Hitman: Contracts

Hitman: Contracts is the third entry in the stealth series about professional assassin Agent 47, released for Xbox in 2004 by Danish studio IO Interactive. The game is framed as the feverish memories of a badly wounded Agent 47 lying at death's door, replaying key missions from his past in his delirium - a device that elegantly explains why a number of missions loosely revisit and rework locations and targets from the first game, Hitman: Codename 47, this time in a darker, rawer, and graphically more advanced form.

As usual, the player plans the elimination of specific targets using disguises, silent kills, poisons, or staged accidents, with the game emphasizing patient observation of the environment, timing of guard patrols, and creative use of available tools over straightforward shooting. Each mission was scored on how discreetly it was carried out - the number of innocents killed, alarms triggered, and weapons left behind all factored into the final rating, so only a player who moved through a level practically unseen reached the highest marks. Stolen uniforms were no guarantee of safety, either, since more alert guards could spot the deception up close.

Contracts brought a darker, more grotesque tone with an even more morbid edge than previous entries, reflected in atmospheric, almost horror-like locations such as an abandoned slaughterhouse or a hotel full of sadistic guests, all underscored by ever-present rain, fog, and muted colors. Critics praised the atmosphere, the return to beloved locations shown in a new light, and the improved guard AI, all of which placed Hitman: Contracts among the strongest entries in the series and cemented IO Interactive's reputation as masters of thoughtful stealth action ahead of the towering Blood Money. The framing device of memory also tied old and new fans of the series together with one consistent narrative.