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In our demo, Elverdam pointed out a series of barges floating on the river surrounding the mansion. At the end of the fashion show, these launch fireworks to illuminate the night sky and dazzle guests. However, with a little effort, Agent 47 can also set these off early to lure guests out of the mansion, spread a little confusion among the guards, and slip through the cracks in the security unseen.

There have also been a number of other smart tweaks in other areas. The Instinct mode, for example, is less about telling the player exactly what to do and what’s around them, and instead now represents Agent 47’s innate assassin’s intuition. It shows enemies in his immediate surroundings that he could conceivable hear or see, and points of interaction that he’d naturally gravitate to.

Of course, since it is based on Contract modes, that means other players around the world can create new scenarios and designate the dozens of other NPCs in the area as a new target for Agent 47. Which means the sheer variety of strategies available to players is almost overwhelming.

What we’ve seen so far is highly promising. Using Absolution’s Contracts mode as a foundation on which to rebuild the classic Hitman experience has obviously worked for IO Interactive. Even this early, it seems the studio has confidently struck a balance between the approachability of Absolution, and Blood Money’s depth and freedom.