Flatline is the 4th mission of Hitman Blood Money and sees Agent 47 infiltrating a rehabilitation facility to rescue Agent Smith who then tells 47 who the target is with the twist being that the target can be 1 of 3 characters. The target changes each playthrough and each character has a unique routine with several points that the player can manipulate.
Flatline Follows the Hitman Level Formula
Flatline follows the Hitman Blood Money Level Formula to the letter by having 3 potential targets who each have at least 2 ways to assassinate them with a 3rd way existing to get all 3. The centre itself is alive with patients going about their day and giving the player the opportunity to become a patient and join in with that world. It’s also neat that, unlike many other missions where you can easily obtain a disguise that get’s you access to anywhere, starting as a patient restricts you just enough that you can’t do everything comfortably.
Each potential target follows a routine that can be manipulated in several ways, usually with 1 accident, 1 opportunity for poisoning, and 1 area or moment where they’re completely alone. This is more opportunities than most other levels have and the fact that 2 of the targets are optional in each playthrough makes the mission even more impressive. The exception to this is a target who just lifts weights, checks himself out in a mirror, and then walks around a pool which doesn’t leave many opportunities to assassinate him.
Furthermore, all targets can be brought to a quiet spot if you take on the role of the therapist which adds further choice and freedom when it comes to assassinating them. It’s a shame that you can’t talk to the therapist yourself, and getting his disguise is a bit too easy considering the opportunities he provides, but having his disguise available makes repeat playthroughs much quicker.
It is weird that if you enter the facility as a patient, you can just change back into your suit in the changing room and leave out the front door without any issues. I was expecting some resistance when I tried this but faced none which feels like a missed opportunity.
2 Objectives, 2 Sections
1 of the interesting features of Flatline is that there’s 2 objectives and that they take place in the same area but 2 very different sections. These sections are so different that many disguises aren’t allowed in each, especially the medical wing itself where only orderlies are allowed.
This adds to the feeling of a living world and never being fully comfortable because in every section your disguise can only take you so far. As a patient you cannot enter staff areas or the medical wing or characters personal rooms which means that you can follow targets but will have to get into their rooms through another means. As the therapist or worker, you have access to everywhere but the medical wing which means you must do some sneaking at some point.
The medical wing itself is very restrictive and whilst the opportunity to get through this part in your suit is nice, it does feel like more could have been done with this section. For example, you could potentially be the 1 who wheels Agent Smiths bed to the morgue, or maybe you could have interacted with the other inmates to cause a distraction. With there only being 3 orderlies too, ignoring the random orderlies and guards in the tunnel underneath who don’t seem to have any purpose being there, it makes this part a bit too easy and forgettable.
The Legacy of Flatline
Flatline is a mission that gets a mixed reception, with some people really loving it but admitting that the rescue mission brings it down, and others loving setting but hating the targets/mission. It ranks around the middle in many peoples lists which is a shame because, in my opinion at least, it does everything that a Hitman Level should do.
In Conclusion
- The 3 potential targets, as well as the rescue mission, are unique and a lot of fun (the targets at least)
- The facility is immersive and feels real
- Whatever your disguise is, you’re never 100% comfortable and can’t do everything without some effort
