Hitman: Episode 2 - Sapienza (PC) Review

Both Paris and Sapienza are big, yet while the parisienne fashion show offered lots of space to have some sandbox fun, it also felt as if it was just a single building, with a few major areas, and the surrounding alleys and such. In contrast, there's more than a "simple" villa in the Italian episode. There are stores, cafes, and back alleys bustling with tourists, a beach, a few apartments that 47 can enter, a small church and a cemetery where it's possible to ogle at the beautiful ocean view, and, finally, a few tunnels that lead to the high-tech lab that's underneath everything.

A secret agent infiltrates a mansion, only to discover a secret cavern… Too James Bond? Well, since Agent 47 begins his quest wearing some very Daniel Craig-ish attire, it's hard to believe that there's not an Aston Martin somewhere close, as a well as a leggy femme fatale to seduce. Well, you can't have everything. Now, Sapienza is not only bigger, it's also far better-looking than Paris, and if there is a flow here, it's just that, similar to Paris, everybody seems to be speaking English, which takes away from the immersion a bit.

Thankfully, Sapienza is not only bigger and far more beautiful, it's also better in gameplay terms. For starters, Opportunities, the scripted "paths" that it's possible to follow, are more varied and imaginative, and for those who don't want to be hand-held, there are even more ways to do harm to the targets at hand, plus more tools of the trade and outfits available. Additionally, due to the complexity of this episode's level, the non-story modes are also more fun to play, and, thankfully, more challenging.

There are only two big flaws here, which are both carried over from the first episode. First, the online component of Hitman still needs some refining, especially when it comes to the notorious connectivity issues. The second problem, which, for some people, is actually an even bigger one, is that, plot-wise, all that's offered here is, once again, a tiny cut-scene where names are thrown and no sense is made, killing the connection between the game world and the one holding the gamepad.