After nearly seven years since Hitman: Blood Money, IO Interactive is back with their latest Agent 47 title, Hitman: Absolution, complete with more baldness and black suit apparel. The title sees Agent 47 being betrayed by those he once trusted and now hunted by the police, he suddenly finds himself at the center of a dark conspiracy and must embark on a personal journey through a corrupt and twisted world, in his search for the truth.

Our best assassin Dylan Burns was put on the case to find out just how the latest Hitman title has come along, and whether it lives up to the previous stealth titles that many fans have fallen in love with.

Hitman: Absolution has muddied its waters. The story is interesting enough and full of wacky characters and situations, but it has lost that clinical, professional feel that the series perfected in Blood Money.

Click here for the full review.

Unboxing videos are an odd entity, but their popularity pretty much can't be understated, as silly as the whole thing might seem to some.

Of course when they serve a practical purpose, like being able to actually see what it is you're forking out hard-earned cash for, such as in a game's collector's edition, then it all makes perfect sense. So today we've been handed an unboxing video for the Hitman: Absolution Collector's Edition (dubbed "Deluxe Professional Edition"), which features, we assume, sniper rifles, butterfly knives and silenced pistols. At a guess, anyway.

To actually see what'll be in the edition this November 20, watch the video embedded below.

We recently caught up with Hitman: Absolution art-director, Roberto Marchesi, to talk to him about the recently unveiled online Contracts Mode for Hitman: Absolution and cornered him on crafting a dynamic AI not only for the new mode, but also for the full game and what it means to remain true to the Hitman series roots amidst a tough field of assassin competitors these days, especially this year.

"The AI has different states, on what type of level you are. But what is very interesting about it, is that the AI -- how we set it up -- talks a lot among each other, it has to share knowledge," Roberto explained to us about Hitman: Absolution's AI systems.

"For instance, if the first cop finds a dead body, he will get alerted and start to be agitated. If there are no cops in the vicinity, he won’t be able to share this knowledge, so the other cops on the level will not be alerted. The moment that he meets another one, they can share this knowledge and they’ll both be on the lookout for you, but until that point, it’s not a hive mind, they have to talk to each other."

As usual, we have this interview in both video and transcript format, though I am particularly handsome in this one, so I suggest video ;)

Click here for more.

Square Enix and IO Interactive have today revealed a new gameplay trailer showcasing the "Contracts Mode" within the upcoming title Hitman: Absolution. The new mode will allow players to "mark" targets in the singleplayer proportion of the game, which will send a notification to friends and players of the online side that you are offering a bounty for said target.

The new mode will offer a twist on the usual silent killer game, with the chance to unlock a variety of weapons upon completing contracts. When designing a contract, players can choose to limit the target to only being killed by certain weapons or techniques, giving an added difficulty to claiming the prize.

“CONTRACTS was inspired by our loyal and extremely creative fans, many of whom are still finding new and amazing ways of taking out targets in previous Hitman games,” said Christian Elverdam, gameplay director for HITMAN: ABSOLUTION. “CONTRACTS mode finally delivers a way for Hitman players to fully realize both their creativity and competitive nature. Whether they’re fighting to shave off a split second from their time or combining elements and timing events to create unprecedented accidental deaths, gamers can now challenge and inspire each another with an endless variety of user-generated contracts.”

If you have the time, you can check out the full 18 minute long walkthrough below which gives a great introduction to the new mode and hopefully we'll see some really creative contracts once players get their hands on the game.

Staying true to the popular series' roots, the upcoming Hitman Absolution once again features the broad variety of ways for Agent 47 to get the job down, and the game's latest trailer walks us through a few of those options.

"Choosing the right tools for job can make all the difference in the world, but you can always just improvise." explains the video's narrator "Weapons are everywhere. Anything is lethal in the hands of 47", and while you can go in guns-a-blazing or stealthily with fibre-wire garrotte, an opportunistic jerry can, coffee mug, or toilet plunger might be more your style.

Hitman Absolution is due on November 20th 2012 for PC, Xboux 360 and PlayStation 3. Watch the trailer embedded below or click here for the HD page.

IO Interactive originally announced they'd be searching out a new voice-actor to portray Agent 47 in the forthcoming Hitman: Absolution, but today they revealed that after an extensive search, and a bit of reflection, they've gone back to the original Agent 47 voice, David Bateson.

"IO and Bateson have been bed fellows for over a decade and like all long running relationships sometimes absence makes the heart grow fonder," Hitman: Absolution, Brand Director Jon Brooke said. "Looking back I think we were just playing hard to get.”

Hitman: Absolution is due to arrive on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 this November 20.

While enjoying the bald scenery of Max Payne, many gamers are eagerly waiting the release of their other bald silent killer, Agent 47. Returning to the series in Hitman Absolution, Square Enix has today released five new dazzling screenshots showing the cold-blooded assassin at his best.

Hitman Absolution follows Agent 47, a cold blooded assassin, who takes on his most dangerous contract to date. Betrayed by those he trusted and hunted by the police, he finds himself at the centre of a dark conspiracy and must embark on a personal journey through a corrupt and twisted world, in his search for the truth.

Check out the screenshots below and make sure you head over to our game page where we have the latest CGI trailer featuring Nuns in latex with guns.

Hitman Absolution will be available globally on November 20th for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Square-Enix have released their E3 2012 trailer for the upcoming Hitman: Absoultion a little early, but we're not complaining because like last year's clip, it is rather excellent.

The new clip is titled Attack of the Saints and here's the brief:

A run-down motel room allows Agent 47 the time to treat his wounds. Meanwhile, his former employer, the ICA, send a deadly specialized wetworks team after him: “The Saints.” The ICA wants 47 dead, but that’s easier said than done...

The CGI specialists at Visual Works, under the direction and design of IO Interactive, have created a stunning piece of digital art. It's an action-packed thrill ride, reflecting the very special vibe and atmosphere you can expect in HITMAN: ABSOLUTION™ when it launches globally on November 20.

Watch the video embedded below or click here for the HD video page.

Following the unusual confirmation that pre-order customers of IO Interactive's Hitman: Absolution would be getting the standalone game Hitman: Sniper Challenge as a free bonus, Square Enix has now also confirmed the global release date for the game proper.

Hitman Absolution will garrote retailers on November 20th 2012 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Watch the most recent trailer for Hitman: Absolution "Introducing Agent 47" embedded below or here in our HD video library.

In an interesting pre-order reward first, IO Interactive and Eidos have announced that anyone putting their hand up early for a copy of Hitman Absolution (pre-orders available from May 15), will be rewarded with a standalone gaming experience called Hitman: Sniper Challenge.

From a balcony overlooking a roof-top party, you are tasked with taking out Richard Strong, Jr., CEO of Stallion Armaments, along with his entire staff of bodyguards. Skilled players will capitalize on score multipliers, discover secret extras, unlock equipment upgrades, and marvel at the many creative ways one can discretely dispose of a body while they work to fulfil their contract in the most efficient way possible.

Moreover, you'll be able to upgrade your high-powered Kazo TRG sniper rifle and carry it, fully upgraded, over to the final game when it's released later this year.

Watch a trailer for Hitman: Sniper Challenge below, or click here for a direct link.

Square Enix has today revealed a Professional Edition for Hitman Absolution, the next title in a long running series of the Hitman stealth/assassionation style games.

Featuring premium hardcover Art Book with a foreword from Game Director Tore Blystad, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes “making of” video, the Professional Edition is definitely looking as sharp as Agent 47.

Hitman: Absolution Professional Edition also includes advanced access to a range of in-game Agency Weapons, giving the Original Assassin a deadly edge over his enemies from the outset.

The Agency Jagd P22G pistol will suit the silent assassins, whilst the Agency HX UMP SMG and the Agency SPS 12 semi-automatic shotgun will give Agent 47 the power to fight his foes head on.

Hitman: Absolution follows The Original Assassin undertaking his most personal contract to date. Betrayed by the Agency and hunted by the police, Agent 47 finds himself pursuing redemption in a corrupt and twisted world.

You can check out the screenshot below showing off all the goods, and make sure you check out our game page where we have all the latest trailers and screenshots.

A batch of new stills from Hitman: Absolution have found their way online, offering a look at some tasty new scenes from the next addition to IO Interactive's popular stealth assassin series.

These latest images show off the iconic and follically-challenged Agent 47 in a variety of murderous scenes and offer a good look at the game's colourful art direction.

Hit the man on the hitman thumbs below for the full gallery. Hitman: Absolution is due in 2012 (at a yet-to-be-disclosed date) on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

After a few quiet months from developer IO Interactive, Square Enix have released a new trailer for Hitman: Absolution, offering an extended look at gameplay action from the next addition to the iconic franchise.

The new video features the same section of game that was shown to press at the E3 expo in June, set in a Chicago library with Agent 47 doing his hitman best again the local law enforcement (controversially, in a far less stealthy way than previous games in the series).

Check out the youtube embed below for the goods.

Hitman Absolution is due in 2012 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The last Splinter Cell game divided fans in terms of its more action-oriented approach at the expense of stealthier tact. Reports of a new Hitman game have been circulating since 2007, but it wasn’t until the release of the uber-teaser trailer in May that we learned the game was called Hitman: Absolution. A new CGI trailer has dropped at E3 and seems to have taken a leaf out of the action-focussed approach to Splinter Cell: Conviction.

Hitman Absolution follows Agent 47, a cold blooded assassin, who takes on his most dangerous contract to date. Betrayed by those he trusted and hunted by the police, he finds himself at the centre of a dark conspiracy and must embark on a personal journey through a corrupt and twisted world, in his search for the truth.

What do you think?