Hopefully Hitman: Absolution Is Nothing Like This Trailer

@Grimhild: Oh, how silly of me. Of course, I myself often use the term "regurgitates onto screen" when praising my favourite directors. Sorry!

@FMinus

Again... as I stated in my post, my issue is not with Mr. Tarantino. What is grating to me, is when people don't dig a little deeper into the roots of what they find appealing to see what they could be missing out on, and make more succinct references. It's like a Christian that's so enamored with the King James version of the bible that they never bother to look further. Their choice, yes, but by most scholarly accounts, inaccurate.

@Vodun

You basically just repeated my post back at me, assuming I was bashing Tarantino.

@Grimhild said:

I don't have a problem with Tarantino, per say. He makes entertaining homage films. But CHRIST I'm so tired of the manic section of his fanbase thinking every 70's genre or trapping (of which there are many) he regurgitates onto screen is original cinema gold.

I don't know what these uppity games journos are getting their panties in a bunch about, it's a fun trailer.

@chrispti: No worries whatsoever. I thought the trailer was kind of fun, but unfortunately it is the type of thing that idiots who don't know anything about games are going to drag out of the closet so that they can "prove" their horrible points about how video games are either without artistic merit, or worse- warping people's minds. I don't think that should stop people from making stuff like this though, it just requires a little self awareness, which this arguably has. I don't think it is even POSSIBLE to make a trailer featuring S&M assassin nuns without expecting everyone to laugh along with you.

Replace the nuns with normal mercs and that would be pretty good trailer.

This trailer would've been way cool if Agent 47 had gotten his ass kicked.

You guys are all pretentious. That was hilarious and awesome... Just like the Hitman series.

@Gordo789 said:

@chrispti: I think you misread my post. Only the second part was directed at you. The part after the @Chrispti.

The first part was just a sarcastic comment, not really directed at anyone in particular, and it was about video games, not gamers who play them.

Have a nice day!

I indeed misread. My apologies!

First off, this is not the worst, most disgusting trailer I've seen. That being said, I did find it uncomfortable and ultimately unproductive. Public marketing material like this does absolutely nothing to disprove the stereotypes and stigmatisations of video game culture. And yes, those still exist.

To most of the world, we are fat, lazy, sex-starved, anti-social geeks who lust after violence and sex in games and media because we are not able to achieve those desire in the real world. That, or angry spoiled 14 year olds screaming into a mic while playing call of duty and treating their parents like crap. It doesn't matter who you actually are ar what you actually do or don't do with your life. those are our labels.

Going back to the trailer, the only two things being used to promote this product are violence ans sex. Regardless of whether or not you think its appropriate or gratuitous or whatever, those are the two marketing methods being used in this trailer. There really is no gettin around that, between the extreme detail cutaway shots of agent 47's pistol's, the slow motion close ups of the most stylish hits during the fight, the transition between two stereotypically sexualized costumes, and the obvious framing of shots of the women walking to the hotel. And then take into account the extreme calm and cold manner in which Agent 47 handled the situation.

In context, knowing the history of the Hitman series, and knowing the style of the games, this makes a lot more sense, and may be somewhat less extreme. Even knowing those things, I personally find it fairly gratuitous, but that's an opinion and I am able to see why others might not find it that way.

But removed from context, seen by a viewer with little interaction with gaming culture, or even simply with DIFFERENT interaction with gaming culture, all of that reference to established style and theme is gone, and all that remains is this odd 45 second scene of a large, silent man graphically fighting and killing a group of really pissed off s&m/nun assassins. That information is all that is provided. There is no story, no introduction to the world (even his barcode is covered in the trailer, yet another detail reserved only for viewers 'in the know'). Anything else that might ground the trailer is the responsibility of the viewer; and that's a lot to put on your audience.

The less information you have prior to seeing the trailer, the more shocking it's going to seem. And no, this is not their TV spot or their 30-second youtube clip. I certainly hope that when they do start putting out those trailers, they will not feature scenes like this. (A great example of a developer of graphically violent and sexual games that knows how to edit their promotional material for various audiences is Rockstar) But this is a pretty big trailer for them regardless (I'm assuming it's their E3 or pre E3 teaser), and it's more public than say, a developer diary or something else more internal to gaming culture. There's a much greater chance of this being seen by someone in passing who is going to be very taken back by this. And once they figure out that what they just saw is promoting a video game? Well, they're certainly not going to think we buy the magazines for the articles...

did John Woo direct this?

@chrispti: I think you misread my post. Only the second part was directed at you. The part after the @Chrispti.

