Hitman 3 has some of the best levels and missions in the entire franchise, with not only stelar designs but never before seen concepts and executions. Each level takes advantage of the game’s advanced graphics which have improved from the first game in the trilogy to bring along true spectacles. Not only do they look beautiful, but they are also some of the most interesting missions, as they are wrapping up the story that was started all the way back in 2016. And some are truly out of the box concepts.
Hitman 3 has a total of 7 new levels, with one being added after release. Like every other game, though, not all of the levels are at the same heights of greatness. But I do have to say that Hitman 3 takes many leaps away from the basic Hitman formula and they work for the better. This game has some of the most original missions in the franchise, but it’s nice to talk about which ones have been seen to fly after that leap and which ones fell flat.
7. Untouchable – Carpathian Mountains
Untouchable is one of the most original missions introduced in Hitman 3. It’s the long-anticipated ending to the trilogy’s storyline and is the last mission in the game. Well, unless you count Shadows in the Water, which was added a bit later.
In Untouchable, Agent 47 finds himself on a train in Romania after Diana Burnwood betrayed him (which was a big play to get him close to The Constant). He wakes up at the back of the train and must get to the front where The Constant is waiting. It has a nice premise and makes sense with the story that has been built up, and man is it satisfying to kill the person who has been behind everything since the start.
Carpathian Mountains tries to be very outside the box but actually finds itself at the very center of it. The worst thing a modern Hitman level can be is linear, and Carpathian Mountains literally has the player walk in a straight line. It’s only worth it to play through it once, as there is no room for creativity. There is that hidden ending that’s a nice easter egg to Codename 47, but that isn’t enough to distract the player from the fact that Untouchable is one of the worst missions in Hitman.
- Satisfying target to kill
- Nice ending to the entire WOA trilogy
- Most linear mission in the game
6. On Top of the World – Dubai
Dubai is a mission that I have a soft spot for. I fell in love with how beautiful it was when I first got my hands on Hitman 3 and played it over and over again before continuing. That should go to tell you how good I think this map is and how fun the On Top of the World mission is.
In On Top of the World, you are tasked with killing Carl Ingram and Marcus Stuyvesant after breaching the tallest building in the world. The Burj Al-Ghazali is a beautiful skyscraper coated in gold and elegance, and it’s a little different from most maps with it being not very wide but tall, with many different floors to climb and explore. And there is a lot to see and explore in Dubai.
I have a lot of good things to say about Dubai, but when comparing it to the rest of the missions in this game, I have to talk about its flaws. Dubai can be seen as a glorified tutorial, which I can’t deny. The mission is very basic when it comes to the Hitman formula, which makes it great for new players to experience, thus it being compared to a tutorial. It’s beautiful but basic, and the targets themselves are bland. However, there are a lot of good opportunities for fun kills and Dubai will always have a place in my heart.
- Beautiful map
- Fun opportunities for kills
- Can be seen as a glorified tutorial
5. Shadows in the Water – Ambrose Island
Shadows in the Water is a mission that was released after the initial debut of Hitman 3. Therefore, it isn’t connected to the main story and actually takes place during the second game. However, that isn’t to say that the mission isn’t interesting.
Shadows in the Water takes place on the secluded Ambrose Island which Sinai Venthan controls. Noel Crest is there as well controlling his own portion of the island, and the two work together and meet frequently, however there is a lot of enmity between them that can be taken advantage of. There is also the added challenge of having to deny them both access to the Surveillance Satellite by destroying it or stealing both their access cards.
Ambrose Island is a very well-crafted map. I love the mix of pirate and military themes and how much there is to explore. There’s a lot of easter eggs and secrets to find, which keeps the map feeling interesting. The targets are interesting and there’s a lot of ways to take them out. However, the mission doesn’t feel as fleshed out as the others in the game and is a little out of place. It’s very fun but hard to hold in comparison with the other missions in Hitman 3.
