65 - Hitman: Blood Money (Steam)

Genre: Stealth
Rating: M
Developer: IO Interactive
Publisher: Eidos
Platform: Steam (Also: PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360)
Release Date: 2006

This is the only Hitman game I've spent serious time playing although it was not my first experience with the series. I started off with the first game, Hitman: Codename 47, but found it much too difficult to play. Although generally stealth games are pretty cool, they are often way harder than I can handle. It's one thing to understand how to be quiet and stay out of site but it's another thing to actually be able to carry it out.

So, with my normal inability to play stealth games I ended up really enjoying this game all the same. I think it's due to the fact that in Hitman: Blood Money you don't have to be stealth if you really don't want to. Obviously the game pushes you in that direction but allows most missions to be completed regardless of getting seen by people, killing civilians, or whatever else trouble you might get yourself into. I appreciate this because it means the game is really open to all kinds of play styles and techniques (including my bumbling, Rambo-esque one).

The game has a really strong sense of self. I often found myself just wandering around to listen to characters chatter on or just explore. Everyone has their own routine. It's pretty cool how nicely realized the world is, although it certainly gets very dark at times. As this is a game about a hitman, you're going to be forced to think about the ramifications of your actions - even if Agent 47 himself isn't.

I really, really like this game. Although I'm absolutely horrid at it the game accommodates itself to me and allows me to continue. The world is cool and I want to see it all. Definitely check this game out if you're in need of stealth games.

41 - Spy Fiction (PS2)

Genre: Stealth
Rating: M
Developer: Access Games
Publisher: Sammy Studios
Platform: PS2
Release Date: 2004

I remember seeing this game for sale at GameStop maybe some months ago before they all started switching to the paper sleeves for cheap PS2 games. It had the case and I looked at it for a while. It looked pretty cool but instead of picking it up I went for some other unknown title. Whatever game it was it wasn't nearly worth the purchase instead. Maybe a month after not buying it I realized the game was directed by SWERY (of Deadly Premonition fame). Dammit. Well, at least I have the disc.

From what I played the game didn't seem amazingly well written. It felt a lot like a B-movie, but there's not necessarily anything wrong with that. Something that was really sweet were the character designs. They might not have been anything incredible but the art style looked pretty cool. It reminds me of some other game, but I can't put a finger on it. Also, the main male character is way too hot for his own good.

In regards to gameplay it's a pretty solid title, if kind of slow. It's stealth but real stealth (not like Metal Gear Solid 3). You won't do to well to run around shooting guys with the wonderfully gimped shooting system. However, there's some really cool ways to hide from enemies. You have a cloaking device that activates when clinging to walls and also the ability to stick to ceilings.

Along with that you can also take pictures of enemies and mask yourself as them. Maybe I'm not playing the right games but I haven't had the ability to do that (to a large number of characters) since Mission Impossible. I think games are just escaping me though, because it can't be possible this mechanic has been that underutilized. So yes, I really did enjoy this despite the gameplay quirks.

Would I play again? Yes!

5 - Alias

Genre: Stealth, action
Rating: T
Developer: Acclaim
Publisher: Acclaim
System: PS2 (Also: Xbox, PC)
Release date: 2004

When looking over the box and manual for this game it really didn't seem like it would be anything special. No offense to Alias or anything, but that stigma of "movie games" (or in this case TV games) is stuck firmly in my head. Thankfully, the game proved itself to be an interesting title.

What I expected from this game was lots of shooting and lots of scantily clad women. I found the main character rather lacking in clothing at certain points, but there was even purpose to this. In the game you would take up an "alias" for each mission. In the first mission you are a waitress in a casino, so it makes sense your attire would be glitzy and tiny.

The bulk of the game seems to be focused around infiltration, information gathering, and general sneakiness. It's not full stealth though because you are in fact out in public just disguised as someone else. Acting in a suspicious manner will get you caught. I really enjoyed pretending to be the casino waitress to spike someone's drink and obtain intel. However, once the game started to become action-y I lost interest. It was confusing with no sort of map or related system which would show me the general location of my targets or where to go.

Overall the disguise parts were excellent and I wish that's how 80% of the game could be, instead of the 60/40 it seems to be. It should also probably be noted that I've never seen Alias which might have been part of the reason I was surprised with the style of gameplay presented.

Would I play again? Sure.