Summary
Mod supportmay not have been a feature that has been openly advertised forHitman: World of Assassination, yet that hasn’t stopped the devoted fans of thestealth-action trilogyfrom digging around in the code and creating all sorts of interesting things for the game.
Many creations are an impressive display of the thoughtfulness and dedication of the modding scene, not to mention how devoted fans are to expanding on the already-magnificent scope of the game. Unused content being unlocked, cosmetics being given a vast makeover, and a recreation of a classic level from a previous iteration in the series are but a few amazing creations that are most certainly worth trying out.
7Simple Mod Framework
As the name suggests, this makes setting up and creating mods much easier.
To make modding the game significantly less challenging, theSimple Mod Frameworkworks a treat and is strongly recommended by practically everyHitmanmodder out there. It’s beendownloaded over 140,000 times, according to NexusMods!
In short, it makes activating and calibrating mods a breeze, and is perfect for anyone who wants to make some for the game as well. A lot of the headaches that come with developing content are taken care of, while those who just want to play fan-created things can set them up and fiddle with their features with just a few clicks. Automatic updates help keep it running on the latest necessary upgrades, too, so it may very well be essential.
6Lighting Ultimate
Color correction, unnecessary filters, and excess bloom are all tweaked with this.
Hitman: World of Assassinationis a gorgeous game, there’s no doubting that. Alas, some of its visuals do rely a bit too much onoverly bright lighting and disorienting filters at times, and that can be a bit of a turn-off for some players. Thankfully, theLighting Ultimatemod is an effective remedy for this issue.
As the mod description puts it, it “significantly improves visual clarity, accessibility, and aesthetic choices.” This includes toning down the bloom drastically, making edits to the skyboxes, and performing a few tweaks to color correction on certain levels. It even works in Freelancer mode in 47’s customizable hideout, too. Now players won’t have to worry about being perpetually blinded after stepping outside on a sunny level!
5Time Of Day Mod
With this mod, levels can be played at different times of the day.
It may sound like a small tweak, but changing the time of the day in aHitmanlevel can make a notable difference to the overall feel and experience. After all, there’s just something so appealing when it comes to tackling levels like theParis fashion show on a sunny afternoon, or slinking through a Japanese hospital for a kill at twilight.
So, for those who love poetic fallacy, or just want some more visual variety for levels, theTime Of Day Modis a stellar choice here. While it’s not recommended by the creator for Freelancer mode, it does supportThe Sarajevo SixDLC alongside pretty much every other part of the game. Otherwise, everything else remains untouched, which should be a relief for those who still want to retain a faithful experience, in terms of the gameplay specifically.
4Freelancer Variations
More levels and other visual variations are available to play in Freelancer mode with this mod.
There are a handful of additional bonus missions available inHitman: World of Assassination, and they often bring significant changes to the maps. Alas, they are left untouched in Freelancer mode, despite 47 being tossed into the game’s many levels through it.Freelancer Variationsis the cure to this puzzling omission.
When heading to Dartmoor, 47 may have totake out targets at the garden show. Another variation may take the silent assassin to Whittleton Creek at night during the Special Assignment mission there. The bonus missions with the whiny actor and corrupt politician will have targets to take out, too. Why Io Interactive hasn’t implemented this officially is a mystery, so it’s great to see it be brought to life as a mod.
3Chongqing Noodle Massacre
This mission is a mix-up of a classic level from previousHitmangames in Chongqing.
Chongqing Noodle Massacreis a creative reimaging of the level ‘Massacre At The Cheung Chau Fish Restaurant’ fromHitman: Codename 47, which was remade inHitman: Contractsas ‘The Seafood Massacre.’ This time, it takes place in the Chongqing level while shuffling in new guard models, scripting (e.g.too many witnesses will fail the mission), and more.
There are even two variations, with a nighttime version offering subtle changes here and there. Nonetheless, the core objectives remain the same: whack the Red Dragon Negotiator and ensure his body is hidden, take out the Blue Dragon Negotiator, assassinate the Chief of Police, and leave the Red Dragon triad’s amulet on the table in the restaurant where the peace talkings are intended to take place. This should prove to be a great way to re-experience a classicHitmanlevel.
2Realistic AI
For challenge-seekers, the game’s NPC AI is made to be more perceptive and persistent.
Ask any fan of this titleabout the AI, and they’ll admit that it does take more than a few liberties to make the game a bit more accessible, though it throws realism out of the window in doing so. This is whereRealistic AIsteps in, which aims to increase the pressure that NPCs will put on the player.
It comes with a trio of settings, which is perfect for those who want the freedom to decide what kind of challenge they’d like without the mod choosing everything for them. ‘Normal’ has more perceptive and persistent guards, ‘Manhunt’ has them cover much wider areas and renders one’s disguise useless if previously caught, and ‘Extreme’ makes stealth and trespassing exceedingly difficult to pull off. This one is guaranteed to please the purists.
1Offline Mode Enhanced and Custom Mission Pack
This mod keeps all content available when playing offline, and even offers fan-made modes and missions.
Having to be constantly online and connected to servers to get the full, uncut experience was a design choice that players never really stopped grieving over, and for good reason. If there’s a connection issue, then say bye-bye to about a quarter of the game’s content! At least players won’t have to worry with this:Offline Mode Enhanced and Custom Mission Pack.
Seasonal-exclusive content is always unlocked, additional spawn zones are implemented, and players can start with whatever item they’d like in their inventory without restriction. Even better are the bonus levels, which include time trials and runs on newly-generated targets, and even acustom-made Sniper Challenge map. The fact that there’s even an intriguing ‘Choose Your Adventure’ mode compatible with some of the maps should make this one even more worthwhile.