The first part was just a sarcastic comment, not really directed at anyone in particular, and it was about video games, not gamers who play them.

Have a nice day!

@Phouchg: David Bateson isn't the model nor voice for 47 no more.

@Foggen: What Hitman games have you been playing?

Man.... what the fuck.

I thought the article title was a little harsh, but after watching the trailer, it's well deserved. Christ

I have little experience with the Hitman games, but if this game is about fighting Ninja-Fetish-Nuns, I'm in.

I really dislike trailers like this. Still sold on Hitman though

@hsvlad said:

This trailer is definitely weird, but Hitman: Bloodmoney and Hitman Contracts both had one or two moments where this kind of character design was used. In Bloodmoney it's the Heaven and Hell party where the angel girls are wearing nothing but a crucifix of white duct tape, and in Contracts there is a BDSM party in a slaughter house that gets pretty weird.

The whole game wont be like this, they never are, but there are always moments where this side of IO's art team slips out. It's like finding your friends porn stash and mixed in with all the regular, good-ol' fashioned stuff you find a Formicophilia magazine. Yeah its weird and fucked up but he's such a nice guy you'll just pretend to didn't notice

this.

This trailer is definitely weird, but Hitman: Bloodmoney and Hitman Contracts both had one or two moments where this kind of character design was used. In Bloodmoney it's the Heaven and Hell party where the angel girls are wearing nothing but a crucifix of white duct tape, and in Contracts there is a BDSM party in a slaughter house that gets pretty weird.

The whole game wont be like this, they never are, but there are always moments where this side of IO's art team slips out. It's like finding your friends porn stash and mixed in with all the regular, good-ol' fashioned stuff you find a Formicophilia magazine. Yeah its weird and fucked up but he's such a nice guy you'll just pretend to didn't notice

Facepalming hard at this juvenile trash. Desperate times indeed.

@jakkblades said:

What's not Hitman about assassins using surprising costumes to hide their true identities?

The fact that they discarded their costumes (which were ill suited to the location to begin with) about 200 yards from the target and then blew it the fuck up with an RPG, completely ruining their element of surprise.

I'm concerned this game won't be anything like the originals and will have all the interactivity and player choice as Deus Ex Human Revolution. A modern sequel to an old classic, that is.

@Gordo789: yeah I need to "grow up". fuck off. what did I say that was immature? you basically agreed with me that she was a great character. You are missing my overall argument here and trying to belittle it by saying I "need to grow up".

Mila Jovovovich is amazingly sexy. Does that make the Resident Evil movies misogynistic? sexist? unapproachable to women?

Look at the achievement descriptions in Metal Gear Sold HD Collection. "Snake Beater" - "Get caught by Otacon stimulating yourself" (to a poster of a women in a bikini) and "Kissing Booth" - (kissing the aforementioned poster)? Is Solid Snake a misogynist? Hideo Kojima? Do they hate women and think of them only as objects? Its a fucking joke. A meme. Relax.

This comments section starting to remind me of the lunatics that crucified Phil Fish as racist against the Japanese.

I can't believe people are saying this looks cool, it looks like the most retarded shit I've ever seen. If they think this will appeal to me then to be honest I'm fucking insulted.

@Grimhild said:

@buckybit said:

(But nuns with machine guns was a real "meme" in 1970s exploitation movies - long before Tarantino or Rodriguez stole it).

Thank you. Seriously. I don't have a problem with Tarantino, per say. He makes entertaining homage films. But CHRIST I'm so tired of the manic section of his fanbase thinking every 70's genre or trapping (of which there are many) he regurgitates onto screen is original cinema gold.

Nobody is making such movies anymore except him and maybe a handful of others, not even that. So yes people compare it to Tarantino, as it's the only reference these days, and his movies are different from what Hollywood produces like a factory so they have it's own charm which obviously a lot of people like.

And people say games need to grow up. Pshah!

@chrispti

You don't remember people complaining about the sexualization of Bayonetta? You must not have a very good memory then. I agree with you, though, I thought Bayonetta was a fantastic character. People DID bitch and moan about her a lot, without knowing what the hell they were talking about.

Those are some pretty shitty assassins. I mean he's just walking up behind them in the middle of the open and picking them off. They probably listen to music.

hitman is supposed to be so badass he didnt have to fight hand to hand or have a gun battle. He'd be at least two steps ahead murderin' your ass before you even know it. I mean he went into a russian military base, assassinating a general and rescuing agent smith all without a clue he set foot in there. Agent 47 would have killed those bitches before the trailer even started.

What's not Hitman about assassins using surprising costumes to hide their true identities?

