Hitman 3

Rich, rewarding, and highly replayable, Hitman 3 is one of the barcoded butcher's best appearances.

What's good about Hitman--its level design and the creativity, experimentation, and exploration that affords--is great in Hitman 3. It closes out the trilogy by brilliantly playing off everything that came before it

Meanwhile, it's clear that next-gen consoles get a more refined, smoother and prettier experience - even if there is the sense that Hitman 3 isn't specifically targeting the capabilities of the new hardware. But when a game looks as good as this, runs as well as this and features some superb new missions, it's difficult to complain.

A beautiful, deep, and endlessly replayable murder sandbox, featuring some of the best levels in the series.

Hitman’s Freelancer mode is something rare: an intoxicating blend of challenge and approachability. It plays on the hubris of longtime players, but also guides newcomers with thematic objectives and a more explicit overall structure. It may not allow for the micro-repetition that makes the base trilogy tick. But it does maintain a rapid momentum from the beginning of each run to its bitter, comical end. After so many hours spent with this trilogy, combing each of its locations for something, anything I missed, I did not think it possible for IO to surprise me anymore — but here we are.

A slick and entertaining conclusion to the trilogy.

Agent 47's journey ends on a high note, at least as far as players are concerned. New levels are memorable and cater to the freedom fans have come to expect

Industrialised murder probably shouldn't be this entertaining, but this final part of the trilogy is a minor masterpiece

Now that it’s over, I can confidently call IO Interactive’s “Hitman” trilogy one of the most consistently great series of games ever created. No other trilogy has expressed this much confidence and consistency in its execution. Agent 47′s story may be over for now, but these three games offer countless ways for you to tell your own stories.

IO continues its tug of war between Hitman: The Story and Hitman: The Assassin Simulation. For the most of Hitman 3 the latter wins out and delivers classic hit after classic hit. Wobbly conclusion aside, it’s a must for existing fans and a great introduction to gaming’s boldest, baldest stealth series.