Hitman Go (Android) Review

Hitman Go relies on simple gameplay and that the intuitive nature of the game makes it easy for anyone to pick up and quickly figure out how to play, even when new mechanics are added. This is designed with an interesting style, turning each aspect of Go into something straight out of a board game, with Agent 47 and the enemies as playing pieces, and each stage being made up of paths for them to move along.

There are seven levels in all, each with fifteen stages, and each level consists of a grid of points that Agent 47 can be moved around on. The whole thing starts very simple, with the objective being to move and avoid the view of static guards to reach an exit. As progress is made, though, extra elements are added to enhance the puzzle aspects of each part - assassination targets, enemies (that move in different paths), disguises to become invisible to foes, and various other tools to assist in overcoming the opposition.

These additions of new mechanics are all done so very organically, with no explanation or tutorial, instead relying on gamers themselves to establish how to use the fresh aspects. Stepping onto one trapdoor highlights another, highlighting the ability to move between, for instance, and picking up a sniper rifle places a target mark on set locations to show where to fire off a bullet.

Every stage also has a set of three objectives to aim for and these do not need to be completed in a single attempt but can instead be attempted individually. Completion of these objectives reward tokens that later levels require set amounts of to unlock. These extra objectives can be as simple as completing a stage within a set amount of moves, collecting a briefcase, killing every character on a stage, or playing the pacifist and leaving everyone unharmed.

One of the biggest flaws is the base objective of each stage is, sadly, far too easy. Even the less puzzle inclined will be able to quickly figure out a path to the goal. The extra challenges really help to address this, enhancing the lifespan and enjoyment factor, as they require learning the patterns of the enemies, and towards the finale there are some truly tricky moments.