COOL STORY BRA

lol these female sexy nun assassins are really bad at their jobs. I don't really mind most sexualization in video games, its just wutever; but this was a bit over the top. Like there is a place for that kind of stuff (something like a James bond movie setting with sexy female assassins is ok by me). I would have been fine with the trailer if agent 47 ended up sniping them from far and blowing the building to kill the rest. Dude did not have his usual swag in this trialer

@Allison: I agree.

@MindChamber said:

Lol Jeff's trollish title gets the users down each other's throats. It really is easy to be gods among men on the internet.

That trailer was alot of fun, and shows the developers know how to not take themselves seriously.

Exactly. Thank you.

Mmm sexy bondage nuns

The title of the IGN article by Keza MacDonald was "What The Hell Is With That Hitman Trailer? The Latest Hitman Absolution Trailer reveals disturbing truths about what game marketers think we want to see."

The increased demand for political correctness in video games is becoming dangerous. This trailer has started a debate, which of course is good, but at the same time I am seeing more and more uproar over what I think are odd issues.

This is like when Resident Evil 5 was deemed "racist" by some members of the media (like N'Gai Croal) because a white protagonist was killing black zombies in Africa. I am not racist nor do I believe in any way that racist beliefs are okay. But really?

I don't remember anyone complaining about the deep sexualization of Bayonetta. She was a strong female protagonist (something that could be done more) but she was deeply sexualized to the point of being naked. Where are the political correct police for that? Its a two way course. You can't cry foul when women are depicted in a way you disagree with in one sense and not say anything the next because the female is the protagonist.

That being said we have seen the dark side of people when we saw the comments by the one guy from the fighting game tournament recently. We also saw the despicable comments by people towards the female writer for Dragon Age and Star Wars: TOR. While those comments are reprehensible they by no means reflect the video game community as a whole.

By the way, the Hitman games have always been over the top, yes they are stealth games, but goddammit just wait for some game play footage before the whole internet makes a grand assumption about the game and turns it into an issue of misogyny.

I don't have a problem with the trailer. Does that mean I want the game play of Hitman to drastically change? No. Does that mean I am a sexual predator or pervert? No. Does it mean I am a raving sexist or misogynist? No. I have a mother, a girlfriend, a sister. Just RELAX everyone. While debate is good lets not self-censor ourselves.

I will now get off my soapbox.

@GagnarTheUnruly said:

Some people don't seem to understand what the problem is with this trailer. It revels in graphic violence against abjectly sexualized women. If you can't see the problem with this, it's because you are either immature, socially unaware, or an idiot by nature.

THIS is why the video game industry gets no respect.

Or perhaps it's because I have priorities in my life and don't take video games THAT seriously. What difference does it make to you if the industry gets respect? Video games are probably more respected now than they ever have been and I don't see that changing because of this trailer.

I do not think the gameplay will be like this I believe this is just signifying how vulnerable and how many people are after him. Perhaps on missions you will have to watch your back a lot more because you will have people after you as well.

There's obviously some mental dissonance going on in these comments. It's eerily similar to when IGN ran commentary on this very same trailer, calling it misogynistic and titling it, "This is what the developers of Hitman: Absolution think we want to see," to paraphrase. The article itself was well written, but as to be expected of anything both video game related and feminist (yes, shock of shocks, a protrayel of brutal violence and sexualization of women is a "feminist issue"), the majority of IGN users called the writer out on being blinded by the trailer and only seeing what she wanted to see. "It's just a video game, afterall. It's not real," is an often-used phrase.

I bring that up because GiantBomb is very much EQUAL to IGN's comments in this regard. Any one or thing that is against sexualization and violence against women is in the wrong. They're "internet crazy," "sitting atop an ivory throne." "I don't see why people are upset by this." These are all perspectives of people that don't quite "get" how trailers like this are bad for women, and honestly anyone.

Regardless, there will be a LOT more trailers that use women to sell their video games, and by the end of next week they will all be forgotten in lieu of some grand E3 announcement. Hopefully before then people can look at the way they see portrayels of women in video games and re-examine the way they look at the world, but that's something both I or anyone else should not have to do for you.

This is so idiotic.

Killer nuns in a nun-type setting? That would make sense. Bondage assassins in a bondage-type setting? That would make sense. Balls-out rocket-launcher death squads, hired by some kind of cartel? Sure. All of these things would individually make sense in a Hitman type of world.

But all of them together?

Just put in that Marylin Manson song from the Dragon Age trailers and get it over with.

So there's a CG movie called Hitman Absolution then?

