SharkyExtreme: As the enigmatic Hitman, you must use stealth and tactical problem solving to enter, execute and exit your assignment with the minimum of attention and with maximum effect. Can Hitman: Codename 47 be compared to Looking Glass/ Eidos' Thief games?

Jens Peter Kurup: Yes, you can compare some of the gameplay elements to Thief. There is a lot of stealth involved. A lot of sneaking, listening, and hiding, taking care as you walk on carpet instead of stone… but there's so much more to it. Hitman is not a platform-based game. It's not about “how do I get into that room to get that key to get me to the next room where I can find a button that activates a door.” The primary goal of the design is to emphasize intelligent gaming in a cinematic environment.

One of the things I like the most in Hitman is, that if you want to be a good hitman you really need to prepare. Walk around the level. Watch, listen, and figure out what all the other people are doing. Who has access to certain areas? Does it look like I would fit in their clothes? Will people be missed if I strangle them, take their clothes and hide the body in the freezer? Is the freezer a good place to hide the body or does the chef look inside of it now and then? Can it by any means look like an accident? Maybe if I put him in the pool he will look like a drowned guy? Then you need to select the weapons and items needed for the job. Another exciting aspect is we really have created a host of nasty characters to oppose you. While the women of Hitman are beautiful, they are also packing 'heat'!

SharkyExtreme: In Hitman, you'll take on jobs through five different chapters that will be divided into individual missions. How many missions in total are there, and will your decisions and actions in the game have an effect on the outcome of the game?

Jens Peter Kurup: In total there will be 25 missions. Missions do interact. If you have been sloppy in your earlier work (letting a witness slip away or publicly assassinating some poor civilians) you could end up with a smaller paycheck which diminishes your chances to buy the information or weapons you’ll need later on. You might also have missed an opportunity to deflect blame from you to other crime groups. This also applies to the authorities. The worst is having them onto you as the culprit. Each mission has multiple paths to completion. While there are ample opportunities to pull out the weapons and clean house with them, a smart Hitman uses control.