Hitman Episode 5: Colorado Review – Return To Nature

We’re back at it again with another story arch from developers IO Interactive in Hitman Episode 5: Colorado. This time Agent 47 has come stateside to the lovely, wilderness countryside of Denver, Colorado which is a total sidestep from the exquisite, and often posh city environments we’d seen in previous episodes.

Agent 47 heads to Colorado to track down a hacktivist named Olivia Hall who is a suspect in a bunch of cyber crimes. Soon enough the ICA finds out that Olivia Hall is located in a remote farm that also hosts a private militia training ground, however there is this other target who is the true culprit behind a much larger plot.

"What makes this scenario cool is the tight, cramped spaces the game gives this time around in certain areas."

What made the other episodes so enticing to the eyes were their exotic looks and new destinations not often visited in a video game. From environments that gave us a sense of luxury from many different parts of the world and a pseudo feel of the culture therein, we had a great opportunity to explore the cities, partake in some very open and beautiful estates, beaches, and streets. Colorado on the other hand is a bit drab in its overall look and feel; filled with hay bales, shoddy looking barns, dilapidated fences, and grass that’s in dire need of a mowing. Immediately upon starting up as Agent 47 you will be put into hiding. There’s no time to look around, there’s no time to feel as though time is expendable.

Your mission is to break into the facility of the training ground right away. But what is there to look at isn’t interesting at all. Don’t expect lush environments in this episode. Colorado is a mountainous, open region full of wilderness and wildlife. Sadly, we get put into a military-style locale that is colorless, dull, and pretty much like every video game city we’ve seen a thousand times over. Interestingly enough, the farm does give an ominous, almost twilight lighting effect that portrays a very eerie feeling from time to time.

For those who enjoy military farms, this episode will be for them. What makes this scenario cool is the tight, cramped spaces the game gives this time around in certain areas. Yes, the farm is wide and open, but there are several enemies lurking around every corner. It’s those moments when taking out an enemy then figuring out how to hide that enemy without someone else seeing becomes very intense and adrenaline pumping so your cover isn’t blown. Dragging bodies you need to hide from oncoming enemies is slow, but in a good way. Not knowing if you’ll make it to cover while dragging along a body before a enemy sees you puts you on the edge of your seat.

Changing into the costumes of your enemies and walking around the farm may seem like the perfect guise to exploring the farmland, but be aware of the patrol constantly scouting around looking for any signs of danger. Furthermore, if you don’t wait your turn to take out an enemy, in this type of location especially, you’ll most likely end up in a combat situation that isn’t going to be very fun.

"Hitman Episode 5: Colorado is a fun romp that is actually more sound that the previous episode as it finally gets back to a more familiar setting with a better story."

As for weapons, you’ll still be packing your pistol and choking devices. You’ll find random items lying about such as mechanical tools that can be used for various, interactive things that are fun for a little bit while you’re not in cover and looking to survive. Later on as the game progresses, you’ll run across some fun weapons that are sure to surprise many fans of the series.

What is nice outside of the stale environments would be the wilderness itself. From birds chirping to bugs buzzing. All the sound effects are authentic and give a very real feel to just where Agent 47 is at any given moment. Hitman Episode 5: Colorado is a fun romp that is actually more sound that the previous episode as it finally gets back to a more familiar setting with a better story. For those who’ve enjoyed the previous episodes you’ll pretty much get exactly that: the same thing, albeit in a much duller location.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox One.