Hokkaido (Hitman)

Lore & Background

The level was created by lead level designer Torbjørn Christensen, who described it as an absurd location due to its remoteness and inconvenience, but regarded that as a strength for its fantastical nature. The developers had long sought to include a hospital in the series, brainstorming what could go wrong in such a setting. Initially just a hospital, the team added a resort and morgue to surprise players and make different areas visually and thematically distinct. They justified the resort by noting a rich patient might want to recuperate, and included a dance mat game in the staff room because the level is set in Japan. Christensen called the level's structure a spiral, as areas wrap around and interconnect with stairs and slopes.

The location was chosen as part of an effort to feature a hospital where technology 'borders on science fiction,' and to have a controlled climate in an otherwise harsh setting. The level is more restrictive than normal, requiring Agent 47 to wear specific disguises to access certain areas, controlled by an AI that only opens doors for approved RFID-equipped clothing. This mechanic was difficult to implement and created numerous issues for the team. They experimented with emphasizing disguises after a more military-focused level in Colorado, and avoided confusing players by teaching the gimmick early and signposting access levels on doors and clothing.

Art director Jonathan Rowe found the level's clean, stark, and austere aesthetic made it difficult to look good, as fewer details made it seem unfinished. He focused on micro details and surface details to complete the package. A surgical robot resembling a spider, based on car manufacturing robots, was designed to be both industrial and clunky yet move unnaturally fluidly, which Rowe found 'very disturbing.' The level is more dense than others, affecting the 300 non-playable character limit; because it is smaller, no justification for sparse population is needed, and the level feels busier.

Reader's Guide

Hokkaido first appeared as the setting of the sixth and final episode of the 2016 Hitman game, releasing on October 31, 2016. It was later featured in a complete edition of Hitman launching on January 31, and reappeared in Hitman 2 with a new mission, and later in Hitman 3. The level and its episode received generally positive reception, with Metacritic scores of 81 on PlayStation 4 and 83 on PC. Critics praised the atmosphere, level design, and the RFID gimmick, with IGN calling it 'vintage Hitman at its most creative' and 'atmospheric and tricky.' PC Gamer considered it the writer's all-time favorite stage in the series, praising how the systems and level design work together thoroughly. Destructoid found the assassination targets uninteresting but praised the environment and RFID mechanic. Push Square called it the most atmospheric and creative episode, while Kotaku praised it as a finale that doesn't feel like one, noting its 'long, subtle burn' contrasted with the previous episode's 'upfront aggression.' PC Gamer staff ranked it the third best level in the World of Assassination trilogy, and Paste Magazine ranked it fourth, praising the variety of strategies and atmosphere but noting it could feel anticlimactic. Hardcore Gamer ranked it the second best mission in Hitman 2, feeling the size was right and Japan a good choice. TechRadar ranked it fifth best in the trilogy, praising it for shaking things up with a more restrictive and challenging level.