Released
in 2007, Hitman Trilogy includes PC editions the series' three most
popular, cross-platform releases: Silent Assassin (2002), Contracts
(2004) and Blood Money (2006). Silent Assassin, IO
Interactive's sequel to Codename 47, finds the Agent reluctantly pressed
into service once again, after his close friend and personal confidant,
a priest, is beaten and taken hostage by a gang of thugs. As a
professional assassin handicapped with a conscience, players will pursue
those responsible for this grievous error in judgment to the far
corners of the world. After receiving their briefing, players can go
about each mission as they see fit, for there is more than one way to
complete objectives. Most of the locales are in the heart of enemy
territory, requiring players to use stealth, caution, and careful
planning to find a safe entrance and carry out the hit without arousing
suspicions from enemy guards. As in the earlier
games, a large part of the Hitman's work in Contracts is gaining the
needed understanding of his target and surroundings. While a job may be
finished with a single, split-second shot, a great deal of preparation
often comes first. Proper surveillance can be invaluable, as
understanding the movements and routines of each target means
understanding the opportunities and risks of each job. Players will
choose from an assortment of possible weapons, each appropriate for
different situations. This tale begins in Paris, where Agent 47 finds
himself alone, trapped, and wounded. As usual, steel-nerved skill may be
all that saves the silent assassin from his own swift
execution. On the run from rival assassins, Agent 47
hops a plane to take care of business Stateside in Hitman: Blood Money.
Players will guide Agent 47 through a number of locales, including New
Orleans, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, as he performs hits. It's up to the
player to determine the manner in which a hit is executed, but the
"rookie training" mode can show amateur assassins how to help targets
have "accidents," by pushing the victim over a ledge or pinning him
underneath something heavy. Money earned from completed jobs varies
depending on the cleanliness and professionalism of the hit.