There are myriad schools of thought in stealth games, but two of the most common are social stealth v sneaking stealth. The latter category is filled with games inspired by Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid, while the former is the domain of Hitman and Assassin’s Creed. It is, however, the Hitman franchise that pioneered this disguise-based form of stealth, and made it great.

There have been several games in the main franchise, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Here is a collection of the greatest levels in the franchise, from the original all the way up to Hitman 2. Enjoy!

Updated May 14, 2022 By Ben Jessey: An area where the Hitman series continually excels is in its levels. A combination of great sandbox maps with captivating missions to complete is a staple of the stealth series. And while the World Of Assassination trilogy has been given plenty of praise for its level design, you shouldn’t overlook the levels in the early games. After all, Hitman didn’t just become a good series when it was rebooted in 2016 - it’s been one for a long time.

The original version of this list shone a light on the best missions from all eras of Hitman. But naturally, with so many great ones to choose from, several missed the cut. So, we’ve updated the piece to make sure a few more classics were included.

18 Apex Predator (Hitman 3)

Hitman 3’s third mission puts you in a very unfamiliar position as you’re the one who’s being hunted. The ICA has sent several agents to a club in Berlin to take down 47. As the assassin, you have to figure out which are the hitmen and eliminate them before they do the same to you.

It makes for an unusual yet intriguing level. And the lack of a handler alters things even more as you have to do things on your own, without anyone in your ear giving you intel. So, it’s a true test of your assassin capabilities.

17 Basement Killing (Hitman 2: Silent Assassin)

Basement Killing serves as the first of a trilogy of missions in Hitman Silent Assassin that are all connected. In this one, you find yourself in the lobby of a large corporate building. But your target is a hacker in the depths of said building.

You need to get down there to take him out and disable a surveillance system in the process. The mission doesn’t include anything incredibly original, but it’s very well-designed. Plus, the litany of security makes it slightly tricky - unless you know the bomb down the laundry chute trick.

16 Death In The Family (Hitman 3)

Depending on how you play it, Death In The Family can seem like an entirely different game. If you follow the Means, Motive, And Opportunity mission story, you have to conduct a murder investigation. Therefore, instead of sneaking around and setting up kills, you question suspects and look for clues.

The point of it is to get close to your target Alexa Carlisle as solving the mystery gives you a private audience with her. Plus, if you play your cards right, you can also locate the Case File this way, which you need to acquire to beat the level. This mission story alone makes Death In The Family a level that stands out.

15 The Meat King’s Party - Hitman: Contracts

This was a blend with the horror genre, as 47 had to infiltrate a party taking place in a slaughterhouse. It’s easily the goriest and most unsettling mission in the series due to the themes involved and the very gruesome outcome for several characters.

It also makes the mission all the more engaging since it seems to raise the stakes considerably compared to other levels. There’s also the satisfaction to be derived from making the targets pay for their crimes.

14 Curtains Down - Hitman: Blood Money

In this mission, 47 had to kill a performer while he was on stage and another target who was watching this performance. That sounds hard, and it is to an extent if you don’t know where to go. “Curtains Down” offers many areas that can be found to get a vantage point over the targets.

Apart from that, there are numerous methods to get the targets in places where they can be ambushed. Overall, the mission features a sprawling environment that can be both claustrophobic or extremely explorable if played right.

13 The Ark Society - Hitman 2

It seems to be tailor-made for 47 if a situation calls for him to be in disguise as a way of blending. “The Ark Society” is a place where the elite arrives to bid and partake in clandestine activities, where 47 had to capture the Constant and take down the party’s organizers.

The mission takes on a gothic feel, with the environment coming across as a medieval area of sorts that also brought innovative ways to kill the targets by utilizing the castle’s architecture.

12 Chasing A Ghost - Hitman 2

47 went to Mumbai to assassinate three targets who were all in separate places. The mission is one of the most ambitious ones in the series for laying out a huge part of the city with only a few instructions given to infiltrate the locations.

It also has big contrasts in the environments, as 47 has to travel between the Mumbai slums to a film set where things are on a higher scale. Getting dropped right into the heart of a place with so many things happening at once is a mission that tests the player’s capacity to be challenged.

11 Club 27 - Hitman (2016)

Set at a hotel, this mission is memorable for expanding on the material shown in earlier Hitman games. This one might not be the most creative, but it has a subtle environment that allows players to complete the mission at their own leisure.

It even has a way for players to make the targets kill themselves, although this is one of the many hidden techniques that are found from continuous playthroughs. This essentially makes “Club 27” one of the levels with the most replay quality.

