Hitman GO (PS Vita) - Quick Review
Hitman games have been around for quite a while. The series bolsters stealth elements with innumerable options for completing any mission that comes your way. It began on PC with Hitman : Codename 47 and since then the series has caught fire, spreading to pretty much every family of console since the PS2/Xbox/GameCube generation. However, this entry takes things for a different spin. The world of Hitman, becomes a board game.
Hitman GO follows the same premise. Each level is a board, made up of a number of sub-levels all leading you to a final target. Each sub-level is it's own active board, complete with marked spaces for you to move across to get to the end. Beating each sub-level moves you through the level board and so on until you take out your target and progress to the next board.
It's a simple concept, but let's see what's good and bad about it, and even moreso, does it do justice to the Hitman series?
The Good
Different Enemies / Pieces - No board game is complete without pieces for said board. You, obviously, use the Agent 47 piece. Some of the other spaces on the board are occupied by enemy pieces, and they're pretty unique. Certain pieces are in a fixed position facing one direction, others move one space after you take a move, and even others that will stand in one space and just turn in different directions. All of the enemy pieces are obstacles you must get around to reach your goal, and they will detect you if you are one space in front of whichever way they are facing (if you move into their space from the side or behind it counts as a "kill").
Level Challenges - Each level also comes with a few challenges. These aren't required, but they do serve a purpose in giving a bit more depth and challenge to the game. These challenges include beating the level in a certain number of moves or less, obtaining a briefcase that is somewhere in the stage, and not killing anybody on your path through.
The Bad
Perfectionist? - Not necessarily a bad side per-se, but it really is the only one in the game. And it all boils down to how much the above listed level challenges matter to you. As I mentioned, these challenges give the game just a bit more depth. So if you skip them the game might feel like a breeze and far too short, even for the mobile-style game that it is. But if you want to achieve all of them, it might bring some frustration along with the depth.
Is it Worth it?
First off, let me stress that this was a game originally intended for mobile phones, which later got ported to the Vita because...small game, touch screen...you do the math. It also appears on PC and PS4. So, if you are looking for a full length, in-depth Hitman experience, no matter what I say this game will not be for you.
Now...if I still have your attention for this one. The original mobile version goes for $1, while the Vita version is $8 and is a compilation of all the boards released for this game (there are 7 in total). A couple of the boards are inspired by levels from some of the Hitman games, and it's really cool how they get everything about this series to translate into a turn-based strategy game, albeit a bit of a "cutesy" version. It is definitely enjoyable, and most certainly worth a download and play
Another one that I haven't finished yet, but I am well past the midway point. I've been obsessed with getting all of the level challenges done before I continue on to the next one, so that's what's been holding up the majority of my time :) I personally love this game and I'm so happy to have it, even if it doesn't have a physical form.
Hitman GO follows the same premise. Each level is a board, made up of a number of sub-levels all leading you to a final target. Each sub-level is it's own active board, complete with marked spaces for you to move across to get to the end. Beating each sub-level moves you through the level board and so on until you take out your target and progress to the next board.
It's a simple concept, but let's see what's good and bad about it, and even moreso, does it do justice to the Hitman series?
The Good
Different Enemies / Pieces - No board game is complete without pieces for said board. You, obviously, use the Agent 47 piece. Some of the other spaces on the board are occupied by enemy pieces, and they're pretty unique. Certain pieces are in a fixed position facing one direction, others move one space after you take a move, and even others that will stand in one space and just turn in different directions. All of the enemy pieces are obstacles you must get around to reach your goal, and they will detect you if you are one space in front of whichever way they are facing (if you move into their space from the side or behind it counts as a "kill").
Level Challenges - Each level also comes with a few challenges. These aren't required, but they do serve a purpose in giving a bit more depth and challenge to the game. These challenges include beating the level in a certain number of moves or less, obtaining a briefcase that is somewhere in the stage, and not killing anybody on your path through.
The Bad
Perfectionist? - Not necessarily a bad side per-se, but it really is the only one in the game. And it all boils down to how much the above listed level challenges matter to you. As I mentioned, these challenges give the game just a bit more depth. So if you skip them the game might feel like a breeze and far too short, even for the mobile-style game that it is. But if you want to achieve all of them, it might bring some frustration along with the depth.
Is it Worth it?
First off, let me stress that this was a game originally intended for mobile phones, which later got ported to the Vita because...small game, touch screen...you do the math. It also appears on PC and PS4. So, if you are looking for a full length, in-depth Hitman experience, no matter what I say this game will not be for you.
Now...if I still have your attention for this one. The original mobile version goes for $1, while the Vita version is $8 and is a compilation of all the boards released for this game (there are 7 in total). A couple of the boards are inspired by levels from some of the Hitman games, and it's really cool how they get everything about this series to translate into a turn-based strategy game, albeit a bit of a "cutesy" version. It is definitely enjoyable, and most certainly worth a download and play
Another one that I haven't finished yet, but I am well past the midway point. I've been obsessed with getting all of the level challenges done before I continue on to the next one, so that's what's been holding up the majority of my time :) I personally love this game and I'm so happy to have it, even if it doesn't have a physical form.
