The final release in IO Interactive's World of Assassination trilogy runs at a better resolution on Xbox Series X according to technical analysis of Hitman 3 by the team at Digital Foundry. An iterative but still satisfying sequel, Hitman 3 brings a few new mechanics to the table as it closes out the story that started out with 2016's Hitman reboot and packs in every level from all three games along the way. Whether players are in it for the double-crossing narrative or the chance to throw expired spaghetti sauce at hapless waiters, the new breed of Hitman has struck a chord with the gaming public.
This great reception has allowed developer IO Interactive to navigate turbulent business waters over the course of the trilogy's creation. What started as a franchise published by Square Enix has ended up as an independently published release, but the game seems no worse for wear. The change in publishing did necessitate some deals, including an exclusivity contract with the Epic Games Store that almost caused controversy regarding access to levels from Hitman 2 for PC players. However, IO Interactive stepped in and reassured players that no one would have to purchase anything more than once. Outside of that and a few technical issues with the online account system, the launch has been smooth sailing and players seem to enjoy the new set of levels in Hitman 3.
While this week's new Hitman is iterative in terms of gameplay, plenty of work has gone into making the game shine on current generation consoles. In a new video by Digital Foundry, John Linneman goes over Hitman 3 running on both Xbox Series X and Series S as well as the PlayStation 5 version. The game has a slight advantage on the most powerful Xbox, where it runs at a full 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. Both of the other machines share the same frame rate, with the Series S hitting its targeted 1080p resolution and the PlayStation 5 running at 1800p.
The higher resolution on Series X also comes with a few other graphical improvements when compared to Sony's machine. Players on Xbox can see shadow quality cranked to High in Hitman 3, while the PlayStation 5 aims for Medium. However, the Digital Foundry experts come to the conclusion that those differences are only marginal at best, concluding that Hitman 3 looks great no matter what platform players choose. This is great news considering that the game now houses all three titles' worth of content, future-proofing the entire trilogy for some time to come.
Hitman 3 marks the end of IO Interactive's successful Hitman reboot, and it seems that the developer has plenty on its plate going forward. It has already announced a deal with MGM to start work on a game based on the world of James Bond, which is about as logical a pairing of developer and franchise as one could imagine. Beyond that, it's possible that the team try their hand at rebooting Freedom Fighters, the other IP they carried with them from Square Enix when they went independent. It's a much more niche name than Hitman, but those that have played it before (including in its recent rerelease) will know that it could be worth the effort.
Source: Digital Foundry/YouTube
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January 22, 2021 at 05:05AM
