Hitman: Absolution is the fifth game in the stealth assassin series starring Agent 47 as the protagonist. The story continues after the events of Hitman: Blood Money . 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 is more linked together, with sections where 47 travels from one location to another. The basic gameplay of infiltrating locations to take out a specific target and disappearing again is still present. Points are scored by completing primary and secondary objectives, along with the chosen method. Choosing 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. In addition, there are separate challenges to complete, such as using a certain amount of different weapons or disguises. Points can be used to access upgrades that enhance Agent 47's skills.
The core gameplay is still based around looking for cover, taking out and dragging people out of sight, and some acrobatic maneuvers. Certain parts of the environment can be used to jump or to hang on a ledge, but not everything. A feature called Instinct shows whether a certain part can be used or not. Instinct is gathered through actions in the game. It can also be used to activate Point Shooting, which allows Agent 47 to stop time, mark opponents, and then continue to fire and kill quickly in succession.
Agent 47's main weapon is the signature Silverballer pistol with a silencer. Two of them can be equipped and used together. Weapons left behind by enemies can also be picked up and used. In addition, there are room for gadgets such as a piano string, but also items found in the environment that can be used to kill or create a distraction.
In Hitman: Absolution , players can complete Contracts as an asynchronous multiplayer mode. These are custom tasks created by the developer or other players. Anyone can mark a specific target in a level and determine how they ought to be killed, based on a certain weapon or disguise for instance.
Hitman: Absolution was released on Xbox 360 on January 24th, 2013.