Hitman: Blood Money [PC]

If the AI has a weak point, it's that something can happen on one side of a level without affecting what's on the other. For example, in the second mission you have to kill a drug lord and his son while they host a party in their South American hideaway. Even if you kill the son in a public setting, security doesn't increase around the father.

Agent 47 must have been doing some training in the off-season because the old boy is a bit more dexterous this time around. Hand-to-hand combat feels better than before and our imposing killer is quite the dexterous one. Moving around and interacting with the world is intuitive thanks to a context sensitive control scheme and the ability to change between first- and third-person views at any time. Most importantly, it's extremely ease to switch between movement and shooting. If it comes down to a shootout, a hair trigger is a necessity and Blood Money certainly has that.

Of the four versions, the PC and Xbox 360 versions look the best, but gameplay is identical across the board. As has become an aggravating standard, the price is not identical, which means Xbox 360 owners get stuck with an extra $20 charge. Who do we have to send Agent 47 after to fix this issue?

Despite a few quirks, Blood Money does an excellent job of drawing from the Hitman series without feeling like a rushed retread. Longtime fans will appreciate all the attributes that are emblematic of the series, while new players can embrace the improved controls and more accessible gameplay. Though all the elements are familiar, IO has polished them up and the end result is like a favorite dish: You know what it tastes like, but you're still looking forward to eating it.