Hitman: Absolution is widely regarded as the ‘black sheep’ of the series thanks to its focus on cinematic storytelling over player freedom. This is very much still the case with this fresh release on Switch from Feral Interactive, but now that original developer IO Interactive has righted the ship with the excellent World of Assassination trilogy, it’s much easier to look back on Absolution and better appreciate it for what it is – kind of like Resident Evil 6.
Does that mean it’s perfect? No, far from it. But it’s a fascinating detour for Agent 47 that still provides ample fun while laying foundations for later titles, including the upcoming 007 First Light.
Like previous entries, Absolution requires you to locate your targets and dispatch them with as little fuss as possible (while constantly evading the po-po). Nailing a high stealth rating is what it’s all about, but if you prefer to go in guns blazing, that’s an option. Otherwise, sneaky little ‘accidents’ are often the best course of action, and you can activate Instinct Mode to highlight enemies, items, and traps to help formulate a plan.
Disguises let you access areas that might otherwise be off-limits, but many of the guards can see through your outfits (not literally, cheeky) and discover your true identity. Instinct Mode comes into play here too, so by holding down ‘R’ while in an enemy’s line of sight, you can make yourself inconspicuous enough to slip by.
Unlike World of Assassination, Instinct Mode is finite. Relying on it too much will deplete your supplies. Taking out guards and completing challenges will replenish it, but I advise using it sparingly and instead rely on your own senses to scope out opportunities; it’s much more fun that way.
Levels are overall smaller and more compact than what you might be used to. IO Interactive focuses a lot more on telling a coherent story, and it shows in the structure. In other Hitman titles, you’d spend a lot of time walking out in the open and blending into your surroundings, but in Absolution, sneaking around and hiding behind cover is generally more advisable thanks to the close-quarters environments.
This frustrated a lot of folks back in 2012, and the game was widely criticised for its overall linearity when compared to earlier entries. This hasn’t changed, but there’s still a decent amount of options available when deciding how to approach your targets. Know what you’re getting yourself into and you’ll have a good time.
Performance is exactly what I imagined it would be. You’re looking at 30fps with a few minor hitches here and there, particularly in dense crowds. Textures and assets have also been scaled back considerably, but it’s still a handsome game regardless, and the accompanying music is consistently great.
Feral has promised a free Switch 2 upgrade in 2026 along with an extra Contracts Mode, so if you’re happy to wait until then, then by all means do so. But Hitman: Absolution on Switch is solid, flaws and all.
