'Hitman: Absolution' to mark iconic series' comeback

(2011 YouTube, LLC)

Agent 47 is making a cold-blooded comeback in 2012, with original developers IO Interactive confirming their involvement following a teaser video.

The bald-headed assassin is to be placed at the center of a dark conspiracy, betrayed and on the run.

There are four previous games in the Hitman series, with Silent Assassin (GameCube, PC, PS2, Xbox) and Blood Money (360, PC, PS2, Xbox) considered best of the bunch.

IO had most recently worked on the two Kane & Lynch games, which exchanged Agent 47's calm and calculated manner for a much more chaotic - and less well-recieved - take on contract killing.

Since Hitman: Blood Money in 2006, the rival Assassin's Creed series has been in the ascendancy, a critical and commercial success whose next entry is due November 2011.

More on Hitman: Absolution is expected to emerge during the Electronic Entertainment Expo, June 7-9. The teaser trailer can be seen at hitman.com, and the series' Facebook page is facebook.com/hitman.