Grand Designs: Big Level Blueprints For Next Hitman

After the disappointment of Hitman: Absolution, developers IO Interactive came to the Internet with their collective hat in their collective hands. Without quite admitting that Absolution's small levels, linear missions, wonky AI, more personal story, and bottomless pockets didn't pan out, they did write an open letter mentioning that they plan to do away with all those things for the next Hitman game. Reminding people that it's still being made and they really did mean all that, IO have shown off a little concept art including a building which, they say, "on its own is larger than any location in Hitman: Absolution."

Click away for the full 1920x1080 2.6MB artwork. "You'll be able to explore the entire building," IO say, "inside and out." It certainly hints at a promising return to form, but is still only concept art.

Perhaps I'd like more of this, though. It feels more honest than a lot of AAA marketing, especially the requisite reels of worthless trailers many publishers spit out. IO have some nice ideas and a pretty picture and would very much like to make them real. I can relate to that! Whatever I imagine and project to fill in the gaps is my own responsibility and my fault, rather than planted by misleading 'gameplay' trailers. Square Enix gave the new Deus Ex a similar concept art-y teasing too.

And besides, given that I'll never have the time nor inclination to play every single video game, I experience most of them as ideas anyway. I'd much rather they stay inspiring in my imagination then be dragged into horrible cardboard mock-reality with faked screenshots and daft trailers. Give me a demo to play, solid footage of actual gameplay to watch, or a lovely string of ideas and evocative pictures. More floaty dreams please, thank you video games marketing.