It's been a rough few years. Between natural disasters and a seemingly out-of-touch ruling class, finding solace can be challenging. For many, that solace comes in the form of video games. But what if those games, like Hitman 3, offer more than just escapism? What if they provide a twisted form of social commentary?
Hitman's core gameplay loop—attempt, learn, repeat—offers a sense of control in a world that often feels chaotic. But the game's underlying fantasy of infiltrating the world of the elite and disrupting their schemes holds a particular appeal in our current climate.
Death and the Jet-Set
Agent 47 is a perpetual outsider. He blends in but never belongs. The opulent settings are merely a backdrop for his work. He's a tool, pointed at the bourgeoisie, ready to disrupt their carefully constructed world.
This resonates in a time when the gap between the ultra-rich and everyone else feels wider than ever. Hitman allows players to indulge in a fantasy of bringing down the powerful, enacting a form of slapstick justice.
IO Interactive seems to understand this appeal. The game's locations, from lavish Italian villas to exclusive resorts for the ultra-rich, deliberately highlight the disparity between the haves and have-nots.
Even the game's Freelancer Mode, which targets random individuals, maintains a sense of class conflict by framing the targets as members of a sinister criminal syndicate.
Ultimately, Hitman offers a cathartic experience, a way to process anxieties about social inequality through a lens of stylized violence. Whether you're taking down a corrupt CEO or a random guard, the act of disruption feels meaningful in a world that often seems rigged against the ordinary person.
