Ah, Hitman. As one of my favorite game franchises of all time, it’s safe to say I’ve put in my fair share of hours playing these games. And I remember my first time picking up the 2016 release of Hitman, which served as a reboot of the series, and I will never forget it. I played the game on repeat until the second came out, then the third, and then I decided to revisit the first title of the WOA trilogy.
One of the reasons I loved Hitman 2016 so much was because of its amazing levels that are still fun to replay. All eight of them are worth revisiting, and it seems that with each replay new things still pop up. However, that’s not to say that every level in the game will be as fruitful in your replay.
After completing the two tutorial levels, Hitman 2016 takes you all around the world. You first land in Paris, then head to places like Sapienza, Marrakesh, Bangkok, and Colorado, until you end up in Hokkaido.
Though it’s all a matter of opinion, some of these levels can be seen to be better than others. And that’s what this very list is about; the best levels in Hitman 2016. Though none of them are bad, we’ll be listing them all from the worst to the best.
8. Freeform Training - ICA Facility
A picture of the crude yacht in Freeform Training. It's immersive as long as you don't look up at the metal hole in the sky.
Freeform Training Walkthrough.
Freeform Training is the tutorial level of Hitman 2016, and it’s supposed to teach you how to play the game. It takes place in the ICA Facility on a crudely constructed yacht, with each NPC being an actor. The objective is to infiltrate the yacht and take out your target.
I think that Freeform Training is a great tutorial for the game. It teaches you everything you need to know, and the idea of sneaking onto a yacht is fun. I love the whole party aesthetic, and though the yacht doesn’t look finished, you can easily forget you’re inside some government facility. This level doesn’t offer much besides that, though.
Everything is pretty linear, which is how the level is supposed to be as it was made for beginners. There’s also no real threat, as it’s not a level you’re supposed to lose. However, with a variety of challenges you can complete, there’s much to like about this level.
- Excellent start to the game
- Allows the player to get adjusted to the game’s mechanics
- Fun map concept
Freeform Training is great fun, but since it’s a tutorial and doesn’t raise any real stakes, it sits at the bottom of this list.
7. The Final Test - ICA Facility
The Cuban military base in The Final Test. It looks like one of those cardboard box forts you'd make as a kid, just with more assassination involved.
The Final Test Walkthrough.
The Final Test is the second half of the game’s tutorial and is again set in the ICA Facility. When I was researching other rankings to see what other people thought were the best levels, none seemed to separate the two tutorial levels. Yes, they go hand in hand, but I would argue that, since they’re two different levels with separate maps and targets, they should both get a spot on the list. But I digress.
The Final Test is set in a military base in Cuba, serving as a replica of a mission that took place all the way back in the ‘70s. It has the same theme as Freeform Training in that it’s crudely constructed with actors serving as NPCs and the same objective of infiltrating and taking out your target.
This second half of the tutorial isn’t supposed to hold your hand as much. It’s like throwing a the player out of the nest to fly, yet they still know there’s a mattress to land on in case things don’t work out, so it still holds your hand to a certain degree. It’s still quite linear but does offer more creativity than Freeform Training. That’s one of the many aspects to like about this level.
- Allows the player to master game mechanics
- Sets up the player to think for themselves
- Fun concept as a mission recreation
Though much better than Freeform Training, The Final Test does not pale in comparison to the main mission levels. Those are where the player can truly fly.
6. Freedom Fighters – Colorado
A picture of the main house in Colorado. That is where you most likely will be spending all your time, as all the targets are either stationed there or rotate through it.
Freedom Fighters Walkthrough.
Colorado seems to be a great level on the surface, and it is; it just seems to lack in certain aspects when put into practice. Colorado takes you to a large military compound full of militia soldiers and four individual targets to take out. There are many different areas the player can traverse through, but the main area seems to be a house towards the back of the map, where each target seems to rotate through.
Colorado is fun. I like how different the map is with the open concept and the added challenge of having the starting location be a restricted area. There’s a lot of opportunity for interesting kills because no one target is enclosed in a singular space. The map also looks gorgeous with the sunset and country aesthetic, it just doesn’t have that umph the other levels have.
