With Hitman 3: Freelancer promising to add a whole new game within a game to the Hitman 3 experience, fans are understandably excited ahead of its release. A single-player mode that introduces a ton of new elements, Freelancer will be an entirely new way to enjoy Hitman for those that didn't manage to sign up for the technical test last November.
Navigating those new elements might take some getting used to, which is why now is the perfect time to read up on all of the important information that's known about Freelancer. Whether it's how the new game mechanics will work or why it's being called a roguelike mode, these are the answers to all the important questions ahead of its release.
Hitman 3: Freelancer Features Single-Player Campaigns
Rather than being story-based, Hitman 3: Freelancer consists of Campaigns in which the player takes on the role of Agent 47 and must take out four syndicate leaders in an order of their choosing. To get the chance at a showdown, a one-time opportunity to kill one of the leaders, the player must first complete a series of missions killing lower-level syndicate members to draw them out of hiding.
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Completing missions rewards the player with new items, Merces (the in-game currency), and grants Mastery which unlocks a whole host of cool things. Even better, completing a showdown against a syndicate leader gives a reward crate each time containing a randomized weapon or item with a higher chance of getting good loot the further into a campaign the player is.
Hitman 3: Freelancer Will Be A Roguelike Game Mode
One of the things that stands out in the marketing for Hitman 3: Freelancer is the word 'roguelike,' which isn't exactly a term many would associate with the Hitman games, though they are highly replayable. However, Freelancer's campaigns are indeed structured like a roguelike.
Missions get more difficult throughout a campaign and failing one means losing all the weapons and items the player brought with them as well as half their Merces. Although failing a regular mission doesn't end the campaign, it means subsequent territories are alerted that Agent 47 is coming, making things more difficult. Failing a showdown against a syndicate leader carries all the consequences of failing a regular mission but also means the campaign is over, and the player must start from scratch.
Agent 47's New Safehouse Is Freelancer's Hub
Although it begins looking pretty plain and empty, the new safehouse is at the heart of Hitman 3: Freelancer. It forms the iconic video game assassin's new base of operations where the player can plan out missions on the world map, equip and test out weapons, select starting disguises, and just generally chill out between missions.
By completing missions and gaining Mastery, more levels of the safehouse become unlocked, as well as new interiors, new wardrobe options, and a whole variety of ways to customize the place to the player's liking.
The Player Chooses Which Syndicates To Go Up Against
As the name suggests, there's a high degree of freedom involved in Hitman 3: Freelancer. Although the player is tasked with maintaining balance by taking down crime syndicates, the choice of which syndicates to take on is entirely up to them. There are a variety of different syndicate types which suit different gameplay styles and come with unique challenges and rewards.
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The missions then take place across the world, culminating in showdowns against the syndicate leaders. Which syndicates the player chooses is important because not only do the missions get more difficult throughout the campaign but the number of missions needed to complete to unlock the showdown increases as well.
Every Mission Starts The Player In A Random Spot
One of the most interesting things about how missions work in Hitman 3: Freelancer is that the player is put in a completely randomized location on the map at the start of each one. That means the game requires an element of luck as there's just as much chance of being placed deep in hostile territory as spawning somewhere safe.
Rather than going straight for the mission objective, the player can choose to locate couriers that reward Merces, head towards suppliers that sell an assortment of weapons and items to spend that currency on, or find safes that require cracking to get the loot hidden inside.
Players Can Build Their Own Weapons Collection
Hitman 3: Freelancer starts the player out with the bare minimum and that applies to weapons as well. Whilst the weapons wall in the safehouse is unlocked from the start, it begins almost empty and requires the player to start filling it in. This can be done in two different ways.
The first way is by purchasing guns from suppliers but the second, more interesting way, is by finding weapons in missions. If they have a rarity attached to them, they can be taken back to the base after and added to the collection or the player can keep them equipped. Another fun useful tool is the supply crate that gives the player three random items to choose from to start the next mission.
Showdown Missions Have Some Unique Dangers
Compared to regular missions, Freelancer's showdowns against syndicate leaders come with some interesting elements of difficulty that the player must contend with. One is that the map is full of suspects that may be the syndicate leader, and it's up to the player to figure out which is the real deal and take them out.
Worse, the map is full of strong enemy NPCs called Assassins that protect not just the showdown target, but also the other suspects dotted around the map. Along with the fact that failing a showdown mission means losing all progress for that campaign, it's an extra reason to be careful in showdown missions.
Given that the map is full of suspects that could be the syndicate leader, Hitman 3: Freelancer has to provide the player with some tools for making sure they only kill the correct target. One of these is the intel wall, which provides a bunch of information about the target including their agenda which might help to reveal their location.
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The other crucial tool is the suspect camera, which shows some of the details about the suspect when aimed at them which the player can compare to the information they have about the real suspect. If they're not the target, they can be marked as such and ignored. When the player is confident a suspect's details line up with the target, it's time to take them out.
Freelancer's Prestige Objectives Give Better Rewards
In the spirit of the Hitman series, which has often incorporated fun sandbox game elements for more freedom in missions, Freelancer is filled with optional extras. In missions, there are often bonus objectives that give extra Merces for completion as well as an extra challenge.
Prestige Objectives are another bonus that can be unlocked while playing, and they promise to add an extra layer of difficulty to missions for players that are confident enough in their skills. Completing these bonus objectives is a great way to earn more Merces.
Hitman 3: Freelancer Releases On January 26th
With the technical test for Hitman 3: Freelancer completed back in November, it's been a long wait for the new game mode to finally release, but the good news is that it isn't long left. Freelancer will become playable on Thursday, January 26th for everyone that owns Hitman 3.
For players that already own Hitman 3, Freelancer will be a free addition which means there's no reason not to download it as soon as it becomes available. For players that haven't yet purchased the game, there hasn't been a better time.
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