After getting shipwrecked on a mysterious island during her first-ever archaeology expedition, Lara finds herself in one life-or-death situation after another. Her crew is missing, and the island’s cult-like inhabitants are eager to kill her. The narrative’s dark, distressing tone is established right from the start, and never once does it stray during Tomb Raider’s 15-hour campaign. This consistency builds a great deal of tension and intrigue, and you’ll be eager to keep playing to see what happens next.

Throughout the game, you’re tasked with solving elaborate puzzles and taking on sporadic groups of enemies; in addition to plenty of platforming and exploration. After you finish Tomb Raider’s long-winded tutorial, it easily rivals the best Uncharted has to offer–and that’s not a claim made lightly. Where Uncharted props itself up on Nathan Drake’s charm, platforming prowess, and ability to shoot dudes in the head without getting bummed out, Tomb Raider’s foundation is one of excellent pacing, and an ominous story of survival.

The development of Lara’s character is an integral part of that experience. She’s a far cry from the stylish adventurer you used to know. In the stead of a dolled up gunslinger is a do-what-it-takes female lead who’s intelligent and capable. It’s unsettling to watch her brave some truly disturbing situations–at times, Tomb Raider is more survival horror than action adventure–but she deals with it because death is the only alternative, culminating in her gratifying evolution from a green explorer to a seasoned survivor. It’s a shame that caliber of character development doesn’t extend to the supporting cast. Her shipwrecked friends are pretty generic characters who, while rarely annoying, just aren’t memorable.

But what those characters lack in magnetism is more than made up for by the incredible personality and mystery of the island setting. It’s a bizarre place filled with ancient shrines, World War II-era bunkers, and all sorts of relics and trinkets spanning multiple centuries. It’s always clear that something strange is going on, and the island’s secrets tease you right up until the very end. You explore a huge variety of environments, sectioned off into hub-like zones, all of which give clues that help you uncovering the island’s overall enigma. From underground ruins and snow-laden mountain tops to lush forests and grim oceanside cliffs, no one area ever feels like a rehash of another, and the sheer amount of detail in each is impressive.

Tomb Raider on PS4 and Xbox One

So, you want to know about The Definitive Edition on PS4 and Xbox One? Well, for starters the game looks prettier. Not massively better, but better nonetheless. The frame-rate is higher and more consistent, making combat and platforming feel smoother. The Lara character model has been reworked, and her hair now flops about more realistically. Looks nice, but adds nothing to the game. Voice commands now let you access the map, and change weapons, while audio diaries now play through PS4’s controller speaker. Unfortunately, there’s no way to stop them playing through the TV too, so you get an awful echoing effect.

During Lara’s journey, you encounter plenty of dangers. Traps, hostile cultists, and vicious animals alike will stand in your way. Nearly every battle feels like an intense fight to the death instead of just another shootout, despite the fact you rarely encounter more than five or six enemies at a time. The bad-guy AI is great for the most part, as foes will kick over tables to form barricades or shoot off flares to call for help. Best of all, they often react realistically to your shots. Cap an enemy in the leg, for example, and he’ll go down to the ground where you can finish him off with a melee execution. Usually a climbing-axe to the skull. Nasty!

Lara’s inexperience shows through early on, as her shots are inaccurate and weak. By defeating enemies, solving puzzles, and finding the many collectibles hidden on the island, you gain experience points and resources for upgrading Lara’s skills and weapons. Other games that try to emulate the growth of an unseasoned character don’t pull it off with quite the same aplomb as Tomb Raider does–by the end of the adventure, Lara’s transformation into a powerful heroine is noticeable, and feels natural.

But Tomb Raider isn’t all about fighting. It’s totally common to spend five minutes exchanging fire with a group of enemies, then go 45 without seeing a soul. These breaks in battle are filled with great platforming segments, clever puzzles, and adrenaline-pumping set piece moments, and the pacing throughout is unrivaled by any other game in the genre. Even the rate at which Lara obtains new weapons and equipment–like rope arrows that open up new sections of some zones on the island–is admirable, as you snag new gear right up until the final chapters.

Tomb Raider’s single-player campaign alone is worth the price of admission for new-comers, but its multiplayer component will be a welcome addition for those looking for a bit more longevity. Multiplayer maps are filled with climbable ledges, zip lines, and level-specific traps that are perfect for scoring easy kills. There are some pretty decent modes to keep things interesting for awhile, too, such as Cry for Help in which one team must capture a series of control points before the other kills and loots 20 players. That said, the multiplayer doesn’t feel as genre-defining as the campaign, as it doesn’t really introduce anything new to keep you interested after a dozen matches or so.