- Well-designed map with fun themes
- Interesting targets
- Not as fleshed out as other missions
4. The Farewell – Mendoza
The Farewell is the penultimate mission in Hitman 3 and is the start of the climax of the story. It has an interesting premise as the only mission in the WOA trilogy where Diana Burnwood herself is actually present to help 47. That makes this mission pretty original though the map itself isn’t.
Like I said, in The Farewell, Diana Burnwood is present and assists Agent 47 as he tries to take out his targets, Tamar Vidal and Don Archibald Yates, who are the only two Providence members standing in Diana’s way of becoming the next Constant and taking out Providence from the inside. Thus, 47 must take them out to make sure Diana can complete her task.
The Farewell takes place on a vast vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina owned by Yates, who is throwing a party. With many tools at hand, 47 has a lot of interesting opportunities to take his targets out, my personal favorite being the sniper nest. Yes, it’s another mission taking place in a mountain mansion, but there’s a lot of hidden detail that goes into making this mission original.
- Lots of interesting opportunities to take out your targets
- Fun gimmick of working alongside Diana in the field
- Start of the climax of the story
3. End of an Era – Chongqing
End of an Era is one of the best missions in Hitman 3. It has a nice blend of sticking to the Hitman roots while introducing original elements. And it’s in my opinion the best designed level in the game.
End of an Era has two targets, Imogen Royce and the mysterious Hush, who have contrasting fortresses that complement each other. Hush has a hand over the streets while Royce can be found in what’s below. The bright neon city pairs nicely with the dirty streets, and those streets contrast the clean base beneath them. It’s an all-around beautiful map.
Also, the player must hack the data core that Royce is in control of, which centers around an important event in the story. And it’s all quite fun too. The map really encourages the player to explore and listen in on conversations being held around the map. It just falls a little behind the truly remarkable levels ahead of it.
- Beautifully designed map
- Interesting targets
- Encourages exploration
2. Apex Predator – Berlin
Apex Predator is one of the best missions in Hitman, period. It strays away from the original concept of a Hitman level all while sticking to the fundamentals. It has everything you would want as a beautiful blend between a great design, an interesting concept, and an engaging story.
Berlin takes place in a German nightclub and has no conventional target, as the targets are operatives tasked with blending into the scene and killing Agent 47. Except they’re actually the ones being hunted. There are about 10 targets to take out, with only 5 being needed to kill to complete the mission.
Berlin has a myriad of targets all while keeping from appearing overwhelming. And a myriad of targets means a myriad of creative opportunities to take the lucky 5, or more, outs. It’s a blast to explore the many corners of this beautiful map and take out your targets in the most creative way possible. I honestly would place this mission and the next at a tie, but alas, there’s something about the next mission I just love.
- Original concept
- Lots of creative ways to take out targets
- Introduces a lot of targets while keeping from being overwhelming
1. Death in the Family – Dartmoor
Death in the Family is one of the most original missions in the WOA trilogy and the franchise has a whole, but unlike Untouchable, it flies outside of the box and soars. I believe it to be the best mission in Hitman 3 purely because of how different and fun it is.
In Death in the Family, Alexa Carlisle fakes her death only to return to her home when her children arrive for her funeral. Stick with me. When she arrives, she finds her brother Zachary dead and suspects foul play, so she hires a private investigator to come in and solve his murder. Except the PI is actually 47 in disguise.
I just love this idea for a Hitman mission. The whole thing centers around the murder mystery and it’s such an original concept to have 47 go around and interview each member of the family. It’s so much fun piecing together the clues, and at the end, the player gets to take out Alexa. It’s such an original concept for Hitman yet it works, and it’s very satisfactory to complete.
Even after completing the mystery, Dartmoor is still fun to replay as there is a lot to find around the map and interesting ways to take out the target. For that reason, I believe Death in the Family is the best mission in Hitman 3, though it only beats Berlin because I’m a sucker for murder mysteries.
- Original murder mystery concept
- Great storyline
- Fun to replay
Hitman 3 truly has some of the best missions in the franchise. It has a range of missions that stay within the classic formula to missions that go totally off the rails. I think any Hitman player, new or old, can find something to love within this game. And man is it great to finally finish the story started back in 2016.
