Hitman in VR finally done right? We played the visually stunning PSVR 2 version
I strapped on Sony's PSVR 2 to experience Hitman: World of Assassination up close and personal. Here's what works – and what doesn't.
The bald assassin with the barcode tattooed on his head has become an icon in video game history. It's been nearly 25 years since his first outing in Hitman: Codename 47 and I still remember my earliest missions as "Test Subject 47" through the streets of Hong Kong, the jungles of Colombia, and the alleys of Budapest.
Now, a quarter-century later, I'm once again hunting targets around the globe – but this time from a first-person perspective on Playstation VR 2 instead of staring at a low-resolution screen in my childhood bedroom.
Third time's the charm?
Hitman: World of Assassination isn't new – it bundles the reboot trilogy released between 2016 and 2021. VR versions have also existed for four years, starting with PSVR and followed by a PC VR port a year later. On Sony's first headset, Hitman 3 impressed with its atmosphere but squandered potential with awkward gamepad controls.
The PC VR version introduced motion controls, but implemented them inconsistently. Certain actions still required button presses and the left hand couldn't be used – compromises the developers made at the time that they're trying to eliminate in this PSVR 2 version.
"There were performance issues and console limitations we couldn't work around back then," Senior Game Designer Eskil Møhl told me during my play session at IO Interactive in Barcelona. "We learned a lot from the first two VR ports, and we had a wishlist of features we really wanted to implement. For the PSVR 2 version, we wanted more touch interactions to immerse players more deeply."
Freedom of movement
What might seem like minor details compared to made-for-VR games – manually reloading weapons, unlocking doors with a key, operating levers – significantly enhances Hitman's immersion. The PSVR 2 version is easily the most interactive VR iteration of the series.
"We really wanted manual reloading in the game, and we're happy with how it turned out," says Møhl. "It feels cool figuring out how to change magazines in different weapons, especially since the weapon models were already well-crafted in the base game." After trying it myself, I agree.
Sniping is also an important factor again in Hitman VR. Here I take aim at a bell to lure a target. | Image: IO Interactive
The weapons and objects I handled during my 90-minute session were impressively detailed – so much so that you can use a shiny key at the right angle as a makeshift mirror to peek around corners. Your inventory now appears via a subtle ring menu above your hand. You rotate through available items with the joystick and grab the selected object with your free hand.
Hitman's world is incredibly dense, but don't expect Half-Life: Alyx levels of interactivity. Making everything grabbable would be impossible in a port of this scale. Instead, the developers focused on the most significant objects, marking them with subtle light outlines or small white interaction points. You can also highlight all important elements in your environment at the press of a button – a necessary feature given how crowded these levels are.
Better but not perfect
The controls leave me with mixed feelings. Yes, the new freedom of motion control definitely improves Hitman. Dual wielding – using different objects or weapons in each hand simultaneously – particularly enhances the experience. You can take out multiple enemies at once, knocking one unconscious with a fire extinguisher while beaning another with a soda can. Anything you can hold can be thrown or used as a weapon.
I prefer to put this security camera out of action with a well-aimed pistol throw so as not to attract attention. | Image: IO Interactive
These freedoms make Hitman's sandbox world, with its countless possible solutions, much more believable. However, the controls didn't always feel as precise as I wanted. I struggled to position a crowbar correctly or grip the slide properly when reloading a weapon during tense moments.
You can occasionally leave the first-person view, like when Agent 47 leans against a bar or reads a newspaper on a park bench to eavesdrop on conversations. You can also switch to third-person when climbing. "That was a deliberate choice," Møhl explains. "Hitman is demanding, so players can take a breather and let their eyes wander without having to be physically active. And let's be honest – in VR, it's just not fun to stare at a ladder while climbing." I couldn't agree more.
The world steals the show
While improved controls and new interactions push Hitman forward on PSVR 2, the environments are the real stars. I've rarely felt so immersed in a game world as I did wandering through Sapienza, Italy. The coastal town is visually stunning.
Who knows what else you could use this explosive golf ball for? The sandbox world of Hitman gives you an enormous amount of freedom. | Image: IO Interactive
I strolled along the beach, through narrow alleys, into small shops, and sat on park benches listening to the marketplace bustle, waves crashing, and seagulls crying overhead. The lighting is spectacular – climbing the steps of an old church tower as sunlight occasionally blinds you, you can almost feel the warmth on your skin.
No matter which level I entered, I initially forgot about my assassination mission entirely, becoming a tourist absorbed in these vibrant locations. Hitman offers many varied settings: a festival-like racetrack in Miami, an industrial hall converted into a gloomy techno club in nighttime Berlin, or an ornate bank in New York complete with underground parking and massive vault. I immediately found myself wishing for a tourist mode where I could just admire the architecture.
My first impression of Hitman: World of Assassination
On PSVR 2, Hitman becomes one of the most visually impressive VR games available, almost unmatched in its detail. Such a rich, vibrant game world is rare in VR and worth experiencing for that alone. Anyone who's visited Sapienza or Miami in VR will understand why XR Games' attempt to bring this massive game to the mobile Quest platform was doomed to fail.
But even in this third VR iteration, you can tell it's a port dealing with compromises. Though the controls are more immersive, they still suffer from occasional precision issues and limitations. I noticed performance drops and stutters at times, though the planned day-one patch might fix these problems.
Overall, Hitman: World of Assassination for PSVR 2, launching March 27, will likely be the definitive Hitman VR experience so far. VR enthusiasts hungry for AAA content should circle that date on their calendars – just be prepared for a few rough edges alongside the immersive assassinations.
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