A few sites have started posting previews of the latest Hitman: Absolution level. It seems like the game may actually be sandbox-y and not as linear as the initial gameplay trailers showed. The previews cover a new Chinatown level that's a big open space full of NPCs. Like in other Hitman games, you have a few options of how to take out the target. I guess we don't know how the game will turn out for sure, but it's certainly a good sign.

Links:

Digital Spy

Computer and Vidoegames

It still seems fairly small, and it only showed him go in one building. As of right now, it's just an open walkway with a lot of NPC's to make it feel big. Compare that map to the biggest blood money maps like the hotel level with dozens of rooms you can go in.

We really need to see the full map, and see if there's anything close to being as big and multi-level as blood money and the other hitman games.

Also, where's the cool music from the other games? It just has generic suspense music now.

@squirrelnacho: True, but I'm hoping it's just an early, straightforward level and all that stuff is still in there. At very least, this seems to be the first evidence that the game at least somewhat resembles the previous ones and isn't just Hitman: Conviction.

@squirrelnacho said:

It still seems fairly small, and it only showed him go in one building. As of right now, it's just an open walkway with a lot of NPC's to make it feel big. Compare that map to the biggest blood money maps like the hotel level with dozens of rooms you can go in.

We really need to see the full map, and see if there's anything close to being as big and multi-level as blood money and the other hitman games.

Also, where's the cool music from the other games? It just has generic suspense music now.

I read a preview of this level on Gamespot. They spent about 2 hours on the level, and figured about 6 or so ways to assassinate their target.

Man, I remember when Contracts came out and people bitched about it being a retread (which to be fair, it mostly was). I remember when news about Blood Money started coming out, and people bitched that they were dumbing it down when the devs said "We want to make sure that if shit hits the fan, the player has options. It's not an instant fail-state." Oh, right, Blood Money was only the best Hitman game, precisely because it was so malleable.

So when the devs say, for Absolution, that they want the player to feel tempted to go guns blazing, to lose control and give into violence, that it's somehow going to make the game shite. That the levels won't be open, that they won't have many different paths to the same target. I'm calling bullshit on that. Absolution will be the best Hitman game.

TL;DR - have some fucking faith. These are the Hitman people.

After reading those links, I am now doing pelvic thrusts of joy! I CAN NOT WAIT

...they want the player to feel tempted to go guns blazing, to lose control and give into violence

The latest Gametrailers interview makes this sound like Hitman-ass Hitman game.

@Cybexx said:

The latest Gametrailers interview makes this sound like Hitman-ass Hitman game.

Some of the comments of that interview are exactly why some games are getting dumbed down. "Wow the trailer has guns and hawt chix, dis is my first Hitman game!". Call it what is it. There were comments like that on Giantbomb.

I think that commentor is being sarcastic. Though with the internet being what it is its really hard to tell some times.

After reading those links, I am now doing pelvic thrusts of joy! I CAN NOT WAIT

I'm skeptical, but I guess we'll just have til November to see for ourselves.