Hitman Developer Addresses Frustrations With Freelancer Mode’s Difficulty

IO Interactive has addressed complaints about the difficulty in Hitman: World of Assassination’s new Freelancer mode. While a few clarifying changes are coming, the developer has explained its choices and why the difficulty of Freelancer is staying the same.

On a blog post on the Hitman official website, the developers explain the logic behind how the Freelancer mode works and what it frustration points are. Some frustration comes from the possibility of losing a campaign, upon which progress restarts. Some players felt that this was too hardcore, but IO wanted to make sure winning a campaign feels like a big deal and that the “adrenaline rush” from mistakes or failure in certain missions is preserved.

Another frustration comes from losing Freelancer Tools. These tools are objects like poisons, lockpicks, and explosives. You lose these items if you don’t bring them back from a mission, but all tools are also lost upon campaign failure (or when you end it). IO states that lack of clarity, as well as confusion about the difference between Freelancer Tools and other items, has made the loss of these tools feel unfair. A new label, which can be seen in the weapon wheel, will mark items as Freelancer Tools.

It can also feel punishing to lose these tools, because they have a large impact on the freedom of players. A lockpick literally opens doors that might otherwise be inaccessible and explosives offer a multitude of new options. However, the loss of Freelancer Tools also means that you cannot always rely on tried and true strategies every run. This forces you to try out new ideas, and thereby have more novel experiences. However, as a mitigation of frustration, you will now be able to find and purchase (with in-game currency) some tools like a lockpick, coins, and dart guns that are persistent and not labelled as Freelancer Tools.

The post takes a refreshing tone, both understanding and validating players’ frustration and feedback, while clarifying exactly why every decision was made and why. The whole blog post is worth reading in its entirety if you like Hitman, or are even just interested in game design more broadly. You can also check out tips and tricks for the Freelancer mode if you are struggling to achieve victory.