Hitman: Sniper, Square's gloriously violent potshot-taker for iPad and iPhone, has just been soft-launched in Canada
Bang. You're dead. Next
There's something ridiculously satisfying about the perfect headshot. In a world dominated by games that involve manipulating your environment with bullets, it's the ultimate coup de grace.
Hitman: Sniper, which has just been soft launched in Canada, understands that. The best shots are about holding your breath, squeezing the trigger, then watching your opponent's head explode in a shower of slo-mo brain and bone.
But it also gets that Hitman games need japes. Horrible, violent, terminal japes, but japes nonetheless. So Hitman: Sniper encourages you to find new ways to slaughter.
Shoot a fuse box to electrocute nearby guards, find something explosive and use it to blow up some of your targets. You're essentially exploring the level through the scope of your high-powered rifle.
Missions-within-missions poke you towards carnage. Sure you've got a target, but you'll earn more if you take out his guards first. Here, shoot this car to set off the alarm, then when someone comes to investigate blow his brains out.
The controls are simple. Swipe to move your head, then tap to look through your scope. There's always an icon on the HUD that points you towards your main target. A button lets you hold your breath, then you tap to fire.
Slow motion bullets leave ripples of pulsating air, then something that was once solid becomes a splash of colour on an apartment wall. Fun is had by everyone.
Every completed hit gets you cash. Sometimes you get gun parts as well. You build up your arsenal, learn special skills, then hunker down in a prime position and shoot some more people into pulpy squelches.
Everything is remarkably polished. Glass shatters as your bullets fly through, fires flicker in the distance, and guards wander around, pausing to light a cigarette and chat to compatriots.
The game is free to play, but it doesn't bark at you, and the purchases are reasonably priced. Plus it's fun just messing around in earlier levels, shooting things just to see what happens.
You can paint us as pretty excited about Hitman: Sniper. It's a game that fills you fingers with the tingly sense of power that only the best shooters can.
If you fancy seeing the game in motion check out our hands-on video above. We'll let you know when it's released worldwide.
