Hitman 2: Silent Assassin may be a bit of a surprise to GameCube owners.  It's so much darker and much more violent than the games they're used to.  With the exception of the Resident Evil series and a few other games, most of the 'Cube's adult-oriented titles left a lot to be desired.  Most of them were ports, or merely a clone of a kiddie game that was drenched in red polygons.  That's not what anyone wanted.

This one is different – VERY different.  For starters, you can throw your perceived FPS notions out the window.  While Hitman 2 controls a lot like Halo or Golden Eye (thumbstick = player movement; camera stick = crosshairs aim), and it has a lot of heated battles, a la Medal of Honor: Frontline, it veers off on its own path by including the "silent assassin" aspect.  This, as you could gather by the game's subtitle (or maybe not since titles can be misleading), is the most emphasized aspect of the game.  It's also the most well-executed aspect, and the reason I have become such a huge fan of the game.

The star of the game is known as Hitman.  Apparently he has no real name, and since his past was introduced in the first Hitman (which I have not played), I can't really tell you who he is or why he became a hitman.  What I can tell you is that after a brief retirement, Hitman is forced back into battle when the only person he cares about (a priest) is kidnapped.  It doesn't sound too intriguing, but the voice-acting is done so well that you can't help but become interested in the story.  Plus, you'll be spending a lot of time with the main character, and after playing as him for so long an attachment, even a small one, begins to build.  That leads to curiosity about who he really is.

Once the brief intro has ended, it's up to Hitman to save the day.  He gives a call to the people he previously worked with and is asked to complete a mission for them.  This, of course, is how gets back into his bad, sinful profession, and leads the gamer to a world of entertainment that is very, very good.

That world consists of sneaking, sneaking and more sneaking.  You can't just run up to a bunch of enemies and start shooting.  Well, you technically can, and if you're good enough you might even make it out alive.  But that'll just alert the other enemies of your presence.  They'll then be more wary of being hit, and will less likely to let you sneak path them unscathed.  Plus, getting into unnecessary gunfights could hinder your main objectives.  The game's subtitle is "silent assassin," not "loud killer."

There isn't a number-one coolest feature in Hitman 2 since the whole game is equally cool.  Every time a weapon is dropped, it could be yours.  Handguns, shotguns and knives are just some of the most common weapons you may retrieve from fallen enemies.  For the most part you are allowed to carry as many weapons as you like, so there's little to prevent you from creating a powerful arsenal for yourself.  If you like being stealthy, you can kill enemies by sneaking up behind them.  Neck snaps?  No – this ain't a Metal Gear Solid-clone.  Instead you can whip out some wire, wrap it around the guy's neck and strangle him to death!  It sounds gratuitous and violent, but it's only a game, and boy is it fun!

At times, you'll have to set aside your desire to be a silent assassin and let the "loud killer" come out.  This is very likely to happen early on in the game, when you're still learning all of the basics and have yet to fully grasp the art of performing silent kills.  As deadly as they are, the gunfights are awesome.  Running from enemies that threatened me; chasing those that I absolutely had to kill -- it made me feel like Tom Hanks in Road to Perdition.  Hitman's nice black suit, his fancy guns and his grandeur attitude made it that much more enjoyable.  This character is extremely cool and being able to control him, become him, is truly awesome.

Hitman 2's soundtrack is given the high-quality treatment with composer Jesper Kyd.  Jesper composed a soundtrack so powerful and so popular that it was released on CD and is available to buy in this country!  (Anyone who has ever tried to buy a game soundtrack knows that they are rarely released domestically.)  The reason for its domestic release is because of how far beyond the game the music goes.  Even when the game is not running, the music will be with you, replaying itself in your head.  It's a work of art, perhaps Jesper's best yet.  IO Interactive made the right choice having him compose the music for this superb sequel.

