Posted By George Reith | On 26th, Jun. 2011 Under News | Follow This Author @GNReith

We have brand new details regarding Hitman Absolution from the latest issue of Edge. Check them out below.

Game is primarily set in Chicago

Begins with Agent 47 on the run from the Chicago police

IO’s Glacier 2 engine supposedly offer fantastic facial animations

Use of cover mechanics.

Bigger focus on staying hidden, rather than staying in disguise (sounds a lot like Splinter Cell: Conviction so far)

Instinct mode highlights enemies and their patrols through walls, like Arkham Asylum’s detective mode.

It’s powered by silent take downs

No big scale map screen as in previous games.

Mini map still highlights points of interest

New threat meter is a grey circle that wavers in directions where enemies may spot 47 (again as in Conviction)

There will be lots of improvised weapons players can use that are unique to each location

Players can take hostages as human shields as in previous games

This hostage taking prompted some complex AI patterns in the demo, with cops fanning out realistically to keep sight of the target.

Levels will be divided into checkpoints for the first time.

Some stages will be as large as in old Hitman games, others will be much smaller

New structure allows for greater variety and complex set pieces, as well as story driven moments

Having a disguise doesn’t mean you’ll be able to fool everybody

Plot will be more personal to 47, with the Hitman knowing some of his targets.

47 and Diana will have new voice actors

Hand to hand combat will be involved.

Instinct mode increases disguise effectiveness. As cops in the demo questions 47’s movements while he’s disguised as a police man, he enters instinct and uses his police radio to fool them

Each disguise has safe spots, like a box of doughnuts for police men.

You’ll be completely safe in that disguise for as long as you want

New engine offers on the fly editing for AI. AI can also affect group behavior now.

Whatever you do, the AI will react to that dynamically

The way crowds will be used will be different

The game releases in 2012 on the PS3, 360 and PC.