Hitman beginner's guide: 11 bulletproof tips for aspiring assassins

Hitman's first batch of assignments take place in a packed Paris fashion show, with four floors and a surrounding courtyard to explore. The crowded palace is a mixed blessing, filled with a host of items and people to avoid — or to use as distractions. After all, diversion is one of the keys to success in Hitman.

These 11 tips reference Hitman's Paris map but knowing your targets' behavior, studying the lay of the land and mastering disguises are franchise mainstays, certian to help in other locales as they become available.

AVOID SUSPICION

Wherever you are, act like you're supposed to be there. At the fashion show, behave like an invited guest and avoid suspicious behavior. Don't crouch the front of Sanguine staff, for example. That'll raise suspicion.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

What you wear determines what areas you can and can't access. Cross a line at the fashion show, and the staff will give you a brief window of time to turn around and leave. If you remain in a zone where you're not welcome, either get ready for a fight or jog your way to concealment. If you need to make a quick escape, look for window ledges and wardrobes. It doesn't take long for guards to elevate from a state of Suspiciousness to straight up Combat.

USE POISON

An open bar is always alluring, even for fashion moguls. One of the most effective ways to achieve the Silent Assassin rank in this map is to poison Viktor and Dalia. You can find rat poison in the most likely of places: as a deterrent in the hors d'oeuvres set up room on the first floor and in the storage room in the basement.

LOOK FOR ISOLATED STAFF

Solitary guards and waiters are especially vulnerable to your takedowns because there are no witnesses. Just use your minimap to make sure that no one nearby is passing through. You can also find opportunities when two characters of different occupations are conversing. Casual chats between staff and guests are frowned upon, so these conversations won't last long. When such a pair separates, go in for your takedown.

USE OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities are glorified tutorials for Hitman newcomers — and for those who want a refresher on making the most of the environment. You can toggle Opportunities on and off by accessing the submenu during your mission. Once you're tracking an Opportunity, waypoints will guide you to items and locations while your handler gives you advice on how to use the locale to your advantage.

Completing an Opportunity will provide you with Intel, for notekeeping purposes. Intel is found in the same submenu where you access Opportunities. Both sections complement each other by giving you tips on infiltration possibilities you may not have considered. Completing an Opportunity has no direct bearing on your performance score, though what you might accomplish might.

Keep in mind that Opportunities are not available during Contracts.

KNOW YOUR UNIFORMS

Hitman has always been about disguises, and this Paris palace is full of them. What you wear allows you to blend in and determines where you can go without alerting others.

Note the difference between the Palace Staff uniform and the Auction Staff uniform. They look almost identical, but only one offers you access to the top floor. Most Palace Staff uniforms can be found in the basement and the 1st floor while Auction Staff uniforms can be found on the 2nd and 3rd floor.

UNDERSTAND YOUR LINE OF SIGHT

Hitman's line of sight can be your friend and your enemy. Understanding makes it your ally.

Guards in many stealth games have cone-shaped fields of vision. The patrols in Hitman have wider sight lines. Picture half a pie. They're observant, and they have a good chance of seeing you, but they won't go on full alert upon spotting you.

If you're spotted, make 90-degree turns into and around rooms. You can also avoid elevating a state of suspiciousness by speaking to Sanguine staff.

FIND AND USE ITEMS IN THE FIELD

The default loadout is all you need to achieve a Silent Assassin rank in Paris. And though you have a gun, you don't need it.

Using items you find in the field is Hitman 101. In Paris, you don't need to spend much time searching. While poison and unused uniforms are all you need for the main mission, you should explore to find more and look for ways to be creative with your kills. That could include loosening a winch to drop a chandelier or finding an invitation to a highly exclusive auction that is happening at the top floor of the palace.

As you gain experience, you will have access to more gear, which can be smuggled in for you. If you choose an item to be smuggled, it will appear at a designated point at the beginning of the mission and will remain there until you retrieve it.

DROP YOUR GEAR

Just because you have a silenced pistol doesn't mean you have to use it. In fact, there are situations where it can be a liability.

The direct route to the top floor is guarded, and you'll be frisked before you can pass. If your mission loadout did not include a gun, you're good to go. If you have a firearm, drop it someplace where no one will spot it.

ANTICIPATE YOUR TARGET'S BEHAVIOR

If you take out your targets with poison, you can expect them to make beelines for the restroom. It's much easier to drown them with the toilets if you're already waiting for them. Clear a path for yourself ahead of time, disposing of any guards outside the restrooms. Once they've taken a sip of your special cocktail, make a run for it.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AUTOMATIC SAVE FILES

Hitman's autosave feature makes the game a bit more forgiving than it otherwise might be. While you can manually save during the main mission, the game will also automatically save your progress every three to six minutes. Use those autosaves to correct mistakes or explore another infiltration path without completely starting over.

Note that this feature is not available in Contracts missions.