GameCube owners rarely have the chance to play an adult game as good as Hitman 2.  It's very different from the tactical espionage action games that console gamers are used to, but is just as addictive.  This proves that you can create a great game in an existing genre by thinking outside the box, by going beyond the mold or by using any cliché you want, and still make it very unique.

Little brothers beware: now that Hitman 2 is here, your GameCube is no longer safe.  Guard your bedroom at all times.  Otherwise your big brother might come in, snatch the 'Cube and begin an all-nighter with everyone's favorite silent assassin.

For more information on Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, check out GameZone Online’s interviews with the game’s producer (Clayton Palma) and composer (Jesper Kyd).

Gameplay: 9
If Medal of Honor and Metal Gear Solid got together and had a baby, this would be their child.  Hitman 2 is the first true stealth game that can be played from both first- and third-person views.  The controls are pure FPS, with strafing and player movement activated with the thumbstick, and the weapon aiming controlled by the camera stick.  This is done remarkably well for a console game.  The sneaking aspect is implemented in a simple, subtle way.  Imagine playing Medal of Honor, but tone down the firepower, increase the number of deadly adversaries and the need for stealth.  Combined with awesome kill and stun techniques, the ability to switch your clothes with a downed enemy, and the awesome gunplay, and you've got one of the most lethal GameCube titles around.  With a version available for every console (and the PC), no gamer has an excuse to not play this game.

Graphics: 7.9
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is another great-looking game that is only hurt by the extremely tough competition.  The cut scenes are stellar.  Not only is the voice acting actually good, but also the animation is impeccable.  They're some of the best I've seen on the 'Cube.  Even at the start of the game, when a group of thugs come to kidnap the priest, Hitman 2 stands out from the crowd.  They rough him up a little and then shove him into the car.  The appearance of all the characters makes it clear that they are from a video game, but their lifelike movements go far beyond their less-attractive exteriors.

Sound: 9
What an unexpected surprise the soundtrack is.  Certainly I had heard and enjoyed the work of Jesper Kyd before.  His pumping Brute Force soundtrack was great.  I had also heard of all the critical acclaim that Hitman 2 had received for its music, but I never expected it to be as powerful as it is.  Every song – yes, every song is a unique artistic piece that'll stay with you long after the game has been turned off.  From the fast, adrenaline-pumping engaged combat theme, to the slower, orchestral music that plays during the game's calmer moments, Hitman 2 is incredibly enjoyable to listen to.

The sound effects are really good, too.  Realistic gunfire, a variety of footstep sounds (that change with every surface), great voice-acting, etc.  Another point about the music: it's used in the right moments.  Kudos to the developers.

Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Hitman 2's difficulty falls somewhere between medium and hard.  You could say it's hedium -- or mard!  Jokes aside, this really is a tough game.  The techniques you've mastered playing Metal Gear Solid will not always hold up here.  The same goes for techniques you've learned playing any standard FPS.  Hitman 2 throws a lot of challenging stuff at the player, but it's not cheap, so the increased difficulty only adds to the fun.

Concept: 8.9
I haven't played the first one, so I can't say how big of a leap the sequel is over the original.  But I've played pretty much every other stealth/action game released for a console, and none of them combine the great first- and third-person shooter elements together as seamlessly as this one.  Besides, how many games can you think of that allow you to strangle a guy with a wire, take his clothes, sneak into a building and assassinate a crime boss?

Overall: 9
All that critical acclaim you see on the box is true.  Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is a killer game, literally.  Fans of The Godfather or the more recent Road to Perdition will no doubt be thrilled by everything they experience while playing this game.  However, you don't have to be a fan of hitman/mafia movies to enjoy Hitman 2.  Any gamer could appreciate the high-quality gameplay, the marvelous soundtrack and the good voice-acting.  Hitman 2's story is all the more effective, and all the more easy to enjoy thanks to its superior voice actors.  But that's not what you'll really, really love about this game.  You may even skip the story (I know I was tempted to at times – not because I didn't like it, but because I wanted to get back to the game).  The polished gameplay is more than enough to win you over.