Even if you’ve never been a huge fan of Lara Croft’s fortune-hunting adventures, Tomb Raider is sure to impress. Its expert sense of pacing, captivating setting, and dark tone create a truly memorable experience that’s further enhanced by an immense level of detail. Lara Croft, the old Lara Croft, is dead. In place of a dolled-up gunslinger is a do-what-it-takes survivor–and I hope she hasn’t had her fill of adventuring just yet.

Is the Definitive Edition worth buying? The improvements are too subtle and gimmicky for me to recommend that experienced Tomb Raiders–people who have already finished the game on PS3 or Xbox 360–drop $50 / £40 on the next-gen version. However, if you own a PS4 or Xbox One, and you haven’t yet experienced the new Tomb Raider, then you should leap any chasm and murder any hired merc who stands in your way until you’ve got this playing on your console… It’s still brilliant, and the Definitive Edition is the superior version.

The post Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition review appeared first on Game News.

The typical Japanese role-playing game runs on a predictable cycle. Step one: Run around fields while world-threatening events unfold. Step two: Watch as the screen fizzles into a battle scenario. Step three: Tap buttons while your rag-tag team of heroes stares awkwardly at assailants until an invisible gauge gives them permission to attack. Step four: repeat steps one through three. For, like, 100 hours.

Sometimes, though, JRPGs–such as the recently released Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch–step outside the safety zone of traditional turn-based battles, implementing an interesting spin on a tried and true system. Even if you’re bored by the classic JRPG formula, there are many games that provide wholly original takes on combat, spicing up the status quo by providing you with something totally different. Thought turn-based JRPGs were all the same? Here are 10 that will prove you wrong.

Legend of Legaia (1998, PlayStation)

Legend of Legaia is basically a Pokemon tale gone wrong. For years, humans lived in harmony with Seru. These magical creatures bestowed mankind with badass powers, such as the ability to fly, or to shoot electricity from the eyes (which serves no practical purpose, but is awesome). Then a foreign mist enveloped the land, driving the Seru mad and causing them to brutally murder, like, 85 percent of the world’s population. With the power of Ra-Seru–sentient beings immune to the maddening effects of the mist–your party is the world’s only hope.

Combat in Legend of Legaia allows you to specify the location of each character’s attack. For example, you could strike with your left or right hand, dealing damage based on your equipped weapon or Ra-Seru’s level; alternatively, you could perform a high or low attack, which would only connect with enemies whose heights were appropriate to the input. Because you could select multiple inputs for each attack phase, you could uncover special Arts by experimenting with various striking combinations, adding tons of depth to the traditionally static JRPG battle system.

Xenogears (1998, PlayStation)

Often regarded as one of the best JRPGs ever created, Xenogears is heavy handed with its philosophical and religious undertones. Though its complex plot and sci-fi themes wowed millions (and bored others to tears after 80-plus hours of Freudian mumbo-jumbo), it’s also revered for its interactive combat system.

During battle, you can attack with a variety of martial arts moves, varying between strong, moderate, and weak strikes. Each requires a certain number of Action Points to use, but by chaining certain combinations of attacks together, you can unlock special moves called Deathblows. Many of the game’s battles also take place in Mech form, as most playable characters have access to a giant robot, called a Gear. Here, combo chains work much in the same way as they do in character battles, with AP replaced by a Fuel resource. Whether or not you can comprehend the high-brow narrative, bashing in enemy robots with a giant mech translates to pure unadulterated fun 100 percent of the time.

Grandia (1999, PlayStation)

While many JRPGs in the late ’90s featured edgy teens with radical attitudes, Grandia showcased the campier side of adventuring. Its protagonist, Justin, was just a normal tween dude who wanted nothing more than to explore the world and… ladies’ underpants. Okay, so Justin had a bit of a perverted side to him. Aaaand, for a kid, he sure was good at killing things–in the name of self defense, of course.

