There’s no game around that can top 2016’s Hitman when it comes to its unique combo flavour of stealth, atmospheric storytelling through its NPCs and getting creative with the sandbox you find yourself in. In fact, the only game that can possibly out-Hitman IO Interactive’s resident assassin is Hitman 2, a sequel which builds on the foundation of the original by sharpening the best aspects of that episodic game into a fully realised sequel that is sharp enough to slice an atom in half.

IO Interactive isn't just thinking about the future of Agent 47 in Hitman 2, but rather their plans to keep the franchise running for many more years to come.

Hitman 2 isn’t just tweaking its formula while chucking in six new locations for you to explore and eviscerate in: It’s also going to be rejiggering the challenge of being an assassin

The world is a dangerous place, fraught with peril and all manner of ways in which to die horribly, stupidly or more often than not a combination of the two. That being said, a major metropolis is a hell of a great place to live in, when compared to the terror of…outside. Why deal with mosquitos, sub-par internet and the …

Sapienza. Colorado. Paris. These were just some of the locations available to players in Hitman’s 2016 return, scenic locales that were ripe with mystery, intrigue and the perfect corner from which to wrap some piano wire around the neck of an unsuspecting victim. Say what you will about the episodic approach of Hitman, but 2016’s return of the most iconic …

Hitman’s third episode might not have lived up to the ludicrously high benchmark set by the Sapienza stage, but it’s still an absolute masterpiece of crowded design and narrative ideas told through its visuals. Set in the hustle and bustle of the Marrakesh markets (Snail meat! People actually eat it and I’ve got plenty of it!), Marrakesh is a fascinating deep dive into the divide between the rich and the poor.

In Hitman 2, cameras are going to be an actual obstacle, as any suspicious activity picked up by them will land you in hot water.

Hitman 2 may not be changing its formula, but it doesn’t need to. Running with the momentum that 2016’s Hitman provided, IO Interactive’s return to a world of assassination is pretty much the game you remember…but better. Agent 47’s got a new bag of tricks, and there’s a ton of quality of life improvements present that makes the entire experience feel smoother, more refined and even more confident in its sandbox approach to mucking things up.