Hitman: Episode 5 - Colorado
Overview -
The penultimate episode of IO's 'Hitman' sees Agent 47 dispatched to a private militia camp on an abandoned Colorado farmhouse. Tasked with eliminating four targets, 47 must tear the militia apart from within, and unravel a deadly plot that could lead to the end of ICA.
Video Review
IO has a tremendous eye for detail, and that certainly isn't lost here, giving the militia camp a lived-in feeling that works nicely. The scenery is rather dull and the art direction feels grim in a way I'm not at all fond of, which certainly doesn't help, but on a technical level, this is still a great looking game. The visual imagination of previous episodes, however, is sorely missed.
Audio Review
While this reboot has typically suffered from voicework that was far too American to work with any of its settings, the one mission that could excuse this issue strangely switches to a largely British cast for the majority of its NPCs. It's an odd decision, for sure, but the new cast does a much better job than those heard in any prior mission. Outside of this, sound design is fairly muted in stark contrast to how lively it's been in the past, but it does an excellent job of complementing this episode's tone.
Final Thoughts
Despite its low points, the tension that permeates 'Colorado' works tremendously in its favor, leading to a more consistently enjoyable 'Hitman' episode than 'Bangkok', which remains a low point for the game. While there isn't nearly as much personality or humor as there perhaps should have been, there's still plenty of fun and excitement to be found within the militia camp. It's also the biggest leap forward for the story thus far, and builds toward what should be a tremendous climax when the game's final episode hits next month.