At first glance, Grandia employs the typical turn-based battle system found in most JRPGs. But the real difference is in the way you can cancel out enemy attacks. During combat, a bar at the bottom of the screen shows when each character and enemy will be allowed to select an action for that turn–and once an action is chosen, a brief window of time must elapse before it can be carried out. Attacking enemies during this window will cancel their turn, forcing their action bar to reset. This imbued each fight with an element of strategy, and some of the tougher boss battles became more a game of learning how best to keep your foe from striking.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003, Game Boy Advance)

The Mario & Luigi RPG series immediately separates itself from its JRPG brethren with its light-hearted charm and goofy personality alone. While its witty dialogue and fun narrative are sure to entertain outside of battles, the brawls themselves will keep a smile on your face thanks to their interactive nature.

Battles place an emphasis on timed button presses, as hitting a certain button at the same time an attack lands grants extra damage. Conversely, doing so when an enemy attacks allows Mario and Luigi to mitigate incoming attacks or dodge them all together. In fact, some players can get so precise that they can clear most random encounters without taking a single point of damage.

Resonance of Fate (2010, PlayStation 3)

Resonance of Fate is basically a John Woo movie in JRPG form. Unlike just about every other game in the genre, it ditches swords and spells in favor of firearms and fast, stylish battles, where your characters slide across the ground while firing, or effortlessly cartwheel through the air while raining death from above. Combat in Resonance of Fate is like watching an anime with guns–unfortunately it’s a bit difficult to fully grasp.

At the start of each battle, you can choose to move your character across a linear path. Once movement begins, you select the targets you want to attack. Then, if you want to get John Woo fancy, you can launch your characters into the air and perform an aerial assault with the push of a button. There are all sorts of strategic tactics necessary for taking down some of the game’s toughest foes–but every battle, no matter how insignificant, is a visual eyegasm.

Valkyrie Profile (2000, PlayStation)

The tragedy of each of your party members in Valkyrie Profile is that they’re dead. Well, technically they’re souls of fallen soldiers, but yeah–they’re totally dead. As the valkyrie Lenneth, it’s your job to travel the world, recruiting said warriors in preparation for the final apocalyptic battle in Valhalla. Fortunately, the lost souls in this Norse mythology-inspired JRPG make for great combat companions.

To prepare your recruits, you’ll have to engage in plenty of fights to show them the ropes. During Valkyrie Profile’s combat, all party members share a turn during the attack phase and can attack simultaneously. Because each party member is mapped to one of the controller’s face buttons, you can string together attack combos for extra damage while building up the Hit Gauge. If you succeed in maxing out the Hit Gauge in a single turn, one of your characters will unleash a powerful special attack dealing insane amounts of damage.

Fate/Extra (2011, PSP)

Fate/Extra follows many JRPG tropes to the T. An amnesiac hero/heroine wakes up in a strange, foreign world, where he or she must fight in some war, because apparently that’s the only way to recover lost memories. Oh, and you get to own a servant, who is forced to aid you in to-the-death battles, which are challenging encounters for everyone involved because surviving said battles requires more luck than skill.

Combat here will definitely keep you on your toes, as it takes a rock-paper-scissors approach to the turn-based formula. You and your opponent must select a series of inputs: Attack, Break, or Guard, each of which trumps another. As the combat phase unfolds, each selection is revealed one by one, and damage is doled out based on how many of your moves overpower those of your enemy. The key here is memorizing enemy attack patterns. Death can be a tad annoying considering it often requires you to sit through lengthy bits of exposition to get back into the fight.

The Legend of Dragoon (2000, PlayStation)

Dragons are fruit. Humans are fruit. Every living thing that exists, technically, is a fruit according to The Legend of Dragoon, because in its lore, all life is born from the branches of a Divine Tree. Which, as it turns out, was being threatened by a few… bad apples. While the game’s story was your typical “save everyone” affair, its combat system was rather revolutionary.

During battle, each attack would turn into a time-based Guitar Hero-esque mini game, where you’d have to hit a button with exact precision as a moving window overlapped with a static one. Successfully completing these “Additions” leveled up the power of your attacks while accruing Spirit Points, which allowed you to transform into an awesome dragon/human hybrid called a Dragoon. The cool-factor here is reduced significantly once you realize that Dragoons, too, are fruit.

Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier (2009, Nintendo DS)

Imagine a Firefly video game full of awesome mechs and space pirates, but replace every Chinese curse word with a boob joke. Then follow every boob joke up with a cartoon animation of a female character moving, which in turn causes her impossible bust to jiggle with the ferocity of a thousand suns. Also, make the whole thing an anime. That’s basically Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier. Half the fun of playing it is getting your mind blown by its ridiculous presentation and surprisingly witty dialog. The other half is derived from beating things up.

While it’s certainly not the first JRPG to feature combo-driven battles, it’s definitely one of the only ones to allow you to chain together 400-plus attacks with the successful execution of timing-based inputs. It’s whacky in all the right ways–and even if you don’t find its crass humor particularly amusing, you’re sure to be spellbound by its balls-to-the-wall brawls.

Radiant Historia (2011, Nintendo DS)

Atlus’ Radiant Historia is interesting for many reasons. For starters, it features one of the most non-linear time-traveling mechanics in RPG history, where each action you take in one era will greatly affect the events of another. But Radiant Historia has also garnered a lot of praise for its adaptation of the turn-based battle system.

Combat here is all about positioning and turn control. Each skirmish takes place on a 3×3 grid, where damage is based on the distance between you and your foe. More importantly, using certain attacks allows you to move enemies to certain locations on the battle grid–if you can manage to stack them on the same spot, your attacks will strike all of them at once. Turn manipulation also plays a big role in the game, as you can choose to have a character swap a combat turn with another, a mechanic of great strategic importance that often means the difference between life and death.

Victory!

Some JRPGs focus so heavily on story that they often neglect to make the battle system interesting, so it’s refreshing when one comes along and spices things up a bit. What are some of your favorite turn-based JRPGs? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Attack! 10 turn-based JRPGs that dared to be different appeared first on Game News.

The Japanese games industry had the final word in video games for years, but this console generation has seen its publishers’ and developers’ global relevance fade. EDGE translated a 4Gamer interview with Square Enix technical director Yoshihisa Hashimoto about how Square plans to keep producing relevant and riveting triple-A games 20 years in the future.

“From my perspective, I think Square Enix exists because of the high end,” Hashimoto said. “I would like for more lavishly made games to still be around. For example, I think 20 or so years from now, we’ll still have 2D card games, and casual puzzle games. The demand won’t go away, so neither will the games. In the same way, the demand for triple-A games won’t disappear either, though I feel we’ll have to work hard to ensure their survival.”

He said Square Enix’s next-gen Luminous Studio engine, which was demonstrated in a video dubbed Agni’s Philosophy, is a sign of self-reliance when others reach for externally produced tools. He said this frees up developers to pursue their own vision instead of compromising to match with others.

The first game on Luminous Studio is in production, but Hashimoto couldn’t offer anything more about it. He did say that the engine will be useful for a range of games and platforms, not just triple-A console titles.

“I believe Japan is capable of producing interesting games, but looking at the influence, we are being pushed around by western games without a doubt,” Hashiomoto said. However, seeing renewed Japanese efforts, like the Fox Engine powering Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes, is inspiring.

“Recently, it feels like the Japanese game industry hasn’t lost, and is gradually pushing back,” he said. “For us not to lose, we really have to exert ourselves… But, I feel encouraged.”

The post Japanese games industry “pushing back,” Square Enix tech director says appeared first on Game News.

A wave of groans followed theinitial discovery (opens in new tab)of Square Enix’s plans torerelease Final Fantasy VII (opens in new tab)on the PC, but today those should be subsided a little bit. Square Enix confirmed to Kotaku today that the title will not use microtransactions despite earlier indications to the contrary.

The initial discovery of the re-release came with the realization that SE mentioned that players would be able to buff their characters or buy Phoenix Downs “with the click of a button.” Many assumed (and justly so) that this indicated a plan to include microtransactions or a pay-to-win strategy for the game.

“No, the Character Booster will not cost real money to use,” a Square Enix representative said to Kotaku (opens in new tab). “We’ll have final pricing info on the game to share soon, but we can confirm that there will be no microtransactions for the upcoming rerelease of Final Fantasy VII on PC.”

So while this does indicate that Square Enix will not be trying to squeeze extra pennies out of customers, there still remains the issue of fundamentally altering the balance of a classic game. We don’t know the specific details yet, but it still sounds like they’re turning this into a Final Fantasy VII sight-seeing tour. We’re not sure how we feel about that.

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The Hitman: Absolution Sniper Challenge DLC is a Chicago rooftop sniping mission that allows you to unlock items for use in the full game when it releases this November. To get the special upgrades you’ll need to beat the scores set for each item. To get the scores needed you‘ll need to complete the challenges that are hidden within the game to increase your point modifiers.

