Here comes Ambrose Island! A free map added to Hitman 3 as of today July 26th 2022.
I’ve recently been back on a Hitman kick, re-playing through levels of IO Interactive’s masterpiece of a trilogy. So I’ve gotten back into the swing of things when playing as Agent 47. Disguises, “accidents”, piano wire, hiding bodies in cupboards and using rat poison at every opportunity, to ultimately drown someone in a toilet.
In truth, I’d forgotten about the release of a new free map “Ambrose Island” until I saw it on Twitter this afternoon. Although I do wonder if that initial announcement is what subliminally put me back on the Agent 47 train. Who knows? Who cares why I was playing?
The fact of the matter is that IO has given us a free update to Hitman, releasing more than just a new map. It’s a new level, a new microcosm of life and death to explore. Secrets to uncover, and a place to ultimately master after playing over and over again.
Ambrose Island is here, and it’s a great addition to what I honestly think is a perfect series.
Ambrose Island
So what does a new map bring to Hitman 3? Is Ambrose Island some more Agent 47 goodness? Oh yes, it is! Although smaller than most of the levels in the Hitman Trilogy, Ambrose Island is crafted with the love and attention you have come to expect from IO, and small as it may be, there are hours of fun to be had. What with the many replays required to uncover everything.
Set on a secluded island in the Andaman Sea, north of the Strait of Malacca, Ambrose Island is an isolated harbour packed full of dense vegetation, hidden coves, twisting paths and perilous bridges. I haven’t found the bridge yet, but I see it’s a challenge, so I can only assume I get to use it for some kind of murder!
There’s Farah’s bar that hosts an ongoing slap competition. Watching guys slap the bejesus out of each other is pretty entertaining, to be honest! Ambrose Island is a fun and quirky environment and hits all those usual sweet spots of easy to access, but hard-to-hide areas.
You have two targets to eliminate and also some sabotage to undertake…….
I managed an accident kill to Akka the pirate queen, and a long-range silenced pistol shot to Noel Crest. So I have some work to do to see some of the more exciting ways to bring an end to these villains.
Suffice it to say, I’ve not seen all that Ambrose Island has to offer yet, but I can tell you what I’ve seen so far (spoilers if you’re reading this before trying it out).
Free update
Ambrose Island is a fully-fledged Hitman 3 map, and it’s free!! I can’t quite get over it. After seeing that IO was moving on to a James Bond game (exciting!), I figured there would be patching and fixes for a bit and then Hitman would wind down. Yet here we are.
A small, but perfectly formed Agent 47 instance that I need to play several more times tonight just to get comfortable with it.
The targets aren’t too tough to kill in average ways. But I know there’s a cannon somewhere that I can use to take them both out at the same time, after faking a meeting between them. I’ve seen that there’s a bridge to “use” presumably to tamper with and cause an “accident”.
Dropping bricks on a pirate queen is fun and everything, but there are more ways to do this. Speaking with a US agent that I just freed from a cage, it looks like I have the chance to electrify a cage and let her get a bit of a shock…..
So yeah, one or two runs aren’t going to do it justice. I’m in for a few more.
The initial feel for Ambrose Island is that this is yet another perfectly built instance of the killing simulator. I’ve got disguises and stealth. Emerging storylines to follow through and still a couple of areas to explore. My mastery here will increase quickly. I can see myself getting a good few hours out of this, for free!
If you love the Hitman Trilogy from IO Interactive, you’re going to enjoy having some more of the good stuff. With some pirate/island-themed rewards for level mastery (poison frog grenade anyone?!), there’s the silly side thrown in for good measure.
Ambrose Island is another notch on the headboard of one of gaming’s most perfect trilogies.
Get the update and jump in. Cause chaos, or slink about. It’s your choice!
I’m hoping to write a bit more about my love for Hitman soon, either here at Fullsync.co.uk or over at ninjarefinery.com so keep an eye out!
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