitman 3 for my birthday, so I'm thinking I'll take this inter-level break as the opportunity to migrate myself across to the shiny newness.
Another evening of hitting men and squashing bugs. Mendoza definitely seems to have been hit the hardest in terms of quality control, I can't help wondering if that's because it's a large and complex level or because it's sequentially the last level and received less attention somehow?
Anyone, one of the mission stories glitched out on me - followed it right through to the end, killed the target in a scripted kill and got "mission failed". Reloaded and retried the last step a few times and got the same result. Did a quick search online and apparently it's a known glitch that can be fixed by taking a photograph of the target just before the kill - that'll never work, I thought, but it actually did. Makes no sense whatsoever, I wonder if originally this mission story was supposed to incorporate some extra steps?
Then of course it glitched out on me and even though I've completed all the mission stories for Mendoza, the achievement hasn't dropped. Sigh. That patch can't come quickly enough.
There's a surprising amount to do in Hawke's Bay, too. At least, there was in Hitman 2, but with the challenge packs being removed, and their rewards into regular progression, I'm not sure if that still applies.
Heartily agree - when I loaded progress over to H3, deleted H2 and then started checking through old levels I was disappointed that the challenge packs were gone.
I do sort of get the instinct to streamline the legacy content, but Vampire Magician was a lot of fun.
Chongqing SASO down! Frustratingly, it took two runs even after I'd worked out my approach, because Hush bugged out and wouldn't get out of his fucking chair. 
Thankfully,Spoiler - click to showthe escape nonsense is entirely optional on replay, plus Imogen carries a Tier 3 dongle,so exfil was pretty painless.
Still a lot of challenges and Mastery left to go, but at least I can fuck about with things and not worry about collateral damage, or getting spotted.
There are two challenges that requireSpoiler - click to showkilling both targets at the same time, but I have zero idea how to set that up. Yet.
Finally played Colorado!
Some good and some not so good I guess. Good: it feels like a very dense level, which is great: four targets (plus additional mission objectives) in a small space means there are loads of opportunities not just for mission stories but also freeform mayhem. The targets have interesting routes and walk around in the open a surprising amount. There are objects and options for sabotage pretty much everywhere. I think it'll be a very replayable level, and I bet the escalations are good.
Not so good: it lacks character. It's very brown. The targets aren't memorable. And all the disguises look the same: the militia, militia elite, engineer and technician are all interchangeable. (The scarecrow disguise is, obviously, the exception). I'm missing one disguise and I just know it'll be some sort of odd variety of soldier that I haven't even clocked as being slightly different.
Worse, some of the objectives are obscure to say the least. I had to obtain an ID card which turned out to be on one random soldier on the other side of the map. Then I had to dress up as the "Point Man" who was, yes, one random soldier on the other side of the map. I mean, fine I guess if this is your episodic release for the month and you know people are going to play it and replay until they work it out but as things stand now as chapter 5 of 20 in a massive trilogy set, it's hard to work up that enthusiasm for trial and error.
Still, it's nowhere near as bad as its reputation led me to believe, after one play I'd rank it above Marrakesh but maybe slightly below Bangkok (where I like the level design, at least).
The biggest mistake they made with Colorado is that you can't disguise yourself as the target with the full-face, 3D-printed mask.
Got a pretty long, fairly messy first run on Sgàil. It seems like it should be pretty straightforward on subsequent attempts; while I got turned around a lot early on, I feel like I've got a reasonable handle on the layout even after one go. Even taking out the surveillance was surprisingly easy.
Showoff. I still get lost.
Several more runs at Chongqing - and a bunch more challenges - have gotten me to Mastery 18. I accidentally stumbled on how to get the targets to meet up, too, which it turns out we just part of one of the Mission Stories. In any case, it made Sniper Assassin much easier than it might have been.
There are a few more assassination approaches to tick off, and one more disguise to find, but one more evening should see me moving on to Mendoza.
