One of 2016’s sleeper hits is getting an update to close out November.
Hitman, the episodic assassination-based action adventure, is getting an update today on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC that features a number of improvements, according to a blog post from developer IO Interactive. The biggest addition is an “offline profile” that will enable you to continue using items you earned online even when you cannot connect to web. Previously, you could earn special weapons, gear, and starting points by completing challenges that were only available when you connected to publisher Square Enix’s servers — but now those items will carry over into your offline play. This means you don’t need to spring for the shoddy Wi-Fi just to enjoy Hitman to its fullest during your flight home for the holidays.
Hitman debuted in March with the first of six episodes. Square Enix has pushed out regularly updates ever since to introduce the rest of the game’s missions and settings. This is the first time in the history of the Hitman franchise that the game has taken an episodic approach. Previously, all Hitman games launched on disc or as digital downloads with all of their content included in the retail package.
IO released the final episode of Hitman’s first season on October 31, and the company is now moving into a period of maintenance. Here’s how the studio explains it in its blog post:
“Less than a month ago, we released the Season Finale; Episode 6 Hokkaido. This November Update is the first of a series of planned major game updates that will add new content and improvements to the game, both leading up to the physical disc release on January 31st 2017 and beyond. We always set out to create a game with a major live component and over the course of the first season, we have established exactly that by releasing content each and every week on top of the major location releases. A December Update is also on the horizon.”
Here’s a rundown of some improvements in the November update:
- You can now bring your online unlocks with you offline.
- IO has fixed some stability issues that caused crashes.
- Levels will now add checkmarks to Opportunities that you’ve already completed.
- Rating screen will now let you know if you achieved the “Silent Assassin” rank.
- Upgraded statistics page provides more details.
- New briefings videos for the Sarajevo Six characters on PlayStation 4.
- Agent 47 can now pull people over balconies or out of windows when he is hanging underneath them.
Don’t get too attached to 47’s new ability to pull people out of windows. IO has already confirmed that it is broken. When a nonplayer character sees you do this, they will not realize that you caused it. The developer said it plans to remove this maneuver in the December update, and it will reintroduce it in January.
For a full list of what’s different in Hitman — including fixes for problems in each level — check out the complete changelog right here.