All 8 Hitman Games, Ranked

Long before it broke the years-long James Bond game drought, IO Interactive's marquee franchise was its "Hitman" series. Launched in 2000, the series follows a mysterious contract killer known simply as Agent 47 as he carries out assignments around the globe. There are currently eight "Hitman" games in all, each offering their own twist on the lethal premise. More than just a mindless action experience, the series encourages players to employ strategic and stealthy means to eliminate their targets.

While most of the games in the franchise are enjoyable titles, not all "Hitman" games are created equal, of course. We're ranking the "Hitman" titles in order of quality, from what they brought to the table to how well they hold up years later. Agent 47 has had one of the more consistently entertaining video game runs since his introduction, but some titles just pale in comparison to his most well-known adventures. With that in mind, here are all eight "Hitman" games ranked, showcasing the long-running IO Interactive franchise in full.

Presumably among the rules that every "Hitman" game has to follow is that the gameplay revolves around sandbox environments for players to find the best way to complete their missions. That guideline gets largely thrown out by the 2012 title "Hitman: Absolution," which features more linear level design, though there are still environmental methods for 47 to dispatch his enemies. The game's story has 47 rooting out murderous corruption within the International Contract Agency (ICA), which handles his assignments.

"Absolution" is a fine enough game on its own merits, but not really a great "Hitman" game — at least in terms of what the series is known for. Being accessible to newcomers doesn't necessarily mean ditching the sandbox-style level design as other entries in the franchise. This removes a lot of the personality from the whole experience, no matter how much better the game looks compared to its predecessors. Mechanically more in line as a spin-off than a mainline title, "Hitman: Absolution" is an experiment that'll hopefully never be replicated again.

The debut of "Hitman" and its bald protagonist Agent 47, 2000's "Hitman: Codename 47," was a PC exclusive release. The game introduces 47 as a genetically engineered clone trained in a variety of disciplines to make him the ultimate assassin. After completing his training, 47 completes a set of contracts around the world linked to his shadowy origins. This culminates in 47 proving that he is the best of the clones as he faces his creator and his small army.

"Hitman: Codename 47" introduces a lot of the concepts and aesthetics that the series developed, but all are still visibly rough around the edges. On some level, this is completely understandable, given that the developers were trying something new, but it's still showing its age. What the game does right, other than providing the foundations for the series' sandbox level design, is providing plenty of moody atmosphere. A promising, if uneven, start, "Hitman: Codename 47" ultimately retains enough interesting elements that hold up compared to its more dated aspects.

The "Hitman" series has a history of reinventing itself as it progressed, and that tradition dates back to "Hitman: Contracts." The 2004 game is a remake of the first two titles in the series while adding new missions to serve as a framing device. During the opening mission, 47 is gravely wounded and begins to experience flashbacks to his deadly past. After recovering, 47 battles the Franchise, a rival shadow organization to the ICA seeking to steer the course of civilization.

"Hitman: Contracts" is a fine enough update of its predecessors, but its new content doesn't bring a lot to the table. The real highlight is playing missions from the first two games with its rougher edges smoothed over thanks to its quality of life improvements. Unfortunately, that means "Contracts" doesn't really have much of a personality of its own, since it was a glorified compilation title. A perfectly solid update to the franchise that serves as a repackaged introduction to the franchise, "Hitman: Contracts" is best known for its supernatural Easter egg.

The series' sophomore effort, "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin," is where the franchise truly began to take shape. Launched in 2002, the game is the first to take the franchise into a multiplatform release while expanding upon the formula. The game's story opens with 47 emerging from retirement after one of his friends is kidnapped in a bid to lure him out. The gameplay begins to really emphasize players taking a more restrained approach to complete their missions, offering unlockable incentives and grades for more clean kills with minimal collateral damage.

With its more detailed levels, more environmental kills, and greater freedom with its sandbox design, "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin" truly excels. The sequel feels like the realization of what the developers were attempting to accomplish with their first game, finally sticking the landing. The difficulty is a little more pronounced, but the emphasis on patience and quick-thinking feels more rewarding this time around. While obviously not as sophisticated as more modern entries, "Silent Assassin" still retains a lot of its appeal over 20 years later.

The best installment in the series' classic run is "Hitman: Blood Money," which was released in 2006. The game's story follows up on the major loose end from "Contracts," with 47 hunting the Franchise. The gameplay adds loads of new features, including upgradeable weapons and equipment, as well as the ability to hide bodies in order to maintain cover. Beyond these new mechanics, the game significantly improves its level design and combat gameplay, particularly in regard to hand-to-hand combat.

With "Blood Money," "Hitman" brought a deeper layer of replayability, encouraging players to see all the different ways to complete a given mission. This comes not only from the refined and expanded gameplay but also a heightened complexity in level design. The game definitely boasts a healthy level of challenge, but its innovations even the odds in a way its predecessors hadn't. If there's a single game in the series from before its revival to check out, it's "Hitman: Blood Money."

IO Interactive wasted no time in continuing the momentum from its 2016 relaunch of "Hitman." Two years later, the studio released "Hitman 2" for modern platforms, building upon its predecessor's foundations. The game's story has 47 continuing to hunt for the Shadow Client, a mysterious figure pulling the strings introduced in the revival title. Upon its launch, the game also boasted multiplayer modes to bring players together for some lethal action.

"Hitman 2" doesn't feel quite as greater than the sum of its parts, but much of what it does, it does well. The story suffers from inconclusive middle chapter syndrome and the multiplayer leaves something to be desired, but the missions themselves are entertainingly staged. The game also boasts a healthy amount of post-launch content, including "Hitman 2" bringing back a fan-favorite mission targeting a character played by Sean Bean. A satisfying follow-up that got better after its release, "Hitman 2" doesn't surpass its predecessor but still offers enjoyable thrills.

The "Hitman" series underwent a soft reboot, largely respecting the established continuity, with the 2016 title "Hitman." The game's prologue marks the start of 47's association with the ICA in the entire "Hitman" timeline before jumping ahead after the preceding games' narratives. The main story focuses on the partnership between 47 and Diana while bringing in an organized threat against the ICA. The gameplay marks a return to form for the series compared to "Absolution," returning to the sandbox level design the series is known for.

The 2016 "Hitman" feels like a rebirth for the series and sets the template for the revival trilogy it began. The levels feel more dense and feature-rich than ever while the DLC release structure kept the game viable beyond its base launch. The gameplay took advantage of the new nuances introduced to the title, adding depth and variety to the ways to carry out missions. The shot in the arm that the series needed, "Hitman" is a great jumping-on point for those curious about the franchise.

The most recent "Hitman" title is the series' best, with 2021's "Hitman 3" bringing the revival trilogy's qualities together in a magnificent way. The game's story has 47 take on Providence, the latest clandestine organization threatening him in order to manipulate the new world order. "Hitman 3" sets itself apart from its predecessors with its even more complex level designs, refined gameplay, and a whole wave of post-launch DLC. This latter element keeps us coming back for more with new missions and elusive targets every season to test our skills.

Rebranding itself as "Hitman: World of Assassination" and bundling the first two revival games along with it, "Hitman 3" is the ultimate title in the franchise to date. The game's levels are among the best ever conceived for the series, including a murder mystery-style mission for 47 to complete. The pivot to a live-service style game is a welcome one given the quality of the seasonal missions and the surprise celebrity guest appearances. The greatest realization of the franchise's lofty ambitions, "Hitman: World of Assassination" stands a clear cut above all of its predecessors.