There is an obsession with the present that is rarely rewarded. It seems that the most innovative, fun and contemporary is always the latest thing that has come out when, on many occasions, it is something that has been with us for a while. Novelty does not always imply an improvement, a change for the better or an overcoming of what we already had. Sometimes looking back, and rescuing something old, allows us to see how sometimes the past hides jewels that still shine just like the first day.
Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal is a new version of the cult classic Hitman: Blood Money now available for Nintendo Switch. With some slight changes in the camera, controls, and the addition of a mini-map and Instinct Mode, which allows us to see interactable objects on the map, this is the definitive version of the game. Which is good news, because we are facing one of Agent 47’s best installments. One that offers us extraordinary freedom in wide, extraordinarily well-designed scenarios.
The premise is simple. We are Agent 47, a legendary assassin capable of carrying out jobs that no other assassin would be able to. In each mission, we have to eliminate one or several targets, trying to go unnoticed as much as possible. With interactive scenarios and many weapons at our disposal, going unnoticed, knowing the maps and the routines of the characters will be key to achieving our objectives.
This makes Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal not only replayable, but also a pleasure to replay. The same objectives can be achieved in very different ways between playthroughs, and it is perfectly possible to complete all the scenarios without firing a single shot. Or leaving a trail of corpses in our wake, if that’s more our style. But the possibility of making everything look like an accident, leaving no evidence except for one or two bodies, and our presence completely unnoticed, is one of the great pleasures of playing Hitman.
That being said, Hitman: Blood Money will be 18 years old in 2024. And that shows in the graphics and AI. It’s not a big deal, and you get used to it quickly, but it produces some comical results with enemies who seem not to see us at close distances, as well as textures that are unfamiliar even to the Switch. Not a big deal, but a little facelift would have made this edition go from wonderful to perfect.
Because that’s the question. Hitman: Blood Money is one of the best installments of Hitman and it runs perfectly on Nintendo Switch thanks to the great work of Feral Interactive. The loading screens are minimal and we haven’t found any noticeable frame drops. Something important for a game like this. With the additions of the instinct mode, the new camera, and the minimap, it is undoubtedly the best way to play again, or for the first time, a cult classic like this. Because Hitman: Blood Money Reprisal is still an absolute masterpiece. Whether you have played it before or have never played it, you won’t regret playing it on your Nintendo Switch.