Since we’re the helpful type here at Gamesradar, we’ve put this guide together to show you how to complete each and every one of the hidden challenges and get the most out of your killing. With these challenges under your belt, you’ll be able to work on unlocking each upgrade all that much quicker and be stacked, ready for the real game.

Here is a full list of the unlockable upgrades:

Agency Kazo TRG – unlocks at start of challenge
Silencer – unlocks at start of challenge

Controlled Breathing I – Unlocks at 10,000 points
Extended Clip I – Unlocks at 300,000 points
Rapid Fire Bolt I -Unlocks at 1,000,000 points
Magazine Well I – Unlocks at 2,500,000 points

Controlled Breathing II – Unlocks at 7,000,000 points
Extended Clip II – Unlocks at 9,000,000 points
Rapid Fire Bolt II -Unlocks at 12,000,000 points
Magazine Well II – Unlocks at 15,000,000 points

Controlled Breathing III – Unlocks at 20,000,000 points
Extended Clip III – Unlocks at 30,000,000 points
Rapid Fire Bolt III -Unlocks at 40,000,000 points
Magazine Well III – Unlocks at 50,000,000 points

Challenges:

• Leap of the Ninja
• No Pigeons Were Harmed
• Bored Chipmunk
• Long Live the Patriot
• Gnome Invasion
• Elevated
• Ohh Mine Got!
• It’s a Trap
• Rapid Execution
• Crack all Eggs
• WOW!
• Mr. X
• Fly By Prevented
• Rub the Duck

RELATED GUIDES

Hitman: Absolution Silent Assassin Guide

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In case you’re still unclear, Travis is the fake one. You can find out more about him by scanning the QR barcode at 1:01 or skipping the hard work and heading straight to The Barcode Society website.

Up next is a behind-the-scenes interview with Powers Boothe (24, Deadwood) and Shannyn Sossamon (A Knight’s Tale), the voices behind the Hitman: Absolution’s Benjamin Travis and Jade, respectively. See what it takes to thrive in the voice acting biz in the video below:

Hitman: Absolution is on track for a late 2012 release on PS2, Xbox 360, and PC. Skim Square’s faux-headlines for more info in Hitman: Absolution makes (fake) front page news.

The post Hitman: Absolution trailers offer background intel appeared first on Game News.

Let’s celebrate with the latest Japanese trailer, shall we?

Kingdom Hearts 3D picks up after the events of Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, and follows Sora and Riku as they attempt to wake up seven Disney themed worlds that have been put to “sleep” by pesky Dream Eaters. The journey includes trips to worlds based on numerous Disney properties, including Tron, Fantasia, Pinocchio, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Three Musketeers; as well as original Kingdom Hearts areas like Traverse Town and the World That Never Was. Fans of the franchise will also learn more about Organization XIII, what it means to be a Keyblade Master, and the true power of friendship [cue: theme to Toy Story].

Seeing as Kingdom Hearts 3D was just released in Japan last month, this will be a short wait for North Americans. However, as Sileconera points out, the speedy localization may also mean a lack of extra goodies. Which is alright, because judging by GR’s impressions from last year’s TGS (lovingly reproduced in TGS 2011: Kingdom Hearts 3D hands-on preview), the core game will be more than enough for Kingdom Hearts enthusiasts.

The post Kingdom Hearts 3D North American release date marked for summer appeared first on Game News.

With little to go on in the trailer (hell, we couldn’t even tell if protagonist Agent 47 is still bald), Square Enix did let a few morsels of info slip, the most important one being the title’s 2012 release date. Read on from the press release:

HITMAN ABSOLUTION follows Agent 47, a cold-blooded assassin, who takes on his most dangerous contract to date. Betrayed by those he once trusted — and now hunted by the police — he suddenly finds himself at the center of a dark conspiracy and must embark on a personal journey through a corrupt and twisted world.

“For the first time we are taking Agent 47 on a personal journey which allows us to explore other parts of the Hitman fantasy,” said Tore Blystad, game director, IO Interactive. “This is both a familiar and yet significantly different experience from other Hitman games; something our silent assassins will relish, as will all those new to the Hitman world.”

Showcasing IO Interactive’s new proprietary Glacier 2™ technology, the game has been built from the ground up. Boasting a cinematic story, distinctive art direction and highly original game design, HITMAN ABSOLUTION combines much-loved classic gameplay with completely new features never seen before in the Hitman franchise.

