Why Hitman 2 is the Best Video Game of 2018

5 min readJun 4, 2022

How do you choose the best video game of 2018? The short answer is, that you don’t. There are simply too many good games out there to objectively choose one winner every year (though we do it anyway in our Game of the Year awards). But if you’re looking for proof that some games are better than others and make them all look downright terrible by comparison, IO Interactive latest Hitman game- Hitman 2 -is exactly what you need.

Hitman 2 Gameplay

It’s a challenge to make a good video game. It’s even harder to make a great one. But it’s damn near impossible to make a video game that defines its year, especially within an industry known for churning out more games than any other form of entertainment. Somehow, though, IO Interactive has done just that with Hitman 2. This masterpiece gives players everything they love in a video game: tight controls, stunning visuals, and engaging missions that offer myriad ways to achieve objectives-and no way you can lose sight of any one objective while enjoying yourself without feeling lost or frustrated.

Many good games were released in 2018

Red Dead Redemption II, God of War, Spider-Man, and more. But out of all of them, only one stands above its competition. The game I’m talking about is Hitman 2. It’s just that good. So why does it top my list for best games in 2018? Let me count the ways (Insert your favorite reasons here.)

How do you like your reviews? (I like mine with a little spice.)

Everything about Hitman 2 is perfect

From its modern graphics to its entertaining story. Even just talking about it makes me want to play more. It is not only one of my favorite games, but I believe it’s a game that everyone should play. Not because it’s an all-around great game — no, but because it presents so many options in terms of playing and executing your plan that it rarely gets old. To top off everything else, there are tons of challenges throughout each level where you get to test your stealth skills and earn nice rewards in return. All in all, I can’t stop thinking about how fun and amazing Hitman 2 was for me so far!

The open world within each level doesn’t get boring

The reason why people keep playing video games, like real-life sports, is because they want to win. This means that developers need to deliver a compelling storyline and offer a plethora of ways for gamers to reach different endings based on their actions at each level. This achievement system within each level keeps players engaged and it’s something that IO Interactive continues to improve upon with each iteration of its iconic franchise. With an arsenal of tools at your disposal-like disguises, weapons, and tracking devices-you’ll feel like a badass every time you complete any mission as Agent 47.

The amazing music and sound design add immensely to the immersion

One thing that sets Hitman apart from many other games in its genre is its sound design. While most stealth games focus heavily on visuals to create a tense atmosphere, IO Interactive has gone out of its way to make sure your surroundings sound as real as possible. You’ll be walking through a beautiful garden, but you’ll hear birds chirping, insects buzzing, and footsteps around you even if you can’t see anyone-giving an illusion that feels almost naturalistic. Your senses are more important than ever: In previous games, it was usually fine to wait and listen when approaching an enemy-listen closely enough and they would let out a telltale sign, like sighing or shifting weight around.

The graphics are great, but they never stop you from focusing on your mission

The first game in the series was released in 2000, so it’s been a long time coming. In those seventeen years, we’ve seen video games transform from pixilated aliens to photo-realistic horror monsters. But not everyone cares about graphics; if you want to sneak around levels and take out targets without being noticed, then you just need a clear picture of what you should be doing and that’s exactly what players get with Hitman 2. With improved graphics and better sound quality, players can lose themselves in their environment more than ever before.

Screenshot:

There are so many ways to approach each situation, so each play session feels fresh

I’ve never played a game that felt as open and varied as Hitman 2. There are hundreds upon hundreds of ways to make your way through each map, and no two play sessions will ever be quite alike. Some levels have dozens of routes for Agent 47 to take and many options within each one; it’s as if IO Interactive took classic infiltration games like Thief and Metal Gear Solid, mixed them with Deus Ex, then made it all more open-ended than anything else you’ll find.

Even though you can technically move from point A to point B in just one way, you could end up with any number of different scenarios depending on how you choose to handle a given obstacle or enemy.

I could go on all day about this game, but I’ll stop now…

In any case, I’ll keep it short and sweet. If you’re a fan of great video games and don’t have Hitman 2 in your collection, you really should buy it. Whether you like stealth or not, it’s still amazing. The story mode alone has more levels than some games have in total. You can spend hours upon hours playing with friends or on your own; there are so many ways to play that everyone will find something they love about Hitman 2. You can play online with others who are either killing people or trying to avoid detection by keeping their profile low… yes, it does happen!

Hitman 2 features

A series-first co-op mode, which allows players to experience all missions across multiple locations with a friend online. The Prologue episode launches with three different mission strands for players to complete as either Agent 47 or one of his targets and represents just a small taste of what’s in store; before long, assassins will be able to engage in missions across six different countries around the world set in iconic locations from past games. With such variety, we believe that replayability will be high-and if you can’t wait to start assassinating again then there’s always some solid training content included so you can hone your skills.

Download Hitman 2

You can download and play Hitman 2 for free on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The game was released in October 2018, so it’s still a new title. If you want to start playing now, be sure to check out our detailed walkthrough for how to start playing Hitman 2 for free. We also have a guide on where to find all 5 Secret Targets in Miami — these are special Hitmen that become available after completing three main story missions in Miami. Be sure to check them out as well! How Does It Play? Here’s What You Need To Know: Hitman 2 is an action-adventure stealth video game set in an open-world environment.