Those (insanely sexualized and incredibly terribly depicted) women are really bad assassins.

Like if you're going to go that route just drop a bomb on the motel and be done with it.

a GIANT BOMB.

@Flip175 said:

@Castermhief117 said:

@Flip175 said:

@chrispti said:

I love all the comments of people bashing this trailer. Relax.

Thank you. For everyone saying they'll no longer buy the game because of this trailer; grow a spine.

It's funny because the same kinds of people that would normally shit all over a pre-rendered trailer arguing that it gives no impression of how a game will turn out are the same folks eating this one up and crying foul that it's a sign of the end for Hitman.

While a trailer doesn't always exactly accurately depict a game/gameplay, it can show the direction and audience that the developers were hoping for. What many fans are worried about is that Hitman will become more action and gun focused... which is pretty much the opposite reason why Hitman: Blood Money was loved so much.

I just don't understand the angry mob reaction to a pre-rendered trailer. They've never been taken seriously one way or another as indicative of how a game will turn out, and I'm not sure why that's suddenly the case now. Save the pitchforks for E3 when we actually see something.

I'm a Hitman fan and I recognize the concern of the franchise going more action-oriented, but I'm waiting until next week for, you know, some more actual gameplay footage before passing judgement.

The point is, while the pre-render trailer is not an indicative of the gameplay, it is a fair indicative of the tone of the game. Maybe I haven't been into Hitman enough, but being hunted by a group of killer nuns with rocket launchers and guns hidden in their lingerie is not what I recall Hitman being about. This kind of over-the-top style is more at home in a Tarantino movie...

I am not going to condition my purchase of the game on the trailer, but I share the concerns about the designers vision. As shameful as the Coco trailer for Ghost Reacon is, I am sure that I won't have her giving me a debriefing in that game. This trailer, on the other hand, makes me sure there are going to be a commando of killer nuns at some point in the new Hitman...

Even though they're totally different franchises, in my mind I always compare Hitman to Max Payne. And Hitman always wins. Except for this trailer.

@GagnarTheUnruly said:

Some people don't seem to understand what the problem is with this trailer. It revels in graphic violence against abjectly sexualized women. If you can't see the problem with this, it's because you are either immature, socially unaware, or an idiot by nature.

THIS is why the video game industry gets no respect.

Did you SEE the women in Blood Money? This is just the developer's style and you really shouldn't give a fuck about whether the industry gets respect or not.

Oh god, I feel so dumb right now...It's "ABSOLUTION", that's what the nun thing was about. That and latex fetishes of course.

I hope to see more of this at E3 next week.

what the hell did i just see!

@GagnarTheUnruly: I hope there's a railing on that ivory tower you reside in. I'd hate to see you fall out of it.

The trailer features a gang of assassins coming to kill a person. If it was a gang of muscle bound men coming to murder a single woman who retaliated, you'd be whining that it called to mind thoughts of gang rape and might even be thrilled at how the lone woman beat the odds and killed so many men. Yeah, the sexy nuns are salacious. So what? The trailer, at face value, shows them attempting to murder a man. He in turn murders them. That's the long and the short of it. He doesn't appear to take extra pleasure in killing the women. He doesn't shout sexist epithets. There's nothing here to get worked up about unless you're Frank Miller or Robert Rodriguez. Then you might be irritated that the sexy nun ladies are quite a bit like the sexy prostitute ladies from Sin City.

@jakob187 said:

SOMEONE PUT THIS TRAILER TO "POWER" ALREADY GODDAMMIT!

In case nobody has.

Not really into hitman, but watching this trailer gave me an idea for Quintin Tarentino's new movie. Grindhouse:Assassin Nun's 7.

Think about it.

Lol Jeff's trollish title gets the users down each other's throats. It really is easy to be gods among men on the internet.

That trailer was alot of fun, and shows the developers know how to not take themselves seriously.

This game would be much more interesting if I could play as a kinky nun who's assassinating agent 47.

I dislike violence against women in video games, if only because most video game women are usually gorgeous and half-naked which sexualizes the violence, which I think is a very bad idea should children play the game (and you know they do). It's par the course for Hitman though. In a later mission in Blood Money, one of your targets is a female assassin (one that derives sexual thrill from killing, of course) wearing an angel costume consisting of cross-shaped lingerie, angel wings, stockings and go-go boots. Oh, and the entire mission takes place at a 'Heaven/Hell' themed party.

Sex, violence and religion are not unusual in Hitman games. If it were a movie, it'd be R-rated material. Agent 47 taking out several sexy nun assassins should come as a surprise to nobody.