Hitman
2: Silent Assassin Sneaks Its Way Onto GameCube
Producer Clayton Palma
goes over the game’s most exciting features.
Sneaking around the back
alley, across the park and through the abandoned pub on 2nd street, we move
closer to our target. Relaxed, unaware of our presence, our target stays in
position. With silent movements so quiet that even a dog couldn’t hear us, we
spread out and surround the area, ensuring that no matter what our target will
not escape.
Inching closer and closer,
things nearly go awry when someone steps on a twig, breaking it in two. Hardly
noticeable to us, the broken twig made a sound that alerted the enemy.
Within a second of making
that careless move, our target attempted to make a run for it. Cutting him off,
we surrounded him, blocking off all exits. It was time to go in for the kill.
SQUASH!
"One ant down,
999,999,999,999,999 to go…"
Ever since the economy
dropped, the GameZone staff has been forced to pursue additional career
options. We knew a guy who had a brother whose friend desperately needed a
hitman to take out some termites that had infiltrated his garage. Performing as
well as we did, people from all around started giving us calls, asking us to rub
out whoever stood in their way. Ants, roaches, wasps, you name it – we’ll take
care of it.
Looking for pointers on our
newfound career, GameZone Online decided to speak with a professional in the
field: Hitman 2 producer Clayton Palma.
Other than it being a fun profession, what
made the game’s lead character become a hitman? What’s his story?
Clayton Palma:
Without giving too much away, Hitman was born to kill. Actually, he was
genetically engineered to be the ultimate assassin. In the first game, we learn
about his origins and how his creator betrayed him. In Hitman 2, Hitman tries to
live a peaceful life as a gardener in a Sicilian monastery, but he is eventually
lured back into the business when some very bad guys kidnap the only person he
considers a friend, the local priest.
Hitman 2 is going to have new audience on
the ‘Cube. What can GameCube owners (who are used to playing titles like Zelda
and Luigi’s Mansion) expect from this darker, grittier game?
CP:
They can expect sophisticated stealth gameplay, intense action, and a memorable
character doing what he does best.
Does Hitman 2 emphasize stealth, action, patience, or…?
CP:
You pretty much have to use all these to accomplish your missions. I think we
have an ideal balance of these elements.
Snipping weeds wasn’t very
exciting, so ___ went back to sniping enemies.
Have any improvements been made or has any
new content been added to the GameCube version?
CP:
No new content, but the GC version does have a higher resolution than the PS2
version.
Most games have either a third or
first-person view. What made the developers decide to give Hitman 2 both views?
CP:
A first-person view was highly requested when the first Hitman game came out.
Giving the player a choice of both views was the logical next step.
Aside from a shot to the head, what options do players have
when taking out an enemy?
CP:
Too numerous to really get in detail, but my favorite ones are the up-close and
personal takedowns with the fiber wire or melee weapons like the katana and
fireman’s axe.
In what ways will the enemy attempt to stop
the player from completing the mission? What battle tactics do enemies use?
CP:
Our AI will give players a challenge. Alerting guards is an almost certain way
of getting yourself killed, as they will radio for backup and take defensive
positions.
Ahhhhh, a nice quiet dinner
with family, friends,
and a hitman that wants to
assassinate us.
This being a non-linear game, what consequences will result
from making a bad decision?
CP:
In most cases, bad decisions result in alerting your target or the guards. It
doesn’t necessarily mean that the game is over, but it does become much tougher
and your overall rating will be lower.
How are the levels dispersed in the game – through missions,
stages, or something else?
CP:
The levels are broken down by missions and specific objectives within a certain
region of the world. For instance, the levels set in St. Petersburg require the
player to eliminate four generals in four memorable missions.
Beyond target elimination, what else will
players do in the game? What tasks and objectives will be placed before them?
CP:
Making the "hit" is always the foremost objective, but the Hitman will also need
to rescue certain individuals. For example, you will need to lead an informant
safely away from a high-security military base.
What are some of the environments that
players will explore in Hitman 2? Does all of the game take place indoors?
CP:
The game takes place both indoors and outdoors. We feature exotic locations
around the globe: Sicily, St. Petersburg, Japan, Malaysia, and India.
Whether using a handgun or a
crossbow, Hitman 2 is one deadly game.
Are there multiple story
paths and/or multiple endings in Hitman 2?
CP:
We have a single ending to Hitman 2, but how you get there is up to you.
Compared to the Xbox, PC and
PS2 versions, where does Hitman 2 stand graphically?
CP:
The game is basically the same on all platforms, though we did address a few
minor gameplay issues. We are taking advantage of some of the special rendering
hardware in the GameCube.
Was GameCube a difficult
platform to work with?
CP:
Absolutely not.
Did Nintendo request that
you censor any of the game’s violent content?
CP:
Not at all. This title is definitely a mature title, but there is definitely a
place for it in the GameCube lineup.
Thank you for your time.
For
more information on Hitman 2: Silent Assassin,
check out GameZone Online’s
interview with the game’s composer, Jesper Kyd. Also be sure to check out
our reviews of the game:
