So, you finally managed to translate all of that killer PC mouse control to your console games. Your reflexes are back up to par, and you are once again king of the first-person shooters. Why is it that you seem to be having so much trouble with Hitman 2: Silent Assassin? Why does it seem like there’s something missing? Could it be the lack of rocket launchers and plasma rifles? Maybe that’s it. Or, on the other hand, it may just be that it’s time to think about things a little bit differently. After all, there’s a big difference between a soldier and an assassin, at least as far as technique is concerned.
Welcome back to the world of the professional hitman. It’s an interesting world, filled with interesting people. Most of those interesting people carry guns and aren’t real keen on your tall, bald gun-toting self. That being the case, the first lesson in surviving in this world is to avoid meeting all these people. It only sounds anti-social—don’t get too bummed out. You’ll have plenty of chances to say “hi” to the locals during your time here.
Now, that being said, the obvious question is, “How do I avoid all these people?” Well, there are a couple tactics you can try, but the one I recommend the most is one of the most easily overlooked. Consult the map, young Grasshopper. That crazy little digital readout will show you where everything is, not to mention where most everyone is. Have a look at who is around you and where you’ll be able to hide from them. Just remember: While you are being so studious, the world is still turning. People are still moving around, and if you aren’t careful, someone may find you with your nose buried in your controller. Then, it’s just a matter of you being buried with your controller.
For those occasions where being a sneaky (as in invisible/stealthy) fellow just isn’t an option, I highly recommend the tried-and-true “steal someone else’s civvies, and pretend you don’t get paid to blast folks into little bitty pieces” routine. It’s a straightforward idea, really. You find some poor guy off by himself, away from any prying eyes, and dispose of the poor stiff. You don’t have to kill him; you could always just drug the poor fellow. At any rate, once you’ve incapacitated your victim, drag him someplace out of sight, where no wandering passerby will notice his soon to be naked body, and take his clothes. Presto! You are now an instant bad-guy look alike! Of course, you still need to use some common sense. If you stole a fireman’s clothes, you shouldn’t be seen running around with a shotgun; mailmen don’t carry guns either (hopefully), and a sniper rifle isn’t something anyone walks around the streets with. Give a bit of thought to which person you are trying to be, and where they can go normally. If you start wandering around in places that the locals don’t think you should be in, the gig is up. A disguise that might work marvelously in one area will probably get you shot in others. Should you be found out, or if all else fails, you can try to find another victim and confuse the poor guards even more. Just make sure no one sees you do it and that no one finds the poor guy you left laying in the snow bank in nothing but his BVDs.
Now, why are we bothering to be sneaky like this? After all, you’re a tough guy, right? You’ve got a bunch of guns, some knives, a rifle or two, and maybe even some explosives. Why not just go Rambo on them and get it over with? Well, think about it. You are a Hitman. Someone pays you to kill someone else. You aren’t being paid to be a hero. You aren’t rescuing the damsel in distress just for grins. Nope, you are a professional, so start thinking like one. Bullets are expensive, guns are noisy, and ticking off the entire garrison of border guards or mafia thugs is probably a bad idea. If nothing else, it’s just plain messy. So keep your head down, your eyes open, and your gun hidden. You never know when you might be able to just stroll right past that squad of machine-gun-toting soldiers, smiling to yourself and knowing just how close they came to death.
