Despite its confusing release plan, Square Enix's Hitman certainly looks promising. The game is a reboot of sorts, returning Agent 47 back to his sandbox assassination gameplay roots.
For those curious to take the new Hitman for a spin, you'll soon have your chance (if you play on PlayStation 4, that is). The game's beta will arrive this weekend on Sony's console (it starts Feb. 12 to be exact), with PC gamers getting the chance to play on Feb. 19. You will, however, have to have preordered the game in order to give it a try.
Players will have the opportunity to play the prologue of the game, as Agent 47 is tasked with infiltrating a top secret recruitment and training facility. It will also shine light on how exactly Agent 47 came to be a part of the mysterious organization known as the ICA.
"The Prologue contains an introduction to the gameplay features and mechanics in Hitman, and two free-form training hits," Square Enix says. "You'll be able to replay each hit as many times as you wish throughout the beta period to complete the challenges and the multiple ways to take down your target — as you would expect."
Hitman's release plans were modified once again last month, when Square Enix announced that the first portion of the game will arrive on March 11 as planned, followed by new content releases in April and May. Players can buy each "episode" of the game individually or as a full package for $50. By releasing the game in parts, developer IO Interactive says it will be able to respond to feedback and study player behavior in ways not possible with a traditional game release. This, the developer believes, will lead to a higher quality product that it hopes to be the first step in a new generation of Hitman games.
You can check out the game's official beta trailer below.
