Curtains down is the third level of Hitman Blood Money and is arguably 1 of the games most famous due to the accidental death of one of the targets (you know what I’m talking about). It ranks highly amongst many fans, and it holds up against the Hitman Blood Money Formula.
The Gun Swap is Pure Hitman
Curtains Down is famous for the accidental death where you swap out an actor’s prop WW2 pistol for the real pistol which then gets used to execute the target, Alvaro D’Alvade during a rehearsal. This is the first example in Hitman Blood Money of a routine with a few different moving parts that can then be manipulated in your favour. You could replace the guns, fire your own shot at the same time as the firing sound, or you could even take the place of the 2nd actor and shoot Alvaro yourself (but this does take some good timing).
Furthermore, you can kill 2 birds with 1 stone by setting up some traps for the 2nd target, Richard Delahunt, who will come running down if the guns have been swapped but will then fall over below a chandelier. If that fails, there’s a chance to assassinate him with a light rig a bit later. You could even shoot Richard at the same time as the first target is being shot and whilst this won’t get you Silent Assassin it does add to the replay value of the level.
Richard doesn’t move from his box unless he is promoted to by the assassination of Alvaro which does make his assassination less interesting but there’s still some classic Hitman logic that makes for some fun. 1 way to assassinate him is to place an explosive in a toolbox and then drop that box outside of his room. The explosion will then blast open the door and kill him as well as all his guards which is quite funny.
The Theatre is Alive
Unlike A Vintage Year where the world feels a bit static, the theatre setting of Curtains Down feels alive with different groups of people going about their business that you can then infiltrate or mess with. There are civilians that are watching the rehearsals from the seating area which is surrounded by security guards who roam the floors. There are tradesmen who are doing construction work or painting and these people have access to the backrooms of the theatre as well as carry toolboxes which can be used to smuggle items.
The theatre feels alive and like a real theatre. There’s a cloakroom where you can interact with the guard there to retrieve the real pistol, but this location acts as a meeting or signing in point for the tradesmen which is what would happen in real life. A lot of thought has been put into the map and how different characters would operate within it and it feels amazing. This is pure Hitman.
Whilst there are areas that see little use, such as the 3rd floor and a lot of the underground area, these sections are used for other purposes this time which makes exploration a lot more interesting. There’s the famous rat club easter egg or backstage rooms where you can acquire disguises or even the control room which doesn’t have much use but acts as a good sniping point. It’s a shame you can’t mess with the lights or somehow affect Richard whose box is directly below the control room.
The Legacy of Curtains Down
Curtains Down is a very memorable level due to the swapping of the guns and the various ways you can manipulate the routine, but I feel like it is helped by nostalgia. The routine feels a bit restrictive (as well as can take a while but that could add to the realism) and there aren’t many ways you can assassinate Richard whilst still getting a high rating.
For many fans of Hitman Blood Money, Curtains Down is a level that is ranks highly for them but there are better levels that follow.
In Summary
- Swapping the guns is memorable and there’s several ways you can manipulate the routine
- Assassinating Richard isn’t as interesting but linking him to Alvaro is a nice touch
- The theatre feels alive with different professions going about their business
