Editor’s Note: Third place, which means a spot on our podium of twenty-five most anticipated games of 2012. After culminating a comprehensive list of the confirmed games for next year, the MediaKick team voted on the games they are most looking forward to for next year, and after processing the results through a methodical algorithm we’re here to bring you the results. Taking a closer look at both what we know so far and why the team are excited for each game, we’ll have an article at midday everyday until Christmas – when we’ll reveal our most anticipated game of 2012. Be sure to check out the previous games so far if you haven’t already – #25, #24, #23, #22, #21, #20, #19, #18, #17, #16, #15, #14, #13, #12, #11, #10. #9, #8, #7, #6, #5, #4.

It’s strange, if feels like only yesterday that Square Enix made my dreams come true by announcing a new Hitman game. One of my favourite series on the PlayStation 2, with some of my most memorable experiences being with Agent 47. Whether it was trying to complete the mission at hand without altering a single guard, running in guns blazing, or finding the most effective or humorous way to infiltrate and fortress, it was always extremely enjoyable.

However, it wasn’t yesterday, as the original reveal for the latest adventure for Agent 47, Hitman: Absolution, was revealed back in May this year. There was little news before E3, other than IO Interactive confirming that the game will be “easier to play”, but that didn’t stop it being one of my most anticipated games pre-E3. The new accessibility is something that has certainly appeased News Editor Ryan, “I didn’t play the PlayStation 2 games an awful lot as I found them far too difficult and I didn’t get into stealth games until Splinter Cell was released on the 360 (and therefore missed out on some great titles). Luckily, I’ve been able to revisit them thanks to Steam and, while I still find it difficult to become a true assassin, they are terrifically fun and immensely satisfying when you pull off the perfect assassination. The gameplay footage shown so far looks brilliant. Dark, stealthy and brutal. Everything needed in a Hitman game.”

It wasn’t until the Expo though that we finally got a glimpse of not just the art style of the stealth-action title, but also a clinical CG trailer to really amp up the fans. IO Interactive continued their hard work until October, when we were greeted with the first gameplay footage, albeit a teaser for something bigger. When it hit, it persuaded many, and quite rightly. The sixteen minute gameplay walkthrough showcased Absolution fantastically; highlighting the game’s gameplay mechanics and the new features introduced since the series’ last outing. It was this gameplay video that convinced MediaKick writer Phil:

“Although I’m not a big fan of the Hitman series in general – simply due to not playing them rather than disliking them, to say I have been completely won over by what we have seen so far would be an understatement. The earlier trailers have been fantastic, but it was the extended gameplay walkthrough that did it for me. Just wow! This will surely be one of 2012′s best titles, and it has to be.”

A few weeks later, IO Interactive released a developer commentary for the “Run for your life” gameplay trailer we’d seen previous, something that sat well with Dave:

“Where to start?! Just hit that full level demonstration for what made me take notice and the following developers commentary for why everything featured sounds so much more appealing! I loved the previous game in the series (Hitman: Blood Money) for the careful planning you could perform into your assassination attempts, but always thought the AI was a little cheap. This not only addresses the issues I did have, but expands to make the AI sound intelligent and more appealing to try to overcome!”

There’s no doubt that Hitman: Absolution is a stunning looking game, but combine it with a brilliant audio design and you’re always onto a winner. MediaKick contributor Rob agrees saying, “The ability to sneak in the shadows and stalk prey has been like a holy grail for many games. Yes it has been done a number of times previously, but as the demo for Absolution showed, none do it like this. It looks beautiful, sounds amazing and the ability to step into Agent 47′s shows once more is getting me giddy! “

I got the pleasure to speak with Lead Producer at IO Interactive, Hakan Abrak, about Absolution and it only further confirmed my excitement for the title. “The freedom of choice is the real essence of Hitman Absolution,” he responded when I asked about the ability to complete a mission in one of a variety of ways. “It is still very much the core of our game and on top of that we try to make the options more apparent. It was maybe sometime difficult as sometimes in video games you can just be dropped in the middle of the level with a lot of choices and different ways of overcoming the challenges that you face.”

“This can make it very difficult for the player to see what to do and we have tried to make it easier to see now what the different options are,” he said. “We have different approaches in play style in place now so that if you want to have the stealth assassin way of doing things, and you have possibility of a more violent approach as well. This was perhaps not the viable before where you made an action and then there was no way back, so we’re giving the opportunity to make that a choice for the player to have as well. What play style do you wan to have: do you want to be the ultimate stealth assassin, or do you want to be a more violent, gun-blazing assassin, or the possibility to switch between the two. We give rewards and achievements for that, so you can have both a compelling and engaging experience if you take one play style, the second, or the third. On top of that, there are different routes to take, different moments and ways to solve challenges in the game.”

There were a whole host of new snippets of information revealed by Hakan, which helped convince Harry that this was a game he had to have, “While the Eurogamer Expo demo sold me on the concept but still had me feeling a little bit uneasy afterwards initially, on reflection and with further coverage since then hitting the Internet, I am ready and waiting eagerly for this Hitman game. Stealth combat games are too frequent and close between at the moment it could be argued, but Hitman: Absolution really does look like it’ll stand out from the crowd.”

I was already extremely hyped for the title before speaking with Hakan, but I walked out knowing this was one of my most anticipated titles of 2012. The organic music system, the new “Attention Meter”, drawing the cops from one point to expose some space at another, utilising disguises and having to act the role, the precision of Agent 47′s abilities, and being able to become a master assassin; it’s exactly what I want from this sort of game. The trailer shown at this year’s Video Game Awards certainly didn’t falter my anticipation in the slightest – if anything it propelled it to new levels.

“If you want a truly cinematic experience, if you want a truly epic experience where the core of it is to play the ultimate assassin, that core fantasy, then you must play this.” That was the line Hakan gave me to convince new players to play Hitman: Absolution; it convinced me beyond all doubt. Bring on Agent 47. Bring on Hitman. Bring on Absolution.