Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Crimson Desert
  • Pokopia
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Starfield
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Don't miss these
A screenshot of James Bond in 007 First Light's reveal trailer.
Games 007 First Light: Everything we know so far about IO Interactive's new Bond game
Assassin's Creed Mirage mysterious shards Basim looking down at order member dressed in black
Stealth Games The best stealth games you can sneak through in 2026
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
RPGs Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 lead says AI tech like Nvidia DLSS 5 will "replace expensive raytracing" someday
GTA 6 reveal trailer screenshot showing a young blonde woman standing near a sunny rooftop pool, wearing a white and gold bikini
FPS Games GTA 6 devs "must be quaking" over so much hype, Hell Let Loose lead says: "Is there too much that people are expecting?"
Nvidia DLSS 5 example featuring Grace Ashcroft from Resident Evil 5 with right side showing DLSS "On" and left side showing DLSS 5 off.
Resident Evil Death Stranding 2 developer offers nuanced take on Resident Evil Requiem's DLSS 5 makeover: "No"
Crimson Desert open world hands-on screenshot showing Kliff leaning against a stone building while guards patrol nearby
Open World Games Crimson Desert developer apologizes for AI-generated assets slipping into the RPG's final release
A young James Bond smirks in 007 First Light with the GamesRadar+ Big in 2026 branding frame
Action Games 007 First Light will do something no Bond game has done before – slow down: "Players might be surprised"
Guillotina in Mewgenics
Open World Games Mewgenics lead says concept art is "one of the worst" places to use AI in response to Crimson Desert
Grace Ashford at her FBI desk in Resident Evil Requiem, covered with monitors and documents
Resident Evil Two hours with Grace in Resident Evil Requiem turned me into the most anxious person alive
Nvidia DLSS 5 version of Grace from Resident Evil Requiem
Games Nvidia announces DLSS 5 in uncanny video with obvious AI filter, Todd Howard joins devs hyping it
Ready or Not
FPS Games Ready or Not shows off gameplay for new DLC Boiling Point, teasing a tense stand-off with a mysterious group
Silent Hill Townfall screenshots from the reveal trailer
Silent Hill Silent Hill Townfall looks like the most Silent Hill game in years, and I never thought that could be a bad thing until now
In Hitman World of Assassination, Agent 47 sits at the departure gate in an airport during the loading screen
Roguelike Games After weeks spent locked into Hitman's Freelancer mode, I realize there's one vital thing 007 First Light needs to learn
A masked boss from the trailer for Crimson Desert, holding a knife.
RPGs Crimson Desert was announced "too early," devs admit, and now has to prove it's not "too good to be true"
GTA 6 characters from trailer 2
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 prankster comes clean after response to viral 'leak' was "way bigger than I expected"
  1. Games
  2. Stealth
  3. Hitman
  4. Hitman: Absolution

First Hitman: Absolution screens appear, are debatably pre-rendered, undeniably brilliant

News
By David Houghton published 6 June 2011

In-game, pre-rendered, or somewhere in between? Place bets now!

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

So instead of going to all of that contrivance and trouble, just have a look at these rather gorgeous first two Hitman: Absolution screens, which have just appeared on the official Hitman forums, and tell me how real you think they are.

So, in-game? Pre-rendered? Somewhere in-between? Personally I'm going for "originally in-game but now heavily touched up to look even prettier". That acknowledged, I reckon we're still looking at some very nice lighting and a lot of heavy atmosphere in the game itself. And regardless of everything else, new Hitman art just keeps reminding me that new Hitman is indeed coming, and coming soon. And after waiting this long, that makes me very happy.

June 06, 2011

Article continues below
You may like
  • In Hitman World of Assassination, Agent 47 sits at the departure gate in an airport during the loading screen After weeks spent locked into Hitman's Freelancer mode, I realize there's one vital thing 007 First Light needs to learn
  • 007: First Light Boy, 007: First Light really looks like Uncharted but with Hitman-style stealth, and honestly hell yeah
  • A young James Bond smirks in 007 First Light with the GamesRadar+ Big in 2026 branding frame 007 First Light will do something no Bond game has done before – slow down: "Players might be surprised"
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PlayStation Xbox Platforms
David Houghton
David Houghton
Social Links Navigation
Former GamesRadar+ Features Writer

Former (and long-time) GamesRadar+ writer, Dave has been gaming with immense dedication ever since he failed dismally at some '80s arcade racer on a childhood day at the seaside (due to being too small to reach the controls without help). These days he's an enigmatic blend of beard-stroking narrative discussion and hard-hitting Psycho Crushers.