First off, I said how I thought the open concept of the map was cool, but not that it worked in its favor. You can walk into a new area without realizing it and be shot at immediately because you don’t have the right clearance. It’s challenging and requires the player to pay more attention but quite annoying as well.
Also, the four targets are fun the first time around, but after replaying the map a few times, it gets tedious to have to take the time to kill four targets when you only wanted to complete a challenge by killing one.
There’s a lot that goes in Colorado’s favor:
- Added challenge of restricted starting area
- Beautiful map
- Lots of opportunity for interesting kills
It’s just that there’s a lot that goes against it too. What makes it original serves to be its own downfall.
5. A Gilded Cage – Marrakesh
A picture taken from the "ivory tower" in Marrakesh. You can see the loud protest below, so no wonder Klaus hides up there.
A Gilded Cage Walkthrough.
I think I have an unpopular opinion in that I loved Marrakesh. As the third level in the game, it really encapsulates the idea of being a hitman. Set in the busy market streets of Marrakesh, you must blend into the busy world around you and infiltrate two individual bases. One target is a Swedish ambassador hiding in an office building, and the second a military general stationed in an abandoned school.
The main gripe people have about this level is that the two fortresses seem to be disconnected from the main map, but I believe they’re supposed to be that way. Klaus Strandberg is supposed to be cowering in his ivory tower away from the angry protesters below, and Reza Zaydan is hiding in his base of operations outside of the main center. They’re supposed to contrast with the Moroccan streets.
The streets, though, is where I believe this mission thrives. They’re so busy and full of personality, and I love breaking into the small shops and finding useful items and vantage points. There are so many secrets to behold and find. My only gripe is that the two fortresses that the targets reside in lack any personality, so they can fall into forgetfulness. However, the many things to love about Marrakesh make up for it.
- Lively setting and streets
- Much to explore and be found
- Encapsulates the idea of being a hitman
4. Club 27 – Bangkok
Here is the Himmipan Hotel in Bangkok. You can see that there's two halves to it, so just make sure you plan accordingly when exploring one side.
Club 27 Walkthrough.
Now we’re getting into the levels that are very difficult to rank. I think that Bangkok is a wonderful level set up for greatness. It was difficult to decide whether Bangkok or Marrakesh deserved the #4 spot, as I love both these levels, but I think Bangkok is a bit more fun at the end of the day.
In Bangkok, Agent 47 infiltrates the grandiose Himmapan Hotel disguised as a guest as he must take out two targets. These two targets, attorney Ken Morgan and musician Jordan Cross, are just so satisfying to eliminate. Bangkok offers some of the most fun mission stories in the game, ranging from Agent 47 performing a drum solo to knocking out the whole first floor of the hotel with insecticide.
I also enjoy how the hotel is split in two. When making your way through the main entrance, Morgan’s side is to the right, with him at the bottom and his suite at the top, and Cross’ to the left, with his team and recording studio occupying the whole side. It makes it interesting when crossing the two areas, and the fact that the map is beautifully designed makes everything better.
My only gripe is that some parts of the map are difficult to traverse through. Because the two halves of the hotel are separated, it can be difficult to get to the other part without doing something illegal or walking all the way back to the bottom. That can make the whole map feel small after a few playthroughs, but it doesn’t take away from what makes Bangkok a great level.
- Satisfying and fun mission stories
- Awesome map design
- Interesting concept with the map split in two
3. The Showstopper – Paris
A picture of the Paris mansion. The first thing I suggest doing is dressing up as Helmut Kruger to participate in the fashion show.
The Showstopper Walkthrough.
Paris is one of my most favorite Hitman levels of all time. It has everything that makes a Hitman level great and puts a touch of originality to it. This level takes place in a beautifully grand mansion in Paris with a fashion show going on inside. It’s a whole black-tie event, yet Agent 47 didn’t come for the fancy dress, but for bloodshed.
One of the targets, Viktor Novikov, patrols the fashion show taking place on the main floor. The second target, Dalia Margolis, is hosting a top-secret auction on the top floor of the mansion, which the player will either have to find an invitation to or disguise themselves as a high-ranking bodyguard.
