Hitman (2016) walkthrough and guide
Our essential guide to the new episodic Hitman, from ticking off Silent Assassin, to completing Challenges and crafting great Contracts.
Hitman's first foray into episodic experimentation is a joyous mix of patience, planning and, ahem, execution. Starting off in the ICA training facility 20 years in the past, we see the bald and the beautiful Agent 47 earn his stripes, before skipping forwards to the present day, where he makes his appearance at the Sanguine fashion show in the Paris Showstopper level.
Here you must infiltrate a clandestine ring of rich and powerful VIPs in order to expose the shady dealings of morally-corrupt oligarch Viktor Novikov, and his ruthless ex-supermodel partner-in-crime, Dahlia Margolis. Once inside, it's down to you to take them down in any number of diabolical ways.
For returning veterans of the long-running series, there are a number of familiar concepts from previous games that have been expanded upon and many new options introduced. Newcomers, on the other hand, might be initially overawed by the freedom of approach and sheer scope of the task ahead of them. Either way, we've got you covered in our guide.
On this page:
Hitman - Tips and tricks of the trade
A few rather important points to help you go about your business undetected.
Other pages:
Hitman (2016) - How to unlock Silent Assassin in the Paris Showstopper level
How to tick off the Silent Assassin challenge in Hitman's first episode.
Hitman (2016) - Challenges, Assassination, Discovery and Opportunities
Our guide to the Challenges in the Paris Showstopper level.
Hitman (2016) - How to create and execute interesting Contracts
The fine art of crafting high quality Contracts for the community to enjoy.
Tips of the trade
For Agent 47, forewarned is very much a case of forearmed. For this reason, before you delve into this world of assassination, take a moment to consider these tips that will set you on your path towards professional fulfilment as a cold-blooded murderer.
Replay the tutorial sections
The two tutorial missions introduce you to the basics of Hitman, but they offer much more than just the standard rundown of controls and game mechanics. Crucially, they also help get you into the right mindset for tackling the Paris Showstopper level by offering challenges that require some offbeat thinking to solve.
As such, you should stick around and replay each of them at least a couple of times in order to explore the concepts of distraction, disguise and suspicion. Use the in-game challenges to guide you, score a couple of the more creative kills, and you'll begin your career as a hitman in a illuminated state of mind, more than able to spot obscure opportunities in Paris quickly.
Be careful what you hold in your hands
Be aware that when you pick up an item, be it something as innocuous as a coin or as incriminating as a fire axe, Agent 47 is going to hold it in his hands for all to see. This can raise a guard's suspicion, and so anything you obtain should be immediately and discreetly holstered (by pushing up on the d-pad if you're using a controller).
Similarly, be aware that while some disguises give 47 a licence to be armed - namely those of bodyguards and security forces - many do not. In these instances, holstering a bulkier weapon such as a two-handed firearm is simply going to end up with 47 slinging it across his back. This will make everyone nearby immediately suspicious.
Some items can be used as both melee weapons and as tools to achieve certain tasks. Wrenches, crowbars and screwdrivers all have uses outside of makeshift implements of death, and having one or more to hand can often open up options to sabotage gas lamps, expose live wires, or force open doors. Just be sure to holster them after picking them up - the guests of the Sanguine fashion show get understandably jumpy when it comes to someone brandishing a crowbar in the middle of a crowded bar.
Explorer your environment carefully
Take your time to look around each level. The Paris Showstopper level is many times larger than the tutorial missions, with many areas that are initially off-limits to our tuxedo-wearing agent. You will discover many options to infiltrate them via stealth or disguise. While it can be tempting to immediately start trying to put your dastardly plans into action, begin by taking a stroll around the palace, both inside and out, in order to get the lay of the land. Doing so will undoubtedly lead to you uncovering hidden paths, and eavesdropping on some very revealing conversations.
Watch out for CCTV cameras
Unsurprisingly, some of the most interesting areas of the Sanguine fashion show are also the most heavily guarded, but it's not just the security staff you'll need to keep an eye out for. CCTV cameras have also been placed on several walls on the upper levels around the central area, where much of the technical equipment that's controlling the show is located.
Being caught on CCTV won't immediately raise anyone's suspicion, but it will count against you in your end of level debriefing. The cameras can be wiped, but it's best to avoid their dead-eyed gaze altogether if you can.
- The next part of our guide explains how to achieve Silent Assassin in the Paris Showstopper level.