The latest entry to the Hitman series – the simply, and rather unoriginally, named Hitman – seems to be shaping up nicely. But have you ever wondered what makes the worlds that Agent 47 deals his dirty work within look so believable? IO Interactive have released a series of videos that peek behind their velvet rope in order to examine what makes their levels tick.
For all your Agent 47 needs, check out our comprehensive Hitman guide.
Like the bald contractor’s strategies themselves, much planning goes into making Agent 47’s surroundings seem credible, fluent, yet equally dangerous and enclosed all at once. Choice plays such a large part in any of Hitman’s levels, thus this must be reflected in each level’s design – 47 must have freedom to engage in any given plan, however the limitations and restrictions of said level must be apparent throughout.
In the first video here, level designers Marta La Mendola and Jacob Mikkelsen – who I’m sure has been told looks like Agent 47 more times that he cares to admit – discuss what goes into crafting levels – from first sketching the ideas on paper, to iterating and adding layers of detail as they go.
The second trailer explores how modern technology allows level designers to craft the most realistic levels ever seen, yet points out how this creates whole new challenges while keeping things believable.
Interesting stuff. If you’re after some more Hitman reading, see how John got on in his Hitman hands-on earlier this month.
Hitman is due for release on March 11, 2016.