Started my story run of the Hitman series last night - one run through each level, in order, watching all the cutscenes. Where I've already played one of these levels (on my current playthrough), I'm going to try and go for kills I haven't already achieved.
Paris was very straightforward. I decided to go for Sniper Assassin and did the obvious vantage point and the fireworks display without any trouble. They have definitely changed the way guards react. When I tried exactly the same thing, fairly early in the life of Hitman 2, I got immediately swarmed as every guard on the level started firing with pinpoint precision as they ran directly to my location. This time, there were a few confused guards hunting around aimlessly but I managed to saunter to the helicopter for my escape without any difficulty at all.
Sapienza was weird because I remember bits of it but not the detail. Got Caruso with the very obvious psychiatrist mission story you pick up at the start, then wandered outside and got the other target with an improvised electrocution accident. But then had huge problems remembering how to get into the virus lab, the two doors I remembered on the cliffside both required keycards which I didn't have. In the end I noisily infiltrated the ruined castle and made it into the lab from the outside. Had to turn off for the night before finishing but from what I remember there aren't exactly many options now for how this plays out. The level itself is great but this virus nonsense is definitely one of the weaker parts of the series.
Sapienza is one of the levels where I always bring a keycard scrambler.
After a handful of runs, I don't think I like Mendoza very much.
I haven't done any of the Mission Stories yet, so it could still turn itself around, but it's not initially that interesting - some open fields, a couple of big, cavernous spaces, and a three-room house, very little of which is used, and none of which look particularly striking. It's also definitely been the most bug-stricken for me, too, with a lot of camera clipping, and inconsistent cover.
It's not all negative - the party has some nice little easter eggs, likeSpoiler - click to showconversations about previous missions, or the guitarist and manager for The Class in attendance
It's also maybe the easiest mission for Sniper Assassin, and (I'm pretty sure) the first one I've managed Sniper Assassin Suit Only.
I broadly agree with you on Mendoza - I thought it improved after a couple of runs, but it is still a whole load of unused space for the most part and all the mission stories are concentrated on a bizarrely small area. It feels like something they've maybe got plans for in the future, but it doesn't help the game right here and now. And yes, it's buggy as shit right now. I've kind of left it because I don't even feel I'm getting the desired experience; every run hits some kind of major bug that derails whatever I was trying to do. I'll revisit it after the patch.
There are easter eggs all the way through the series, aren't there? I was very surprised to see the opening cutscene to Paris mention the Delgado cartel, who are of course the stars of Hitman 2's Santa Fortuna level. And the runthrough of 47's targets at the end of Chongqing was very enjoyable (and appears to make Patient Zero canon, too).
I've not really had time to go back to this but was surprised at the negativity towards Mendoza. For what it's worth my first (and only, so far) run aiming for silent assassin was great fun, glitch free and saw me hit most locations on the map. I had a really good time trying to work out where things were & how they joined up. This was the polar opposite of some of the other levels where the first run coincided with a story mission that either didn't fully exploit the level or turned out to be one of the least interesting routes to completion.
I did the Spoiler - click to showlawyermission story, but it's incredibly straightforward;
Spoiler - click to showThe guy with the disguise and items is standing right by the entrance, next to an unobserved plot of foliage, having a loud phone conversation about going to see the target. All you have to do is grab him, take his stuff, walk basically unopposed to the house, and the target comes for a chat and a quick pen to the eye.
It took all of three minutes, with zero investigation or exploration required, and no tension. After that, I was able toSpoiler - click to showclimb to the attic, where there's a sniper rifle just sitting on the walland take out target #2. I can't remember my first run on any other level being so immediately and effortlessly successful.
Another couple of runs on Mendoza tonight saw me to Mastery 16, but I moved on, just to finish off the story. That last level is a change of pace, eh? I mean, I likeSpoiler - click to showTrain from GoldenEye 007 as much as the next guy, but I'm not sure it's a good blueprint for Hitman. InterestingSpoiler - click to showDishonored-style choice with the target, though,I quite liked that.
