Hitman: Absolution is a stealth game in which the player assumes the role of a hitman named Agent 47.
Presented from a third-person perspective, the gameplay centers around completing set objectives within a series of levels.
Objectives can range from simply reaching the end of the level, to eliminating specific individuals.
The players choose how to complete each level, taking branching paths to get to a target or location.
Players may use pistols, bottles or bricks, assault rifles, shotguns, fiber-wire, or steel pipe against enemies if opting for the action-oriented approach, or avoid enemies altogether, not being seen, using disguises, blending into the environment, and only attacking the set target(s), if using the stealth-oriented approach.
Agent 47 also has the 'Instinct' ability that lets the player monitor enemies more easily.
There are also environmental ways to kill or distract individuals; players can use poison to spike coffee, pull switches to make a disco ball fall and break, cause a massive explosion at a gas station, pull a switch to cause scaffolding to fall down, cause fires, or set off fireworks.
Players complete chapters in order to progress through the story.
The player journeys to various locations, including a mansion, library, strip club, gun store, wrestling arena, courthouse, and hotel during the story.
