The Hitman series has been around for over two decades and has seen eight mainline entries and two unique mobile phone spin-off titles. Stealth games have often been referred to as the thinking person’s action game, but developer IO Interactive has taken this kind of stealth to another level with its Hitman series.
12 Ways To Kill Jean-Claude Van Damme In Hitman
Agent 47 is tasked with killing Jean-Claude Van Damme in Hitman: World of Assassination, and there are some rather brutal and creative ways to do it.
The scope of Hitman‘s level design is far beyond what has been seen in other stealth games like Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid. Levels require thought and patience, and players can spend hours exploring the intricacies of each mission to find the best ways to eliminate Agent 47’s targets and achieve the Silent Assassin rank at the end of each level.
We are going to include compilations, just to be thorough. People are also likely to pick up one of these packages.
Updated January 7, 2026, by Mark Sammut: The Hitman series continues to be as popular as ever, and World of Assassination’s live-service approach has generally been top-notch. While there are no new games to add, we have put together a quick picks section with some recommendations.
Quick Picks: Best Hitman Games To Play Right Now
Before we dive into the individual games, we have put together a short section that provides quick recommendations across a range of categories. If you are just looking for something to play right now, or are new to the franchise and don’t know where to start, the following table should help.
|
Category |
Game |
Reason |
|---|---|---|
|
Best Hitman Game For Beginners |
Hitman: World of Assassination |
In 2026, World of Assassination is an absolute no-brainer, as the compilation comes with a ridiculous amount of content. They are also the most polished Hitman games by quite a margin. |
|
Best Hitman Game (Not Counting Compilations) |
Hitman 3 |
Perfects the formula started by its two immediate predecessors, which refined Hitman to a point of near-perfection. |
|
Best Classic Hitman Game |
Hitman: Blood Money |
Although the first three games have their merits, Blood Money is the oldest game that has aged well; even in 2006, it was far ahead of its predecessors. |
|
Best Hitman Action Game |
Hitman: Absolution |
Guns blazing should be the last resort in a Hitman game, but Absolution encourages you to go down that route a bit more than the rest of the series. |
|
Best Hitman Mobile Game |
Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal |
A solid adaptation of Blood Money that gives you a console Hitman experience on the go. If you want a game made specifically for mobile devices, Hitman Go is the best. |
17
Hitman: Codename 47
The First Entry In The Hitman Series Is A Rough But Solid Effort
Hitman: Codename 47 was released in 2000 and is the first game in the series. It laid the groundwork for what would become a great series, using several mechanics like taking and using disguises, the concealed sniper rifle, and the need for stealth.
Just like its newest titles, the game rewards the most cost-effective methods to complete a mission and gives penalties for killing civilians or getting spotted by witnesses.
Unfortunately, many of these mechanics feel antiquated by modern standards, making the game feel unpolished. The first title was never released on another platform aside from the PC, and even though it had something of a retelling through Hitman Contracts, a remake of Codename 47 using the current engine would go down well with fans.
16
Hitman: Sniper
A Mobile Spin-Off From Hitman 2’s Assassin Mode
Hitman: Sniper
- Released
-
June 4, 2015
- ESRB
-
m
- Developer(s)
-
Square Enix Montreal
Hitman: Sniper was released in 2015 for iOS and Android systems. It is a spin-off that works similarly to the Hitman Sniper Assassin mode in Hitman 2 and the stand-alone Sniper Challenge mode for Hitman: Absolution.
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Hitman: Sniper plays like a gallery shooter with several objectives for the player to complete their mission. The player can create openings by setting up traps, using distractions, and other mechanics that Hitman fans will enjoy. However, the touchscreen controls are often at odds with the zoom function, and players will be frustrated by accidentally shooting their guns when trying to use the scope.
15
Hitman 2: Sniper Assassin
The Sniper Assassin Mode From Hitman 2
Hitman 2
8/10
- Released
-
November 13, 2018
The Sniper Assassin mode included in Hitman 2 is now part of the Legacy pack in Hitman 3, and the package consists of separate missions that place Agent 47 at a single vantage point using only a sniper rifle. While that may sound simplistic on paper, the levels retain their sandbox feel and allow 47 to cause as much chaos and distractions as possible.
In addition to the main objectives and targets, there are optional challenges like causing environmental accidents and shooting suspended objects, such as chandeliers or heavy wall-mounted speaker,s to fall on a target, killing them instantly. Making these hits look like an accident can lead to hilarious and memorable moments.
14
Hitman 2: Sniper Assassin – Knight And Stone
Co-Op Gameplay With Two New Characters In The Hitman Universe
The Knight and Stone missions were part of Hitman 2’s standalone online co-op gameplay missions. Up to three players could take part in sniper missions where players take on the roles of Agent 47, Knight, and Stone.
Like the Sniper Assassin missions, the characters remain in place, but the environments are still sandboxes that can be manipulated. The missions offer bonuses for synchronized kills, and the new characters Knight and Stone are far more talkative than 47, offering players a new dynamic. Unfortunately, these missions are no longer available, as the developers focus on the single-player aspects of Hitman 3 instead, but fans are hopeful that it will make a comeback.
