Hitman: Absolution is the fifth game in the stealth assassin series starring Agent 47 as the protagonist. The story continues after the events of the previous game, where Diana Burnwood, Agent 47's handler with the International Contract Agency, goes rogue and sets up a sabotage operation that risks exposing the entire agency. Benjamin Travis reforms the agency and puts a hit on Burnwood, tasking Agent 47 to kill her and bring back the teenage girl Victoria that is in her care. Early on in the game he tracks down Diana, but hesitates when he has the opportunity to kill her. From there, the story unfolds into a larger conspiracy that puts the girl Victoria in the center. Compared to the previous game, 47 now often has an emotional bond with the victims and he becomes hunted himself as well.
The gameplay of Hitman: Absolution is centered around stealth and strategy. Agent 47 must infiltrate locations, take out specific targets, and disappear again without being detected. Points are scored by completing primary and secondary objectives, along with the chosen method. A careful approach based on stealth and non-lethal kills is always rewarded more. After missions, a ranking is shown and it is compared to players worldwide.
Agent 47's skills can be upgraded using points, enhancing abilities such as reduced visibility when hiding, increased accuracy when shooting, and faster melee combat. Certain parts of the environment can be used to jump or hang on ledges, but not everything. The Instinct feature shows whether a certain part can be used or not and can also be used to activate Point Shooting, allowing Agent 47 to stop time and quickly take out opponents.
Agent 47's main weapon is the Silverballer pistol with a silencer, which can be equipped with two of them at once. Enemies' left behind weapons can also be picked up and used, as well as gadgets such as piano strings and items found in the environment. To succeed, enemies must be isolated and their movement patterns studied.
In addition to the main mission, Contracts are available as an asynchronous multiplayer mode. These custom tasks can be created by the developer or other players, where targets are marked and killed based on specific conditions such as weapons or disguises. Up to three victims can be assigned to a single Contract.