We’ve seen Bond go rogue, but how would our favorite agent fare in the field of freelance?

Today, I find myself in the same state I am always in: Longing to play Hitman Freelancer. A game mode introduced in the later years of IO’s most recent trilogy has proved to be a timeless classic to me. I often find myself stepping away from frustration with it, but I’m never truly bored of it. As if Hitman was not replayable enough already, the studio graced us with what I find to be one of the most entertaining game modes, well, ever.

For those of you who have not had the pleasure of experiencing freelancer, I’ll give you a quick breakdown. You get the chance to roam Agent 47’s home, and the first thing you will surely notice is how bare it is. Inside the modern home you’ll find that the weapon walls, slate floors, and various rooms spread throughout (some of which are locked) are, for the most part, unfurnished. Nonetheless, from the vivid yard which sits on the beautiful lake to the cavern walls in the high tech basement, the exploration is enjoyable all on its own, but don’t worry, the house will change as you play.

Through a variety of generated missions taking place in any of the WOA (World of Assassination) trilogies many maps, you will level up, earn gear, complete objectives, and unlock things you can add to the property, from couches and dining room tables to cars and entire helicopters. The missions are grouped together in sections of a larger campaign, one that can leave you feeling incredibly rewarded upon completion or incredibly frustrated upon failiure.

So the question is, can a mode like this exist in Bond?

My answer: I think it needs to.

Living Like Bond

We’ve seen Bond’s living space a number of times, four by my count. We see his flat in Dr. No, a house in Live and Let Die, and another flat in Spectre. Additionally, we see Bond’s childhood home in Skyfall and his retirement home in No Time to Die. Even so, we never spend too much time there, which would make the ability to do so and (to an extent) make it our own would be a major change in pace.

Giving Bond a flat, as I think a house would not fit in well with this younger version of the character, and allowing the player to explore it and customize parts of it, would be an entirely new Bond experience unlike anything from the previous games. For Hitman fans who are picking up the game out of their appreciation for the developers, this could also offer a contrast from the cold, isolated, nature filled destination that is 47’s home. We could instead be greeted by the London skyline, maybe even enough of a view to see pedestrians and vehicles pass by in the streets below.

Another aspect of his home that would be great is a potential garage. I don’t think I need to go too into detail here, but the game already contains a wide variety of vehicles Bond will drive, and being able to unlock and choose which one to store in the garage would be fantastic.

Another possibility would be that the mode could instead be contained to the MI6 building. We could explore the Q-branch, unlock and select gadgets and weaponry, and even test things out in the firing range. Perhaps to start the mission we would even have to travel to M’s office.

I feel that a Q-branch like environment is more likely, but my incredibly wishful dream is that we could access both, travelling back and forth via a loading screen or animation of Bond driving off.

The Virtual Combat Training Simulator

We already have the perfect means to set up these missions: The Virtual Combat Training Simulator. Brosnan’s Bond runs a simulation in Die Another Day, and the machine has not made another appearance since. Well, now’s its chance.

Staging these replayable missions, which feel different each time, as virtual training simulations is the perfect way to make sense of their existence. They would exist in different sections of areas and missions Bond has already experienced, and there would be no need for detailed explanations for these missions taking place in repetitive locations.

There could be a variety of mission types and objectives that could be available to the players, each taking advantage of different strengths in each of the games environments and maps, and additional modifiers to spice up the gameplay even further. Some ideas I have for missions are as follows:

Assassination Missions-Straightforward Hitman action. You have a target, you kill the target, you live to see another day.

Data Missions-Reach a particular device (laptop, cellphone, database, etc.) and download the information from it before exiting the scene.

Rescue Missions-A hostage has been taken and it is up to you to subdue their attackers and retrieve them.

Escape Missions-Start in the center of a map and fight your way out by any means neccessary.

And one that reeks of wishful thinking…

Chase Missions-Whether on foot or behind the wheel, pursue your target and stop them before they escape.

Modifiers could include stealth only, melee only, no kills (I would call this one “Licence Revoked”, etcetera. A combination of repurposed maps, modifiers, and the framing of training simulations could deliver the most unique Bond gaming experience that we have ever had.

I Never Joke About my Work 007

For good reason, too. I do not think Bond is what it is without Q, as Desmond LLewely’s performance is one, if not the the most iconic aside from the main character himself. IOI has already displayed a beautiful Q lab and a variety of gadgets, so I know there would be no shortage of options should they allow us to utilize them to their fullest extents. Milestones and unlocking new gadgets would add a lot of incentive and make the mode even more entertaining, and a limited inventory that would prevent you from bringing every single gun and gadget with you on each mission opens up the door to further developing playstyles.

New weapons could be unlocked along with attachments (both functional and cosmetic), and new gadgets can become unlocked and have different upgrades included as well. Getting to find your favorite weapon and utilize it every time you embark, or even choosing your less favored options to improve your skills, would be sure to be a treat.

The Mode is Not Enough

Well, that’s not fair. If everything I listed above came to fruition, it would be more than enough, but why stop there? Hitman often has celebrity guests as targets, each of whom comes with a five dollar pack which often contains a costume, a weapon, a gadget, and a pack of furniture or other house customization items. 007 doesn’t need the celebrity collabs, but a DLC pack from each movie? Sign me up!

There’s a world of possibilities for this game, and especially seeing as it will be one of the few Bond titles lacking a multiplayer experience, I think failing to take advantage of them will lead to a game ripe with potential. This is not to say a game without it would not satisfy, hell, it’s been almost fourteen years since 007 Legends, but it would be one that could have been more nonetheless.

Do I expect anything like this at launch? Not at all, but I hope that if given the opportunity to peer down the barrel of IOI’s golden gun, I would see something reminiscient of this staring back at me.

What do you think? Do you enjoy Hitman, specifically freelancer mode? What other things, realistic or not, would you want introduced in a freelancer-esque mode? Let me know down below!

Thanks for reading!

-J.B.