13
Hitman 3 VR
Immersive VR Action Through The Eyes Of Agent 47
On the PlayStation 4 – or the PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility – Hitman 3 also comes with a fantastic VR mode, which is currently exclusive to the PSVR. This mode allows players to play the game through the eyes of Agent 47 and is incredibly immersive. Thanks to the VR mode, players now seem to have a new line of sight that allows 47 to observe the environment in brand-new ways. Moreover, it is one of the best-looking games on the PSVR, which is surprising considering the size and scale of the missions.
The Hitman VR mode is now available on the PC as part of Hitman 3‘s year 2 plan. Unfortunately, as a direct port of the PSVR version, it lacks any enhancements that many PC players would have expected, and it’s a choppy experience by comparison, impacting half of its audience. Hitman 3 VR: Reloaded was released for the Meta Quest 3, but it had bugs and gameplay issues.
12
Hitman: Contracts
A Darker Sequel And A Retelling Of Some Of Codename 47’s Most Important Missions
Hitman: Contracts‘ story is told in past tense, allowing players to catch up with the first game’s events without having to endure playing it. Contracts featured many retold and reworked missions from the original game, retold through the memories of a mortally injured Agent 47. Hitman: Contracts makes each mission feel like a self-contained story with world-building and unique characters that draw fans into the hit as they calculate the best methods to take down their targets.
In addition, Contracts is much darker and more violent in tone than its predecessors, which is immediately evident in its opening level at Meat King’s nightclub.
The globe-trotting Contracts take players to locations like Romania, Siberia, the UK, Rotterdam, Budapest, Hong Kong, and Paris. The Paris Mission features an action-packed epilogue, seemingly inspired by the movie Leon: The Professional. It’s another entry in the series that holds up well against the new titles and is among the series’ darkest in its story and tone. Hitman: Contracts was remastered for the PS3 and Xbox 360 as part of the Hitman HD Trilogy, but is unavailable on modern consoles. Hopefully, IO will revisit this classic and make it available to new fans.
11
Hitman: Absolution
A Cinematic Entry Combining Action And Stealth
Hitman: Absolution was launched in 2012 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and was later bundled in the Hitman HD Enhanced Collection on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2019. While not as fondly remembered as other titles in the series, Hitman: Absolution introduced a lot of new gameplay mechanics and features, like Instinct Mode and Online Contracts, both featured in the World of Assassination Trilogy.
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However, some of the level designs are more linear than the game’s predecessors, and the locations, aside from ‘Hunter and Hunted’ lacked a lot of variety or size synonymous with the series. Furthermore, during the later stages, Agent 47 will often find himself forced into frustrating and unavoidable firefights, losing sight of why fans loved the series so much. However, despite its flaws, Absolution is still a thrilling game in the stealth genre. It features one of the best and most cinematic stories in the Hitman series, building 47 as a character, giving more context to the complex relationship between him and his handler, Diana.
10
Hitman Go
A Surprisingly Good Puzzle Stealth Game
Hitman Go
- Released
-
April 17, 2014
- ESRB
-
e
- Developer(s)
-
Square Enix Montreal
Hitman Go launched on Android and iOS mobile systems in 2014, but it was later released on the PlayStation 4 and Vita in 2016. Instead of a third-person perspective featured in the mainline series, Hitman Go is a turn-based, top-down game where Agent 47 moves around using grids.
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Despite resembling a board game, this mobile entry captured the puzzle-like mechanics of the mainline series, albeit simplified to better fit mobile devices. Elements of the series are missing, like completing missions without killing non-targets, and the restrictive nature of Hitman Go has inescapable linearity. It scores well, but doesn’t feel like a proper entry in the Hitman series.
9
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
An Impressive Title and a Significant Improvement Over Its Predecessor
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin was an authentic sandbox experience that became the standard for the series going forward. It’s also available as an HD release in the Hitman Trilogy set for the PS3, the Xbox 360, and the Hitman HD Enhanced Collection. Where the first game in the series felt like a rough draft or experimentation of ideas, its direct sequel, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, polished everything for it to become the series fans love today.
Using disguises and hiding in plain sight played a big part in being as stealthy as possible. Additionally, Hitman 2 has a variety of ways to eliminate targets and achieve the Silent Assassin grade, from poisoning drinks, setting up traps, or sniping from a distance. Players can even run in and use an aggressive approach, but the reward comes in being the assassin Agent 47 is supposed to be. The original Hitman 2 is one of the highest-scoring games in the series, but its age and unrefined mechanics compared to its successors make it clunkier and more challenging than the latest entries.
8
Hitman HD Pack
An Upscaled Set Of Two Classic Hitman Games
- Platform: Xbox 360
- Released: 2013
- Developer: IO Interactive
The Hitman HD Pack was launched on the Xbox 360 and features a double pack of Hitman 2 and Hitman Contracts. While both games are available separately on other platforms, this set is available on the Xbox Store with the benefit of backward compatibility on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
Hitman Contracts and Hitman 2 is a good place to start for fans who want to experience the origins of Agent 47 before the The World of Assassination Trilogy. Contracts retells some of 47’s missions from the first game and has a significantly darker tone in places. Meanwhile, Hitman 2 has a more traditional espionage and spy thriller feel with the missions and overarching story of the clones.
