Hitman: Codename 47 is a difficult game. That isn't to say it's not good; it is, but it took me literally a year to beat. You play as Agent 47, a member of the International Contract Agency, or ICA. You must use all your wits and skill to perform the contracts assigned to you by the Agency (because if you don't you'll get killed off before you can say John Rambo), avoiding detection and collateral damage at all costs. It starts off fairly simple; a rooftop snipe here, a car bombing there, but quickly escalates into nightmarishly difficult tasks such as taking out a Chinese crime lord who resides in his strangely massive restaurant or even disarming a nuclear bomb, all the while uncovering a conspiracy closer to home than 47 thinks. There are a couple of missions that force you to go loud, but only a couple, one of which isn't too bad. The graphics are bad by today's standards, but the style is fantastic and they were cutting edge when the game was released. The game also features a fantastic (if a little small) soundtrack by the renowned Jesper Kyd, who now composes for the Assassin's Creed series. It's incredible value for money, particularly if you're a fan of the franchise and want to see where it started, but be warned: the difficulty even on easy is obscene. Pick it up only if you don't mind having bald patches on your head.