SASO Mendoza and a couple of the other challenges (not least the Mission Stories) should about finish it off, then I'll just bounce between whatever Escalations and Contracts take my fancy. The Featured Contract rewards are some of the only ones I didn't have from Hitman 2, so that's something to work on while waiting for Elusives.
Anyone here found the magical talking hippo in Berlin?
…no… and here I was just thinking this morning that Hitman 3 seemed to lack some of the goofy stuff like the Flamingo or Scarecrow disguises.
SASO on Carpathian Mountains done, but a few challenges still elude me. How on Earth do you open the shortcut in the passenger car?
I think I've figured out what's up with Mendoza, though: the targets are too easy to take out. It means that things like the mission stories and more intricate assassinations feel like I'm manufacturing complexity for myself, instead of finding clever ways around existing obstacles.
Marrakesh, then. Not a level I've previously spent much time on and in my mind it was the worst of the Hitman 1 levels. So I was surprised to find I really enjoyed revisiting it last night, it's a beautiful level and every part of it contrasts nicely with the rest. I'll never be a huge fan of the "two fortresses" level design (see also Chongqing) but the embassy in particular is an interesting place to explore and the souks are suitably disorienting. It's a bit of a prototype for Mumbai in many ways and I think I'll be sinking more time into it once I've done this end-to-end runthrough.
One thing that did stand out, though, is that while the sound design on this level is excellent (crowd noises contrasting with the sound of helicopters overhead), it's very noticeable that every NPC in the level sounds American. There's been no attempt to use (or approximate) local accents and it harms the atmosphere a bit, especially in the souks. Thinking about it, I guess that's the case for every level in Hitman 1, it's just that the others tend to be specific events or locations (a fashion show, a health spa) that might plausibly be populated primarily with Americans; it's really just Marrakesh where you're dropped into an existing situation and have to interact with the locals. A shame, but something they noticeably improved in both of the later games.
Half-inspired by Gar, I've also started a replay of the older levels, but rather than doing it for plot reasons, I'm trying to tidy up as many of the challenges I've missed* as I can. It's a nice little victory tour, of sorts, and I'm surprised just how well I remember some bits. Still only on Sapienza yet, though - I suspect my memory will get get progressively rustier as I go.
Maybe afterwards, I'll actually try to complete some escalations…
*(some of these, I did actually unlock in Hitman 2016 but didn't bother to go back and repeat in Hitman 2)
Bangkok Sniper Assassin - I can get Ken Morgan without any difficulty
Spoiler - click to showYou can snipe him from 47's balcony right at the start of the game
but how on earth are you supposed to get Jordan Cross?
Spoiler - click to showThere's only one obvious vantage point - the open window in Ken Morgan's penthouse - and the place is full of cleaning staff. I can't kill them because that would invalidate Sniper Assassin, and even if I could knock them out stealthily one by one, there's nowhere to stash the bodies. There's an upstairs section with only one person (the stalker) hanging around up there so that seems like an obvious setup but all the windows are closed and there are no clear vantage points anyway.
Actually, thinking about it, is the way to do it to
Spoiler - click to showrun through the whole Ken Morgan mission story which gets him up to his penthouse - does that clear out the cleaning staff? I think it might. So then you could dispose of his guard, snipe him at point blank range in his own penthouse then use the window to take out Cross as well. That means the only difficulty is getting the sniper rifle up to the penthouse in the first place, and I reckon you could shimmy up the drainpipe in advance and stash it somewhere it won't be found before you even begin.
That means the only difficulty is getting the sniper rifle up to the penthouse in the first place
There's an agency drop in the penthouse that's big enough for a sniper rifle.
OK, first impression there are that it fixes a whole heap of stuff I've encountered, and a load of things I haven't, so it's a good start.