10 The Showstopper - Hitman (2016)

The level that kicked off the reboot was special. After the disappointing Absolution, it showed that this franchise was not lost forever. In Paris, Agent 47 could disguise himself as a Sheikh, a model with whom he shares an uncanny resemblance, or a vampire magician.

The mission stories system, introduced for the first time, allowed you to stroll on the catwalk, pose as a cameraman, and take part in an auction, all while keeping your murderous intent on the down low. The map is incredibly well-designed, featuring excellent verticality and a huge number of paths to success. A fantastic intro that showed us what Hitman could be.

9 The Murder Of Crows - Hitman: Blood Money

Until the reboot came along, Hitman: Blood Money was without question the greatest game in the franchise, and this mission is one reason why. Set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, the level featured massive crowds and an interesting storyline. You were tasked with assassinating the would-be assassins of the Secretary of State.

All of whom were dressed as birds. If you want to take on the role of a deadly Big Bird, then get the yellow bird costume and go down! It’s a textbook Hitman slapstick.

8 Traditions of the Trade - Hitman: Codename 47 And Hitman: Contracts

Remastered in Hitman: Contracts, this mission from the original game is tense, well-designed fun. Agent 47 is sent to a hotel in Budapest and tasked with taking out Austrian terrorist Franz Fuchs.

The level features winding corridors, tons upon tons of disguises available, and a fair few ways to see to Fuchs. There are also one or two hidden surprises. Be sure to go into the bathroom in the abandoned room for a spooky surprise.

7 Three-Headed Serpent - Hitman 2

Easily one of the very best missions in the franchise, this one takes you to Santa Fortuna, a gorgeous, lovingly realized tropical paradise. It’s not going to stay pristine for long, as you can imagine. There is wet work afoot. It’s a level that manages to be completely and utterly barking mad while still having a serious face.

You can shoot down a rickety statue onto a target in an echo of Marrakech, sure, but you can also do a shamanistic dance to make striking workers resume their work. It’s a slice of silliness that only this franchise can get away with.

6 You Better Watch Out - Hitman: Blood Money

The target you’ve got to take out here is a seedy dude and is hosting an equally seedy Christmas party. Seems only right to dress up as Santa Claus for this one, doesn’t that logic work right?

The level is well designed, but the home of this millionaire heir most certainly isn’t. There’s a glass-bottomed jacuzzi that overlooks a pier, about 100 feet below.

5 The Finish Line - Hitman 2

Set in Miami, you’ll find no 2 Live Crew shows on here, but what you will find is a daddy/daughter duo who needs to die. Taking place during a Grand Prix, opportunities for sabotage abound, but that’s not all.

There’s a chap walking around in a Flamingo costume, and, if you want to make the ultimate exit, you can fly away while wearing it. No, really: Agent 47 can fly if he’s wearing this costume as long as he leaves from the right spot.

4 A House Of Cards - Hitman: Blood Money

Vegas, baby. You’re here to take out a motley group of targets, including a white supremacist and a Saudi CEO. The mission puts a twist on the traditional formula by having you arrive before your targets, giving you a bit of time to explore.

Want to lure the target out in front of their own limo with your trusty coins? Then you can! Set off the fire alarm upstairs with a remote explosive? You can. Want to get friendly with the gamblers, and be invited back to their room? You may just find an ideal vantage point.

3 Situs Inversus - Hitman (2016)

You’re sent into this mission, set in an AI-controlled private hospital in Hokkaido, Japan, completely empty-handed. You can’t take anything in, nor can you smuggle items until you’ve got a decent mastery rating.

This suddenly makes the mission far tenser. You must wander around this wildly secure building, hoping to find bits and pieces to help you on your way. Luckily, all this difficulty does lead to some fascinating opportunities.

2 World Of Tomorrow - Hitman (2016)

What The Showstopper started, the World Of Tomorrow continued. Sapienza is one of the most iconic Hitman missions, and it deserves that title. The vast level includes underground labs, a large mansion, a functioning town, a beach, and more.

You can climb up historic walls, venture down through pristine little side streets, climb towers to find sniping positions, and that’s not even the start of it. You can make your target believe he’s being haunted by his mother’s ghost, or blow him up with an explosive golf ball, and it’s pure Hitman, and probably the greatest level design in the series.

1 A New Life - Hitman: Blood Money

Extremely iconic. You’re tasked with taking out a Mafioso currently living under witness protection after he became an informer. The location is an unassuming suburb of San Diego, but it’s about to get crazy.

Highlights include causing a barbecuing accident, taking on the role of the toyboy pool cleaner, showing a gross FBI agent the error of his ways, and using a treehouse for a completely unintended purpose. Worth the price of Blood Money alone, this mission is still yet to be beaten.

NEXT: Hitman: Questions About Agent 47, Answered