We feel pretty safe in assuming we’ll learn much at E3, so at least that’s something to look forward to at what will surely be an otherwise humdrum and uninteresting event. In the meantime, why not read our old UK pal’s predictions (opens in new tab)on what they think the game should be.

May 10, 2011

With little to go on in the trailer (hell, we couldn’t even tell if protagonist Agent 47 is still bald), Square Enix did let a few morsels of info slip, the most important one being the title’s 2012 release date. Read on from the press release:

HITMAN ABSOLUTION follows Agent 47, a cold-blooded assassin, who takes on his most dangerous contract to date. Betrayed by those he once trusted — and now hunted by the police — he suddenly finds himself at the center of a dark conspiracy and must embark on a personal journey through a corrupt and twisted world.

“For the first time we are taking Agent 47 on a personal journey which allows us to explore other parts of the Hitman fantasy,” said Tore Blystad, game director, IO Interactive. “This is both a familiar and yet significantly different experience from other Hitman games; something our silent assassins will relish, as will all those new to the Hitman world.”

Showcasing IO Interactive’s new proprietary Glacier 2™ technology, the game has been built from the ground up. Boasting a cinematic story, distinctive art direction and highly original game design, HITMAN ABSOLUTION combines much-loved classic gameplay with completely new features never seen before in the Hitman franchise.

We feel pretty safe in assuming we’ll learn much at E3, so at least that’s something to look forward to at what will surely be an otherwise humdrum and uninteresting event. In the meantime, why not read our old UK pal’s predictions (opens in new tab)on what they think the game should be.

May 10, 2011

With little to go on in the trailer (hell, we couldn’t even tell if protagonist Agent 47 is still bald), Square Enix did let a few morsels of info slip, the most important one being the title’s 2012 release date. Read on from the press release:

HITMAN ABSOLUTION follows Agent 47, a cold-blooded assassin, who takes on his most dangerous contract to date. Betrayed by those he once trusted — and now hunted by the police — he suddenly finds himself at the center of a dark conspiracy and must embark on a personal journey through a corrupt and twisted world.

“For the first time we are taking Agent 47 on a personal journey which allows us to explore other parts of the Hitman fantasy,” said Tore Blystad, game director, IO Interactive. “This is both a familiar and yet significantly different experience from other Hitman games; something our silent assassins will relish, as will all those new to the Hitman world.”

Showcasing IO Interactive’s new proprietary Glacier 2™ technology, the game has been built from the ground up. Boasting a cinematic story, distinctive art direction and highly original game design, HITMAN ABSOLUTION combines much-loved classic gameplay with completely new features never seen before in the Hitman franchise.

We feel pretty safe in assuming we’ll learn much at E3, so at least that’s something to look forward to at what will surely be an otherwise humdrum and uninteresting event. In the meantime, why not read our old UK pal’s predictions (opens in new tab)on what they think the game should be.

May 10, 2011

With little to go on in the trailer (hell, we couldn’t even tell if protagonist Agent 47 is still bald), Square Enix did let a few morsels of info slip, the most important one being the title’s 2012 release date. Read on from the press release:

HITMAN ABSOLUTION follows Agent 47, a cold-blooded assassin, who takes on his most dangerous contract to date. Betrayed by those he once trusted — and now hunted by the police — he suddenly finds himself at the center of a dark conspiracy and must embark on a personal journey through a corrupt and twisted world.

“For the first time we are taking Agent 47 on a personal journey which allows us to explore other parts of the Hitman fantasy,” said Tore Blystad, game director, IO Interactive. “This is both a familiar and yet significantly different experience from other Hitman games; something our silent assassins will relish, as will all those new to the Hitman world.”

Showcasing IO Interactive’s new proprietary Glacier 2™ technology, the game has been built from the ground up. Boasting a cinematic story, distinctive art direction and highly original game design, HITMAN ABSOLUTION combines much-loved classic gameplay with completely new features never seen before in the Hitman franchise.

We feel pretty safe in assuming we’ll learn much at E3, so at least that’s something to look forward to at what will surely be an otherwise humdrum and uninteresting event. In the meantime, why not read our old UK pal’s predictions (opens in new tab)on what they think the game should be.

May 10, 2011

The post Hitman: Absolution officially announced for 2012 with painfully vague teaser appeared first on Game News.