Disappointed to see the HDR problems listed under "Known Issues", though, and no mention whatsoever of the missing performance mode on Xbox.
I'm actually gutted they fixed the Winemaker bug, that was the single funniest thing I've ever seen in a Hitman game. But fair enough, it was never going to last.
Had more technical issues with this last night than ever - reloading saves would regularly give me a "session can not be created" error and dump me back to the main menu. Only a couple of extra seconds to get back into the game but definitely a new bug since the patch.
Still, made some progress. Got Sniper Assassin in Bangkok and moved on to Colorado. Only two targets down so far but still maintaining Silent Assassin so need to come up with an approach for the remaining two.
Which two? Berg and Parvati are easy enough to get with accidents, but IIRC Rose and Graves need a bit more work, depending on the equipment you've brought with you.
I got Rose with the watch, and Berg by luring him down to the basement and offing him there; the two women wander around in the open a lot more so will be trickier. Might use the same approach of going with the mission stories, if I can remember how to start them.
Also, what is the easiest way to unlock a silenced sniper rifle?
Are you chasing Suit Only, or just Silent Assassin? Graves I can't recall off the top of my head, but for Parvati, Spoiler - click to showif you can sneak into the barn, you can dose her water bottle with lethal poison while nobody's looking.I think they basically all have to be accidents, though, bar Berg.
Also, what is the easiest way to unlock a silenced sniper rifle?
There's a very straightforward Escalation on one of the alternate Marrakesh missions that gives you the Sieger 300 Ghost, which is the best sniper rifle in the game until you hit Mastery 20 on Chongqing.
I like to get Berg by shooting the lawnmower at the front of the house – he stops for a smoke right next to it and blows himself up.
Parvati
Spoiler - click to showtakes a bit of timing – you can shoot the haybale over the barn door down on her as an accident when she's heading out to the garages.
Graves
Spoiler - click to showhas a water bottle in the greenhouse in the North Orchard that you can poison (there are lethal poison pills in the same building as the limping Point Man), if you don't want to bother with the mission story that gets her to the slurry pit.
Cheers both, I'm just going for Silent Assassin this time round so all of those approaches sound doable.
SASO is too daunting for me even on levels I know well. I managed it on Dartmoor and was a nervous wreck by the end. I want to at least finish this runthrough - and then tackle some of those alternate missions, which I haven't seen yet - before going back and really focusing on one level at a time to try and get SASO (and Sniper where I haven't already managed that).
Only a couple of days to go until the Elusive Targets, too! The countdown is back on the main menu screen…
Woo, elusive targets! Looking forward to it, and glad I've been refreshing myself a bit on Sapienza ahead of time.
SASO is too daunting for me even on levels I know well. I managed it on Dartmoor and was a nervous wreck by the end.
I'm not going to say the adrenaline doesn't get going - I've had shaking hands after some runs - but the key to my SASO approach is being methodical, accepting it might take a long time, and saving loads.
Finished off Colorado, got Parvati with the ram and Graves with lethal poison as aniki suggested. There's something very empowering about poisoning a random water bottle, walking away then getting the notification ten minutes later that your target has dropped dead. Netted me Silent Assassin too which was good. Still plenty of levels of mastery to go though.
Then onto Hokkaido. I absolutely love this map, I think it's the best balance IOI have ever struck between feeling like a real place and being a satisfying game environment. The spa just seems like a nice place to hang out in, the hospital is as faceless and disorienting as any real sterile medical environment, and I love the "behind the scenes" areas that at first you don't even realise are there: the staff areas, the kitchen, the morgue, and all the corridors that connect them. It's surprisingly tough to start with when you are stuck in your dressing gown but once you get access to a couple of disguises there are loads of different ways to get to where you need to go. (I remember doing a great escalation on this map when I played before, I'll have to check to see if I can find it again). Anyway, I did one quick run (the yoga kill for Yuki, and the "heart in the bin" for Soders because that's the best kill in the game) and I'm onto Hitman 2.