I love everything about the Paris mission. The whole business at the top, party at the bottom design of the level is super creative. One of the best parts about Paris, though, is the fact that Agent 47 can actually participate in the fashion show by dressing up as the top model Helmut Kruger, with many NPCs pointing out the striking resemblance as you traverse.
Dressing up as Kruger will give you a chance to take out Margolis, and donning a waitor disguise will give you a chance to pour Novikov a poisonous drink. Or the player could skip either scenario and start the firework show early and take out both targets with a sniper rifle as they go outside to observe the sky. There’s honestly nothing negative to say about Paris; there’s just much to love about it.
- Elegant map design
- Ability to participate in the fashion show
- Creative opportunities for kills
Just, at the end of the day, this list is a matter of preference, and I prefer the other two levels on this list a little bit more.
2. Situs Inversus – Hokkaido
The GAMMA facility in Hokkaido. Here, the target Eric Soders has come for a heart transplant. What happens to the heart, though, is up to Agent 47.
Situs Inversus Walkthrough.
Hokkaido is probably my favorite Hitman level of all time. I think it just has a masterful execution with its setting and level design. This level takes place in a hotel/hospital where Agent 47 must pose as a guest and take out Yuki Yamazaki in the hotel area and Eric Soders in the hospital area.
The interesting gimmick with Soders is that he is not mobile, being stagnant on an operating table waiting for a new heart. This allows some interesting kills without ever touching the target. That’s not the only gimmick, though. The GAMMA center is a high-tech facility, meaning all locks have been replaced with electronic chips that open doors when you’re nearby. This means to open certain doors you must have certain disguises, which proves increasingly difficult as you start the level with nothing.
I love the idea of Agent 47 infiltrating a hospital. It feels a bit ironic, which makes it more fun. I just really enjoy this level and how isolated it feels from the rest of the world down below. Also, this level is huge, so even after playthroughs now, I’m still finding secrets and interesting ways to take out the targets.
The only complaint to be had is that the target Eric Soders stays in one spot for the duration of the mission, but there wouldn’t be such interesting kills like poisoning his stem cells or throwing his replacement heart in the trash can if he were mobile. There’s just so much to love about Hokkaido.
- Creative target
- Masterful level execution
- Added challenge of no starting loadout
1. World of Tomorrow – Sapienza
A picture of Sapienza. The tower in the picture is one of the best vantage points on the map for sniper kills. Just make sure the priest doesn't notice you.
World of Tomorrow Walkthrough.
And finally, we have Sapienza, which I think is the best level in Hitman 2016. It has everything to love about the levels before it, with a range of wide-open spaces and environments where you’ll be up-close and personal. Also, it’s one of the biggest maps on this list, so you’ll be spending hours exploring every inch of this gorgeous Italian beach town.
In Sapienza, there are two targets: the rich Silvio Caruso with mommy issues, and the brilliantly evil Francesca De Santis. Along with these two targets, you’re tasked with destroying a deadly virus held in a secret lab under the town. That added task is a nice challenge, and the drab atmosphere of the secret lab serves as a nice contrast to the vibrant world above.
Sapienza just feels alive. There are people everywhere, and the whole thing seems to breathe along with the player. There are so many ways to take out your targets, like pretending to be the ghost of Caruso’s mother or sending De Santis a love letter. Every opportunity just feels natural with the world around you and the characters at play. Even taking a different approach and attempting to snipe the two is made incredibly easy with a church in the town center.
Everything about Sapienza is great. There’s so much to love about it and even now I can’t get enough of it.
- Awesome and lively atmosphere
- Added challenge of destroying the virus
- So, so much to discover
Sapienza is, in my opinion, the best level in Hitman 2016 and one of the best levels in the franchise. However, every level on this list is great in its own right. I’ve spent just as much time exploring the streets of Marrakesh as I have the streets of Sapienza. Every level has sights to behold and secrets to be found, so it’s up to the individual to pick a favorite. My favorite level wasn’t even #1 on this list. So, who knows what you’ll get out of your own playthrough of this amazing game.
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