A pricey trip down memory lane.

Agent 47 is pretty iconic when it comes to video game characters, to get where we are now with the recent releases he has definitely gone through some transition over the years. Warner Bros. would like to introduce some of that transition with their latest release. Hitman HD Enhanced Collection brings two of the most talked about entries in the series into the 4K generation. Hitman: Blood Money and Hitman Absolution are very different games, but both play a role in the experience we have now. Revisiting these games was definitely an interesting trip down memory lane.

For Xbox One owners this collection feels a little weird considering both 360 versions of the games are backwards compatible on the new console. So what incentive do they have to spend another $60? IO Interactive has done the work though. Bringing both games up to native 4K, adding HDR, and retooling the controls to make them feel more modern. Visually they both look great in-game. The cut scenes are still a blurry mess at times, but that is to be expected.

MSRP: $59.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, PC
Price I’d Pay: $39.99

Let’s start with Blood Money. This game is considered by most as one of the pinnacles of the franchise. Revisiting it I can definitely see the strides for the series. There are so many advancements in the mechanics and the levels are incredibly robust, giving players plenty of ways to cause chaos. Where this entry falls short is in the way it handles some of those mechanics. The controls are awkward at times. Coming off the recently released Hitman 2 I feel like I am tripping over simple things with the weird button layout. Also the voice acting and dialogue are downright hilarious at times, really breaking the serious tone of most of the game.

Next up is Absolution. While this is revered as the worst game in the series, I actually loved it. This is mostly due to the fact that they really modernized the controls. Things just worked like I expected. I also really enjoyed the dramatic story and the vocal performances are much better. This is the game where they implemented big name voice actors such as Powers Boothe, Vivica A. Fox, and Keith Carradine. The story is more serious and goes for that action movie plot. Sure it is big and dumb, but I enjoyed the heck out of it. Absolution was criticized for the stray from the Hitman formula, but it really solidified the intuitive controls.

So in essence Blood Money and Absolution is like watching the series find its footing. I feel like both games really paved the way for the extremely successful reboot of the series. Both seem to bring ideas into the newer games. It was neat to revisit these older games, but $60 for both without the option to purchase them separately feels a bit much. Toss in the fact that Xbox One owners could already own them, or purchase them for a fraction of the price has to be factored in.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.