Contracts Mode for Hitman: Absolution / Screenshots

Hitman: Absolution already looked pretty awesome, but Square Enix and IO Interactive aren’t quite done sprucing it up.  Today they announced a new online mode called “Contracts” that will allow players to share their own custom hit challenges within the game.   Pick a target, select the weapons, and then devise your own rules for your challenge.   The game is set to ship with some pre-defined Contracts, but fan-made maps and mods are any indications, the fans will figure out new and innovative ways to use this mode beyond anything the developers could have imagined.  Here is a little bit more about this new mode:

“CONTRACTS was inspired by our loyal and extremely creative fans, many of whom are still finding new and amazing ways of taking out targets in previous Hitman games,” said Christian Elverdam, gameplay director for HITMAN: ABSOLUTION. “CONTRACTS mode finally delivers a way for Hitman players to fully realize both their creativity and competitive nature. Whether they’re fighting to shave off a split second from their time or combining elements and timing events to create unprecedented accidental deaths, gamers can now challenge and inspire each another with an endless variety of user-generated contracts.”

Upon accepting and successfully completing a contract, players will be rewarded in contract dollars with the amount depending upon how well they performed. In order to create more elaborate and creative setups, the player can choose from a vast arsenal of weapons, disguises, upgrades, and techniques; all of which can be unlocked by either playing through the story mode of HITMAN: ABSOLUTION or by spending those hard-earned contract dollars.

You can check out my description of my hands-on time, or check out a video that goes over that same scenario while we EAGERLY await the November 20, 2012 release date on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.  We’ve got some new screenshots to show off the new mode in action: