Like Agent 47 himself, Square Enix Montreal has snuck up on Hitman fans by announcing the surprise release of Hitman Sniper: The Shadows, the latest mobile entry in the series.

　　This new game does not star Agent 47--becoming the first-ever Hitman game with that distinction--instead focusing on six different snipers, each with their own abilities, as they take down targets from a new underground criminal empire. Each sniper's equipment and stats can be upgraded as the campaign progresses, giving players plenty of options for each individual assassin.

　　"From the onset, our ambition was to deliver a high production value Hitman Sniper experience on mobile in terms of quality graphics, and gameplay,” Simon Doongoor, senior producer for the game, said in the press release. “We wanted this game to be the start of something new rather than a sequel. This vision freed us to move in a different direction, such as introducing The Shadows, and allowed us to create a deeper game experience for players."

　　Players will not only take down targets, but they'll use their rifles to activate traps, distract guards, and more as they stalk their prey. The game also offers multiple ways to play, including a full campaign and a unique PvP mode where players race to take out targets, scoring points and earning rewards along the way.

　　Hitman Sniper: The Shadows is now available on both iOS and Android devices. It was first announced at E3 2021 as part of the Square Enix Presents livestream as a follow-up to 2015's Hitman Sniper.

　　Jason Fanelli on Google+