History YMMV / HitMan

* WTHCastingAgency: Fans didn't take too well to Creator/TimothyOlyphant playing 47 in the film. Some even campaigned to have David Bateson play him. Further uproar was caused when Creator/PaulWalker was cast for the upcoming reboot, [[DiedDuringProduction but this was tragically averted.]]

!![[center:'''YMMV Navigation:''' Franchise | ''[[YMMV/HitmanCodename47 Codename 47]]'' | ''[[YMMV/Hitman2SilentAssassin Silent Assassin]]'' | ''[[YMMV/HitmanContracts Contracts]]'' | ''[[YMMV/HitmanBloodMoney Blood Money]]'' | ''[[YMMV/HitmanAbsolution Absolution]]'' | [[YMMV/Hitman2016 2016]] | ''[[YMMV/Hitman2 Hitman 2]]'' | ''[[YMMV/Hitman3 Hitman 3]]'' | ''[[YMMV/Hitman3Freelancer Freelancer]]'']]

* BestLevelEver: The series is well known for it's excellent level design, but some levels stick out more than others.

** A bunch from Blood Money:

*** "A New Life" has you in a rich neighborhood with loads of places to explore and a lot of stuff to do to help with your mission or just to fuck around.
*** "Murder of Crows" is a great level because of it's variety and time-based structure. Unlike previous levels, your targets here have a goal to complete of their own. Thus, you must race through the level attempting to track them down. What makes it fun is two elements- the first is that the level is randomized, so the locations of the targets and what they do change per level, and the second is that the targets [[spoiler: are two assassins themselves, leading to a HunterBecomesTheHunted scenario that really makes you feel like a badass.]]

** "Traditions of the Trade" is by far the most fondly remembered mission of the first game. There's a good reason it turned up again in ''Contracts''.
** ''Hitman (2016)'' also steps up with some simply awesome levels:
*** Sapienza is considered the best map of the game, and according to later marketing, the whole franchise. This is due to its massive size and the many different ways to kill targets. The map is a large section of an Italian coast side town, with a huge mansion as its centerpiece. There are also some other fun locales, from the church along the coast, to the large building across the street that's perfect for sniping. The main criticism seems to be that a lot of the location is wasted as the targets are centered around one section of the map, that being the Mansion; A criticism that's been since addressed through elusive targets and three other missions for that level.
*** Hokkaido is a challenge for even the most die-hard of Hitman fans. Not only is it one of the most atmospherically strong levels in the series, being set at a beautiful mountainside high-tech hospital at dusk, but it's densely packed with numerous pathways, tucked away areas, and more. What makes it so memorable is that at first, it's a NoGearLevel- 47 must find his way to his target, hidden away in the most guarded corner of the facility, with absolutely ''no weapons or tools'' aside from what he can get his hands on. The kills you can get for [[spoiler: Eric Soders]] are also awesome, with the standout being [[spoiler: simply walking up to him and causing him to die on the operating table from the stress ''of knowing you're even there.'']]

** PortingDisaster: While not a "disaster", it still has some issues. The most notable change is that the Bartender Disguise filter easter egg in ''Contracts'' is removed, and the new widescreen sometimes shows outdoor effects indoors on the screen edges.
* ScrappyMechanic: ''Codename 47'' and the direct sequel, ''Silent Assassin'', are full of targetless filler missions that extend the game's length. They are meant to cripple the target and pin them into a corner. One, they're much less of a sandbox, featuring linear 'get from point A to point B' maps. Two, it takes away the actual contract killing part.
##In Hong Kong, this is accomplished by killing off various Triad emissaries. But in the next mission, you'll suddenly notice that several objectives exist mainly to pad the game's length.
##''Silent Assassin'' is arguably worse, because you have to disable all kinds of "security systems" while avoiding [[TheAllSeeingAI seemingly-psychic guards]], and the ranking system discouraged you from simply shooting your way through it.
##Tellingly, Square Enix forgot that few people liked the targetless missions and revisited the concept in ''Absolution.''

** ScrappyWeapon: The original 4 games suffer from this. The majority of the unlockable weapons are not very useful, as they are often deemed suspicious even in disguises that allow visible weapons. It isn't until ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'' that wearing any guard disguise allows visibly carrying any weapon(s) you can get your hands on.

** There's a rather somber easter egg in ''Absolution.'' If you go through the vents in the courthouse, you'll find [[VideoGame/KaneAndLynch Kane]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFwKRRbuDLs writing his last letter to his daughter before his scheduled execution]]. Hearing the tell regrets of all that he's done within his voice and his dream of having another chance to form some sort of connection with his daughter is heartbreaking to eavesdrop.