Since getting a Steam Deck, I've actually been playing games in my Steam library. Recently I played and finished Hitman Go, and these are my reflections on the game.
The Go series of games by Square Enix are puzzle games set in popular video game universes. Hitman Go is set in the Hitman game universe. I'd never played a Hitman game before, although I'm familiar with the general concept of the game. Probably Hitman Go isn't exactly the typical introduction to the series, but I liked Lara Croft Go so I figured I might as well try this one. And I'm glad I did, because from a design perspective this is an even stronger Go game than Lara Croft Go. In terms of atmosphere and intrigue, I'd rather spend my time in dungeons with Lara Croft than in mundane office buildings with the hitman guy, but I do have to admit that Hitman Go is basically flawless. That's saying a lot, because I really enjoyed Lara Croft Go.
Hitman Go uses the same basic turn-based mechanic as Lara Croft Go. You move, then effects resolve, then the baddies move. It feels like a very clever tabletop game, and in fact it leans into that in its character design. In this game, you control a digital miniature on what looks like an elaborate game board. This emphasizes the procedural nature of the game, reminding you that there aren't reactions or dodges in this game. If you move within range of an enemy with a melee attack, then you're attacked when your move ends. There's no ducking behind a wall to avoid being seen or to dodge a bullet. Every move counts, and taking your hand off the piece is committing to your move.
The level design is built primarily around turn-based movement. You move, and then the baddies move along whatever predetermined path they're following. Or else they don't move, because they have no path and are just in eternal overwatch mode. There are several kinds of enemies. Some walk a circuit, others linger in corners waiting for you to wander by, some are armed with a guard dog and will pursue you when you're within 2 squares, still others are armed with rifles and a laser scope. As you play, you learn how each one responds to your movement, you memorise their patterns, you learn what you can do to the environment to alter their patterns to suit your plans.
The ultimate goal is always to kill your mark. This doesn't happen until the end of each level (each level is cleverly presented to you as a box for a tabletop board game), so mostly you're just trying to get within range of your target.
As if the game isn't already fun enough, the developers of Hitman Go added 3 goals to each scenario. You can proceed past a scenario when you achieve the first goal, which is to complete the scenario (by reaching the exit or, in the final scenario, killing your mark). But that only gets you a single stamp of approval. If you're up for a challenge, then you can replay the scenario to try for the 2 alternate goals.
The other goals may or may not be mutually exclusive, and they vary depending on the scenario. A common secondary goal is complete the scenario within a certain number of moves. Another is to collect a briefcase along the way (which, incidentally, is almost exactly what I would have done to improve Lara Croft Go: add artefacts on the game board for Lara to collect). Other goals include killing all enemies, or killing none of the enemies, or killing no guard dogs, and so on. These goals easily tripled my play time because once I figured out how to do a puzzle 1 way, I couldn't resist trying to solve it again for some other definition of success.
Something that both Hitman Go and Lara Croft Go did very well was provide a good number of achievements. I'm not usually a completionist in video games. I tend to try to beat a game, but I don't think I've ever felt a need to 100% a game. Still, I do enjoy earning achievements in part to confirm that I'm experiencing the parts of the game that the designers intended for me to experience. It makes me feel like I've played the game thoroughly enough when I get roughly half of the available achievements.
Both Hitman Go and Lara Croft Go provide exactly the right number of achievements. There are the obvious ones, like the ones for actually accomplishing a required goal ("Find the earth shard" in Lara Croft Go, for example). Then there are the ones for going above and beyond, like "Two for One: Kill two enemies at once" in Hitman Go. And then there are the ridiculous ones to show that you're really enjoying the game, like "Flesh wound: Die at least 200 times" and "Time waster: play for at least 100 turns in a single room".
I haven't gotten all achievements in either game, and I don't feel the need to, but I like the breadth and variety of the achievements I have earned.
Whether you fancy yourself a 007-type assassin for hire or not, Hitman Go is a great puzzle game with a cool and relaxed theme. Being turn-based, it's easy to play casually for a while, and then walk away from, inevitably obsess over what combination of moves you could try instead, and then to return to at your leisure. And if you're a fan of miniature wargaming, it might surprise you at how fun it is to play a game that styles itself as a miniatures board game. It's a simple trick, but while playing Hitman Go away from my wargaming table, I have to admit that I felt a little comforted by the digital equivalent. Hitman Go is an amazing game, fun and pretty much flawless.
Header photo by Valve. Screenshots by Square Enix.