Read more
In Hitman World of Assassination, Agent 47 sits at the departure gate in an airport during the loading screen
Roguelike Games After weeks spent locked into Hitman's Freelancer mode, I realize there's one vital thing 007 First Light needs to learn
 
 
007: First Light
Hitman Boy, 007: First Light really looks like Uncharted but with Hitman-style stealth, and honestly hell yeah
 
 
A young James Bond smirks in 007 First Light with the GamesRadar+ Big in 2026 branding frame
Action Games 007 First Light will do something no Bond game has done before – slow down: "Players might be surprised"
 
 
A screenshot of James Bond in 007 First Light's reveal trailer.
Hitman 007: First Light will be less stealthy than Hitman because IO is pushing "forward momentum gameplay all the time"
 
 
A screenshot of James Bond in 007 First Light's reveal trailer.
Games 007 First Light: Everything we know so far about IO Interactive's new Bond game
 
 
Hitman
Hitman 007: First Light devs were in a "really, really bad spot" with only "3 months to survive" before Hitman saved them
 
 
Latest in Hitman
A screenshot of James Bond in 007 First Light's reveal trailer.
Hitman 007: First Light will be less stealthy than Hitman because IO is pushing "forward momentum gameplay all the time"
 
 
007: First Light
Hitman Boy, 007: First Light really looks like Uncharted but with Hitman-style stealth, and honestly hell yeah
 
 
Hitman
Hitman 007: First Light devs were in a "really, really bad spot" with only "3 months to survive" before Hitman saved them
 
 
Cropped in key art of Agent 47 for Hitman 2016, showing him suited in front of a world map
Hitman "There's level design, and then there's Hitman level design": IO Interactive leads reflect on 25 years with Agent 47, and the "ramifications" of the World of Assassination
 
 
007: First Light
Hitman "We actually did put Daniel Craig in there": Hitman developers secured the 007 First Light license by modelling James Bond's face onto Agent 47's body
 
 
Agent 47 on a mission in Hitman: World of Assassination
Hitman I'm loving Hitman: World of Assassination on Switch 2, but the game's always-online requirement is worse than ever
 
 
Latest in News
A black and blue image shows a stylized version of Tokyo's Shibuya crossing
Adventure Games Japanese company says it sent half of a game's $345,000 crowdfunding campaign to the wrong people
 
 
Arknights: Endfield character Yvonne with pink hair
Action RPGs Arknights: Endfield dev says launching a new gacha RPG in a post-Genshin Impact world is tough
 
 
State of Decay 3
Survival Games After 6 years, State of Decay 3 is back from the dead with "a series of alpha playtests" starting in May
 
 
Crimson Desert: Cliff Macduff looking out into the distance during the new game, Crimson Desert.
Open World Games Crimson Desert players have an enemy, and his name is Yann: "An absolute disgrace to the Greymanes"
 
 
The First Descendant character cries a single tear
Third Person Shooters "Completing the Game" is the radical plan for The First Descendant after 2 years
 
 
Danny DeVito in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Animated Movies Charlie Day wants It's Always Sunny co-star Danny DeVito to play Wario in the next Super Mario movie
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. An alien turning into a human
    1
    Sinners director Ryan Coogler is executive producing an Animorphs show because hell yeah
  2. 2
    "Completing the Game" is the radical plan for The First Descendant after 2 years
  3. 3
    Crimson Desert players have an enemy, and his name is Yann: "An absolute disgrace to the Greymanes"
  4. 4
    Charlie Day wants It's Always Sunny co-star Danny DeVito to play Wario in the next Super Mario movie
  5. 5
    Nintendo court document reveal shows Shigeru Miyamoto saw Donkey Kong as a man in a gorilla suit

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...