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Hitman World of Assassination on the PSVR 2 is, simply put, a must-play game for anyone with the latest PlayStation VR headset.
Being so intrinsically tied to the flat game – this title exists solely as a DLC expansion for the PS5 version of Hitman – there was a risk this game would feel overwhelmingly familiar. Stale, even.
Review info
Platform reviewed: PSVR 2 (PS5)
Available on: PSVR 2 (PS5, PS5 Pro)
Release date: March 27, 2025
Moreover, given the series’ rocky relationship with virtual reality up until this point, Hitman on the PSVR 2 could have quite easily blown past ‘boring’ and landed itself squarely in ‘bad game’ territory.
Much like a well-executed assassination, however, Hitman on the PSVR 2 finds its mark with the perfect balance of faithful recreation and fresh mechanics courtesy of its enhanced VR perspective.
In doing so, Hitman proves itself as not only one of the best PSVR 2 games but one of the best VR games in general, with this (currently) PlayStation exclusive taking a chunk out of the Meta Quest 3’s seemingly impenetrable armor.
It also serves as a blueprint for other PS5 titles to follow should they wish to port themselves to PSVR 2 – a guide I seriously hope they follow, as with more experiences like this in its repertoire, PlayStation’s second attempt at VR would struggle not to be a smash hit.
Ready for more, 47?
Anyone who has dipped their toes into the World of Assassination since its 2016 debut knows the drill. Across 22 bespoke sandboxes bursting with creative killing methods – a puzzle game disguised as a shooter – the player, as Agent 47, must find and execute his targets (ideally without being noticed).
It’s much the same in this VR reimagining of the series, but with renewed player agency that comes with VR’s inherently more interactive nature.
An immediately noticeable change is the game’s first-person perspective. It’s one thing to watch Agent 47 push through the crowded streets of Marrakesh, it’s another to be weaving your way through the packed market for yourself.
Everything is more involved. You have to physically swing, throw, or pull the trigger of your weapon of choice to take out non-player characters (NPCs) – both targets and potential foils to your murderous schemes alike – and you even have to physically swipe keycards or pick locks to explore restricted areas of the map.
True to Hitman‘s creative nature, VR doesn’t just serve as a way to embody the Agent 47 you see in the flat game. It also opens up new options for your strategies.
My favorite is the ability to dual-wield. This mechanic opens the door to more violent dual-firearm approaches which see you go on a bloodthirsty rampage as you gun down everyone in your way, but also as the simple (yet effective) dual-soda can approach that allows you to incapacitate two guards by throwing your both cans (or your preferred blunt object) in different directions at the same time.
Speaking of throwing, I appreciate that the game gives you two options. The basic chuck where you simply hurl the item, or a more targeted throw which you can activate using the controllers, which helps ensure you hit your intended target rather than an unintended bystander.
Perfectly executed
To this end, Hitman isn’t afraid to adopt VR in its own way.
There’s realistic weapon reloading and other object interactions, which are staples of the genre, but also reticle targeting for your throws and the use of the third-person perspective during climbing and when 47 is blending in to lend the player a hand when needed.
While some may find leaving first-person a little immersion-breaking breaking I always found it useful. When blending in, or clambering up drain pipes or across ledges, you need to be able to take in your surroundings to know when to emerge – otherwise you could get rumbled immediately.
Best Bit
Re-exploring missions once you have a wider arsenal and understanding of the level is supremely satisfying. You feel like a true master assassin as you perfectly execute your exit with the 5-star Silent Assassin rating.
I felt the more informative third-person perspective matched how Agent 47 would be paying closer attention to the world around him in these moments, working as both a narrative and mechanical tool.
One area I wish more assistance had been given to the player, however, was when attempting to use the sniper rifle.
In my hours of playing, I never once felt I mastered this weapon. In fact, I felt I got worse over time.
During my final mission before writing this review, I missed a dozen or so shots from the top of Sapienza’s church’s bell tower, resulting in zero kills, two panicked targets, and a small army of angry guards storming my position.
There are ways to slow time while using the sniper rifle, which help a little, but I found my scope simply swayed too much to be effective, even when I tried my darndest to stay still. I’ll endeavor to improve what is very possibly a skill issue, but some assistive mechanics would have certainly helped me with sniping, and I imagine several over players would appreciate them too.
A view to a kill
Beyond its gameplay successes, Hitman also looks pretty and runs very well on the PS5 system.
Even locations packed with NPCs like Miami and Paris ran smoothly while still looking just as crisp as the flat version. At times, the visuals were such a delight that it was easy to forget about my mission as I just got lost in the environments.
The tradeoff is that, unlike some VR titles, the objects littering the various maps are mostly set dressing. If an item is one you could pick up in the base game, it’s the same in VR, but other objects like kitchen frying pans, radios, and other decorations are cemented in place.
While this can initially be disappointing, IO Interactive’s approach is understandable considering the technical nightmare this would cause for both the development team and the PS5 hardware. And frankly, Hitman’s sandboxes are full enough already.
Strangely, Hitman’s final success is that it isn’t exclusively a VR game.
Even VR veterans need to take a break to handle motion sickness or general fatigue from waving their arms around for a couple of hours, and with many titles, that means putting the game you’re enraptured by down until you’re ready to put the headset back on.
With Hitman on the PSVR 2, because it exists as an expansion of the base flat game, you can simply swap to the non-VR version and boot up a new mission while relaxing on your couch.
All of your unlocks and the knowledge you’ve gained about a target carry over between versions, and I generally appreciated the freedom I had to experience this game how I wanted across different sessions. I could play it in VR, I could play it on my TV, or I could swap between the two on a whim.
IO Interactive has done a superb job translating the Hitman experience to VR with this PSVR 2 port. It simultaneously feels fresh yet familiar with a resulting package that I’m sure will be enjoyed by complete newcomers and Hitman aficionados alike.
If you’re looking for an excuse to replay the Hitman World of Assassination trilogy, this is it, and if you own a PSVR 2 headset and haven’t yet picked up this game, what are you doing still reading this review?
Should you play Hitman on PSVR 2?
Play it if…
Don’t play it if…
Accessibility
Hitman has a handful of accessibility settings to make the game more approachable. Chiefly, it has three optional difficulties you can swap between to make the gameplay experience more or less forgiving.
When it comes to VR-specific settings, the whole game can be played sitting down or standing, though you will need some range of upper body movement to use weapons and reload.
There are also comfort controls like vignetting, snap/smooth turning, and other adjustments, which can make the game more comfortable for newcomers. Overall, I found the experience not too nauseating (I could easily play for an hour or two at a time without trouble), though it does seem like a VR game best suited to people with a little VR experience who will be used to smooth control stick movement while wearing a headset.
How I reviewed Hitman on PSVR 2
I reviewed Hitman World of Assassination using a standard PlayStation 5 console and PlayStation VR 2 headset. My only upgrade is that I swapped the wired earbuds for a pair of Marshall Monitor III ANC headphones.
I played the game for around 30 hours, splitting my time fairly equally between the VR and non-VR versions of the title (which I would sometimes play in cinematic mode while using the headset if I wanted to continue a save state I had created in the flat game).
During the VR playthrough, I made sure to visit each location to explore, try a range of mission story assassinations, and see how the game runs, as well as testing a wide range of weapons to understand how intuitive item interactions felt. I never once noticed any hiccups, and never wanted to put my headset down as I enjoyed being immersed in this title immensely.
First reviewed April 2025
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hamish.hector@futurenet.com (Hamish Hector)
