When Hitman: Absolution launched in 2012, it cut up the fanbase down the center. Some praised its cinematic aptitude, others wished the standard sandbox design again. Now that the 2025 Nintendo Swap port has arrived, it’s time to see whether or not this chapter in Agent 47’s previous nonetheless stands robust. Right here’s all the things you want to know concerning the Swap model.
Hitman Absolution is a classy, stealth motion recreation the place you sneak, disguise your self, and determine whether or not to be a ghost or trigger absolute chaos. The marketing campaign’s 20 missions offer you loads of room to experiment along with your strategy, and the story is darker and extra private than most Hitman plots. It additionally reveals a extra weak aspect of of the usually very critical Agent 47.
One of many nicest surprises on the Swap is how effectively the controls translate.The builders added elective movement controls for aiming. This makes scoped pictures and exact takedowns really feel smoother, particularly in handheld mode. The $29.99 value on the eShop feels cheap too, particularly contemplating the added high quality of life tweaks.
Visually, it’s positively nonetheless a 2012 recreation. The character fashions and lighting obtained somewhat polish, however you’ll nonetheless discover some blur and decrease element right here and there. Efficiency is okay in handheld mode, however I observed that whereas the Swap is docked, the sport experiences extra seen body charge drops. In actual fact I really had the sport crash on me in the course of a mission and I needed to restart. This solely occurred as soon as, however figuring out it’s a risk stored me on edge when there was loads occurring on the display screen.
After all, the unique points are nonetheless right here. The checkpoint system might be tough, making you redo huge chunks in case you mess up, and the AI typically behaves in ways in which pull you out of the second. Hitman Absolution remains to be going to really feel extra linear and extra action-heavy than you would possibly want. Even so, this port strikes a strong steadiness. It retains what made Absolution distinctive, improves a couple of tough spots, and doesn’t mess with the general vibe.
One of many bonuses for longtime followers shall be Contracts Mode. The create and share assassination problem mode is coming as a free replace in early 2026. That reveals the developer is taking the port severely and desires it to have some longevity. So, I’m certain we are able to anticipate some updates relating to body charge drops and recreation crashes as effectively.
General, in case you’ve been eager to replay Absolution or strive it for the primary time on a system you possibly can take wherever, the Swap model is a superb possibility. It doesn’t magically repair each flaw, but it surely doubles down on what works. And with Contracts Mode on the way in which, it’s solely going to get higher. I positively suggest attempting it out in case you’ve by no means performed it earlier than, particularly in case you’re a fan of stealthy motion video games.
