The Hitman franchise has maintained an impressive consistency for more than 20 years, albeit with one glaring exception - 2012's Hitman: Absolution. Though Absolution certainly looked the part, it also saw developer IO Interactive severely water-down the series' popular action-stealth formula, presumably in an attempt to make it more appealing to a broader audience and rake in some extra cash. Yet almost every change made was for the worse, from its more linear levels to its frustrating disguise system, divisive instinct mechanic, and risible mess of a story. The six-year wait after fan favourite entry Hitman: Blood Money certainly did Absolution no favours at all, and for it to then feel like a supremely dumbed-down experience ensured it became the de facto franchise black sheep. Absolution isn't a bad stealth game per se, but it is a bad Hitman game, and even the mechanical clunkiness of the 2000 original far outpaces what this cynical sequel had to offer.