I think it’s fair to say that PC Gamer and Hitman: Blood Money have a long, storied relationship. Jim Rossignol once said that 'I never get tired of Hitman: Blood Money's inventiveness', while Tom Francis described the assassination sim as 'one of the richest, most open-ended and enduringly satisfying games ever.'
That sounds like high praise but, let me tell you, if you've not experienced Hitman: Blood Money then I too would argue that you've not enjoyed the best that the series has to offer. This is because while the more recent Hitman games technically outshine this instalment, it is in Blood Money where the Hitman series' violent, absurd and puzzle-filled heart shines brightest.
Which is why I'm making this timed discount on Blood Money visible to the PC gaming community, with the game reduced by 90 per cent down to under a buck/pound. For me, if you don't own Blood Money, then this is a no-brainer pick-up. Like Hitman himself, for a matter of cents/pennies, you can make a killing.
I've spent longer playing Hitman: Blood Money than any other game in the series thanks to its brilliant balance between rewarding stealth, ice cool combat, satisfying puzzle-solving and, at times, laugh-out-loud absurdity. A fantastic game, and one that currently has over 10,000 'Very Positive' reviews on Steam.
I think the thing I like best about Hitman: Blood Money is just how diverse its levels are, with each contract mission picked up by Agent 47 taking him to a wildly different locale than before. These range from tropical villas, to opera houses, to run-of-the-mill housing estates in suburbia and onto the mardi gras-filled streets of Louisiana, among others.
It's not just an aesthetic thing, either, as these levels have a delightful amount of possibilities in terms of how you navigate their puzzles and, yes, how you execute your assignments. Trust me, it will take you many, many playthroughs of these levels to fully appreciate just how much choice there is available to you as the player.
Is the AI in Blood Money the best? No, as this delightful exploitation speedrun shows. But it is consistent and, often, very funny, adding to the game's darkly absurd overall tone. Meanwhile, the key fun stuff like assassinations, stealth and combat all feel great. You're definitely playing this game wrong if you're running around blazing off assault rifles left, right and centre, but it feels good when you do. While pulling off the perfect assassination to grab the coveted 'Silent Assassin' award always feels fantastic.
Anyway, I've praised this game enough now, and almost certainly nowhere near as good as Jim and Tom did, so if you want more reasons to play then go read their words. Simply put, though, I recommend Hitman: Blood Money. And especially so at this price, which feels the perfect time to add it to your Steam collection if you haven't already.
