Hitman 2

Agent 47 returns in Hitman 2, a 2018 stealth game from IO Interactive. The story picks up after the 2016 Hitman, with 47 hunting the Shadow Client, a figure trying to dismantle Providence, a shadowy cabal controlling world events. Providence offers 47 answers about his past in exchange for help. The game drops the episodic format of its predecessor, offering six sprawling sandbox locations at launch: a New Zealand vineyard, the Miami Grand Prix, a Colombian rainforest, the crowded streets of Mumbai, a Vermont suburb, and a castle on the fictional island of Sgàil. Post-launch updates added New York and the Maldives. Players explore these hubs freely, blending in and improvising kills. Two multiplayer modes, Sniper Assassin and Ghost Mode, launched but had their servers shut down; Sniper Assassin remains playable solo.

Development was turbulent. Square Enix, the series' publisher, sold IO Interactive after the 2016 game's sales fell short, leading to a management buyout. The studio became independent, laid off half its staff, and scaled back the sequel, which was 25% complete. The existing game engine sped things up, and Hitman 2 was finished in 21 months. Warner Bros. released it on PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in November 2018, with a Stadia version arriving in 2020.

Critics praised the varied locations, sandbox design, and gameplay improvements over the 2016 game. The story and multiplayer modes received mixed reactions. Hitman 2 recouped costs but launched in a crowded window, hurting sales. In January 2023, IO Interactive rebranded Hitman 3 as Hitman: World of Assassination, delisting Hitman 2 and making its content available to Hitman 3 owners for free. The trilogy concluded with Hitman 3 in 2021.[edit]

Hitman 2 retains the core sandbox stealth gameplay of its predecessor, placing players in large, open-ended levels where they must eliminate targets using creativity, disguise, and environmental interaction. Unlike the 2016 game's episodic release model, Hitman 2 launched as a complete package with six main locations. Each level is a dense, interactive sandbox where players can follow scripted Mission Stories or improvise their own methods. New gameplay features include the ability to hide in crowds, use a briefcase as a distraction or blunt weapon, and employ a new Sniper Assassin mode. The game also introduced a Ghost Mode multiplayer option.[edit]

The story picks up immediately after the 2016 Hitman. Agent 47, now working for the International Contract Agency (ICA), is tasked with hunting the Shadow Client, a mysterious figure trying to dismantle Providence, a shadowy cabal controlling global events. Providence offers 47 answers about his past in exchange for his help in stopping the Shadow Client. The narrative unfolds across the six main locations, revealing that the Shadow Client is actually Lucas Grey, a former test subject from the same program that created 47. The climax takes place on the Isle of Sgàil, where 47 and Grey confront Providence's leaders. The story ends with a cliffhanger, setting up the trilogy's conclusion in Hitman 3.[edit]