Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal Switch Review
I love the Hitman Franchise, it’s an incredibly well-thought-out, almost strategy-like game that allows for experimentation and rewards the patient player. When I saw that Feral Interactive, the same Developers who had handled one of my most revered franchises, Company of Heroes with so much thought and care was behind this port, it was hard to contain my excitement to see another one of my favorite series land on the Switch. But now that I’ve played it, admittedly, a lot of that excitement has faded. What’s it like? Put on your gloves, grab your fiber wire, and prepare to blend in as we review “Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal for the Nintendo Switch.
Hitman: Blood Money sees you step into to shoes of Agent 47, a cunning and ruthless hitman tasked with taking down morally questionable people. To do this, you will employ stealth and tactics, study your opponents, and meticulously execute your plan… or grab some ammo and go to town. The freedom to do things how you want to do them is one of the core strengths of the Hitman series which seems to evolve with every iteration, and Blood Money sits at the midway point of the series so far, with only a game or two behind the current World of Assassination iteration on next-gen consoles.
Gameplay depends on how you want to play but usually revolves around gathering intel by studying routes, incapacitating people to assume identities to get you closer to the target, killing your target, and then escaping. There are 13 missions in all and depending on your playstyle, they can take around an hour to complete the first time around, and proficient Hitmen might be able to knock out targets within 15-20 minutes in a flawless run.
Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal is a straight port of Blood Money, with a few added modern features. Feral Interactive added in a very useful mini-map, that shows targets, guards, and civilians and what direction they are facing, making your job significantly easier, and “Instinct mode” that highlights objects and objectives. It’s limited when compared to the more recent entries that highlight your target from where you are, whilst the Blood Money Instinct mode is more for the immediate area. These can also be turned off for purists, but I personally loved the mini map which made life somewhat easier during my time with Hitman. It also features Gyro controls, which are off by default that can give you an edge in a shootout.
Graphically, the game has obviously aged since its initial 2006 release, and since the game is almost a straight port, there have been no upgrades to models or textures which leaves some areas looking a little plain, making the world seem a little sterile. That being said, the gameplay immerses you into its world so well you stop noticing after a while and can focus on the fun of the gameplay. The game performs at a smooth 30 frames per second, I only noticed a slight dip in one area, and for some reason, there can be small pauses when transitioning from gameplay to cutscene.
Composer Jesper Kyd nails the tone and tension with his expertly crafted orchestral score which nails the feeling of 47 being a shark swimming through bait fish. The soundtrack heavily employs choir vocals, strings, and intimidating percussion to reassure you that in the world of Hitman, you certainly are the Apex predator. The production value of the score is simply incredible, and much like Agent 47’s Firbre Wire, Kyd’s soundtrack is an essential tool that the Hitman series uses with deadly precision.
It’s not without its caveats, however, as my playtime was much like my morning walk in 36-degree heat, an exercise in frustration with bugs doing more work than the guards to stop you in your tracks. In my playthrough, I experienced many issues using the fiber wire in the tutorial, forcing restarts, as well as a certain path in the first mission: A Vintage Year being completely inaccessible due to a bug from the PC version triggered when your framerate is too high. This escape route severely impacts your ability to achieve a “Silent Assasin” ranking on that particular level. On the level after that, I had a particular false alert trigger, forcing me to restart since I was instantly shot as soon as anyone saw me. On restart, my UI bugged, giving me gibberish prompts, and confusingly, an ammo count for my fiber wire. There are also some traversal issues like climbing a ladder, only for 47 to immediately climb down. I have no doubt in my mind that Feral Interactive will have these issues ironed out fairly quickly due to the extremely high quality of their other work, but it should be noted to expect some bugs.
Despite this, Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal provides excellent value for money due to the nature of how you can perform hits. I imagine without using guides, new players might have to fumble their way through the first time, shooting their way out of situations. As the player’s experience grows, they will replay missions to become a silent assassin, expertly stalking their targets with ruthless efficiency. Like their previous titles, Feral Interactive has set a fair price point as well, delivering good value for money.
All in all, Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal is a little rougher than I expected, but with its modern improvements, replayable nature, and value for money, I recommend players should certainly give it a go unless you have it on another platform. It’s a fun and challenging experience that requires patience, skill, and hopefully a patch.
