Hitman: Absolution to be more accessible

Developer IO Interactive has said that the upcoming fifth title in the Hitman series, Hitman: Absolution, will be made much more accessible than previous titles as part of an effort to interest new audiences.

IO's Tore Blystad explained to Digital Trends that the extreme difficulty curve and unconventional design often prevented the Hitman series from reaching all the players it could - something IO Interactive is keen to fix now.

'The Hitman games of the past have been very hardcore,'' insisted Blystad. 'Even though the fantasy of the Hitman universe has a very universal appeal, the games have been so difficult to play, that it's been more of an acquired taste.'

'The biggest challenge that we had with this game was to make it much broader in every sense, so that it was easier to play and more accessible, but still retain a very strong, hardcore side as well. We don't want to alienate any of our fans who have been extremely loyal for so many years.'

Blystad said that the game would still be a challenge, however, with AI able to respond to attacks from any angle. He also discussed the importance of story and character in the title.

'There are similar things in games like GTA or these bigger sandbox games, but it's on a much less granular level because we have a very strong focus on the abilities of the characters.'

'You get so close to the characters in this game. They all have names, and they have all some kind of part to play in the story, so that they act as believable as possible is the most important thing for us. It's the most central part of the game.'

Let us know your thoughts in the forums and check out the Hitman: Absolution teaser trailer below. More videos are available in the trailer section.