The cut-scenes are mostly making sense at the moment, but remarkably little actually happens in the first game. It really is just a series of unconnected hits with a bit of mild intrigue between levels. Barring the little sequence when you first play through Colorado, the overarching plot doesn't impinge on the gameplay at all. I have to say I kind of prefer it that way…
Maybe it's the changes to progression made in Hitman 3, but my mastery progress on Sgail is glacial. I'm about halfway through 16, and haven't much idea how to boost it significantly; all the outstanding challenges seem very complicated for not much XP.
I'm still a ways from SASO (though I've started my first attempt and have a pretty solid plan for one of the sisters) and haven't even considered Sniper Assassin yet – though I suspect it'll be a case of knocking them out for close-range headshots.
Escalations give you 4000 XP when you complete them, still, I think - might be worth a shot if you get desperate.
Sgail is far from my favourite level, though, it's so damn difficult. It's clever and complex but I'm perpetually in the wrong place wearing the wrong disguise.
SASO Sgail done. Sophie was easy enough, but it took a bunch of save scumming, a few different attempts at tricking her bodyguard, and a long time hiding in the grass before I managed to get Zoe. Mastery 18, so I think I am gonna tackle a couple of escalations for a change of pace before going for Sniper Assassin.
Sniper is relatively easy on Sgàil, if I recall.
The Deceivers done. It was… inelegant.
I took a couple of test runs to scope the place out, and things were going really well until I got to the mansion, where I got overenthusiastic taking out one of the bodyguards, scuppering my Silent Assassin ranking. Then I got spotted again (and compromised) pitching the second target off a balcony. Managed to evade Stewart long enough to grab a different disguise and make my escape, but yeah. Not my finest hour.
EDIT/ADDENDUM: The Proloff Parable, the Deluxe Escalation in the Carpathian Mountains, is very good, and features some fantastic tonal whiplash in the kind of gameplay it demands of you. Starting it (or the Gauchito Antiquity in Mendoza) gets you the costume, but you only have to complete stage 1 to unlock the gear, meaning (for anyone interested) Proloff is now the easiest sniper rifle to get - and, as a bonus, it has the same perks as the Sieger 300 Ghost, which (as I mentioned above) was the best pre-Chongqing sniper rifle in the game.
I'd forgotten that the Elusive Targets don't actually highlight your targets in Instinct mode. I can only find one of these guys. I'm assuming the other one isn't in the mansion but that still leaves quite a lot of the level to explore… (don't tell me, I'm having fun just sauntering around, it's amazing how many little details and conversations you pick up on when you're just scoping the place out)
I'll not say anything specific, but depending how well you know the level, the briefings for Elusive Targets give quite a bit away.
I did it!
Yes, I had some help with a few mild spoilers but, since I've never completed an Elusive before and I've never played Sapienza, I don't care. I feel good. Gives me motivation to actually play the game. 
I did it too! That was loads of fun, especially as one of the targets was in an area of Sapienza I didn't even know existed:
Spoiler - click to showHonestly had no idea there was so much stuff hidden above the ice cream shop of all places! Loads of access points including balconies and drainpipes that I'd completely missed as well. I need to play the extra missions in Sapienza I think, I clearly don't know the level very well.
Had a very hairy exit though:
Spoiler - click to showGot spotted trespassing making my way back down the tower, and had to race across the town square in a hail of bullets - only to find the scooter I was expecting to find there wasn't actually there. So I cowered in a load of foliage outside the town, before offing the poor florist and sauntering back through Sapienza to escape by speedboat.
Amazing how tense these things get. Best bit of the game I reckon. Roll on the next one!
The town hall gets a lot more use in The Icon and Landslide, for sure. And the church (plus nearby apartments) gets some attention in both Landslide and The Author. Sapienza is such a great location.
