Month: January 2021

With the ICA exposed, Hitman 3‘s next stop is the vineyards of a known Providence member who may be brewing more than just a fine wine behind the scenes.

Here are all of Mendoza’s assassination challenges and everything you need to do to complete them. For more tips and secrets, be sure to read our Hitman 3 walkthrough and guide hub. Otherwise, check out our other assassination guides below.

Notes of Hemlock / Hold My Hair

Tamara Vidal only has one type of wine that she cares for, and it happens to be a rare bottle of Pinot. While she’s on her rounds with Burnwood, disguise yourself as a waiter and make your way down to the bar area on the ground floor. A bottle of Pinotcan be found in the storeroom to the right side of the bar, and once you have it, you can wait for Vidal to appear.

Poison her glass with a lethal toxin to complete the Notes of Hemlock and Tasteless, Traceless challenges when you serve her favorite drink to her. Or, to complete the Hold My Hair challenge, you can use an emetic poison instead and follow Vidal when she retreats to the bathroom.

Pulp Friction

Vidal, Burnwood, and Yates’ fixer Corvo Black are scheduled to take a tour of the vineyard, which leads to a perfect opportunity for some mayhem. You’re able to disguise yourself as either Black or the chief winemaker, with the head of the vineyard’s disguise being particularly useful in this mission story. When he sends his assistant off to pluck three grapes from the harvest, distract him over to a secluded spot by running a nearby water pump machine.

Once disguised, you’ll be able to lead the group on an informative tour. You’ll have several opportunities to take care of Vidal, which includes using an industrial grape-pressing machine that ends with a gruesome demise. Lead the group over to the grape crushers, and Vidal will lean over to take a look. One quick shove is all it takes, and she’ll join the Yates estate as a grisly new wine vintage, completing the Pulp Friction challenge.

Coldhearted

For a colder approach, carry out the tour as normal but make a stop by the freezer on your way. Make certain that you have a screwdriver equipped, and when Vidal stands inside the freezing unit you can trap her, thereby tampering with the locking mechanism outside of it. Black will also be caught in the assassination, which results in two potential problems being eliminated as part of the Coldhearted challenge.

Firebrand

The last stop on 47’s vineyard tour is a chance to assassinate Vidal via electrocution. This works best if Black is not in your party, and involves some preparation before you start the tour. In the wine factory, grab a screwdriver, a wrench, and a fuse cell. Distract the worker near the grape pressing machine so that you can tamper with the wiring on the floor, then sabotage the pumps with the wrench so that the room is flooded with wine.

Insert the fuse cell in a nearby junction box and then subdue the chief winemaker so that you can disguise yourself as him. Start the tour, and give Vidal a look at the grape crushing machine. Quickly run out, make certain that Burnwood has followed you out, and activate the power to that room. Vidal will be eliminated through an electrified harvest, earning you more career points for completing the Firebrand challenge.

Pencil Pusher / Straight Shot / Piano Man

While Yates has numerous plans in motion to deal with Diana Burnwood, he’s not averse to trying more legal methods in his quest to discredit his competition. He recently hired a lawyer to dig up dirt on Burnwood, and the legal expert can be found wandering the car park when the Mendoza level begins.

When the lawyer walks into a nearby alcove so that he can admire the setup, you can easily knock him out with the people around you being none the wiser. Ditch any illegal items 47 has on him, make certain that you grab the legal papers, and then head to the mansion. You’ll need to pass a frisk test first, and then announce yourself to the guard at the gate.

Once you’ve been escorted inside, eliminate the guard and hide his body in the cupboard. Set up the legal papers on the desk, and approach Yates in his villa. The two of you will be left alone once you’re in the office, and when Yates decides to inspect your papers, you can make good use of the nearby pen on the desk to assassinate him, completing the Pencil Pusher challenge. You’ll also have a chance to kill Yates with 47’s carbon wire tool or with a bullet to the head, which in turn completes the Piano Man and Straight Shotchallenges.

Get Rid Of The Body

If you’d prefer to get rid of Yates while also watering his garden with his liquidized remains, you can subdue Yates in the office. You’ll have to be wary of the two guards outside the office, but you can toss Yates out the window, climb through, and then drag his body to the plant mulcher. A quick press of the button, and there won’t be any evidence of Yates left to identify when you complete the Get Rid Of The Body challenge.

The Orator / Someone Could Hurt Themselves

Yates is due to give a speech to his assembled guests soon, but 47 will need to set the scene before the potential Constant of Providence leaves his manor. With a suitable disguise acquired, preferably that of a waiter, make your way to the cinema on the ground floor and pick up the Branson MD-2 microphone.

Head outside and back upstairs to the area where Yates will give his speech, swapping the microphone out and then increasing the voltage being fed to it. Run up to the manor, pass a frisk test, and then grab one of the torches near the catering truck. Return to the venue where people have gathered for Yates’ speech, and ignite the barbeque so that Yates will appear.

Stick around to complete The Orator challenge and Someone Could Hurt Themselves challenges, and Yates will give a speech that is shocking, to say the least.

Domestic Disturbance

47 may not be the best agent to play matchmaker, but he can destroy a marriage with a mere folder of incriminating evidence. Infiltrate the Yates wine cellar through either the mansion or the secret passage behind the wine production factory’s barrel room, and you’ll spot a safe that is guarded by two of the elite security agents. To open the safe, you’ll need the code 2006, which will then reveal a secret dossier.

Take this dossier to Yates’ wife Valentina, and she’ll learn how her husband sabotaged her career so that he could win a case. She’ll eventually confront him on the balcony of the manor, and in a fit of rage, she’ll push him over the edge. With your hands still relatively clean, this will complete the Domestic Disturbance challenge.

Murder By Proxy

This double assassination requires a lot of work, but the pay-off is worth it. Infiltrate the barrel room, and Yates will signal that he wants his incredibly rare bottle of Paladin 1945 brought up to his meeting room. ou’ll find an entrance on the right side of the barrels that you can jump down into. Use a screwdriver to open the grate, and you’ll be able to sneak into the room that contains the rare wine. Make certain that the windows have been frosted, and you can take out the Sommelier and his assistant.

Once you’ve assumed the Sommelier disguise, open the vault with the code 1945. Grab the wine bottle, ditch your illegal items, and meet up with the head of security. You’ll then be led to the meeting that Yates is hosting and a showdown will begin between him and Burnwood. You won’t get a chance to poison any of the wine during this sequence as security takes over the wine-pouring duties, but you will see Vidal murdered when she refuses to join the conspiracy to kill Burnwood.

At this point, you’ll have ten minutes to save Burnwood. Infiltrate the mansion and take out the security on the top floor where she’s being held, and the final sequence will begin. Burnwood will fatally wound Yates while 47 takes out his remaining security detail, leaving 47 to finish the job. With both targets down, you’ll have completed the Murder By Proxy challenge.

To Loyalty

An alternative way to complete the Closing Statement mission is to prepare the scene before Yates and his crew arrives. With a lethal poison in your inventory, infiltrate the wine cellar either through the mansion or through the wine production facility. An elite guard outfit works best here, and once you’re in the room, you can taint Yates’ glass with a lethal dose of poison. Allow the rest of the story to play out as intended, and after Burnwood is escorted upstairs, Yates will take his final sip of wine.

With Yates now dead on the floor thanks to the poisoned glass of wine, this will complete the To Loyalty challenge.

Five destinations and a trail of dead bodies later, Agent 47’s journey has finally come to an end. There’s only a single target to focus on in Hitman 3‘s final level, but a small army of Providence elite agents stand between 47 and the elusive Arthur Edwards.

Here are all of the Carpathian Mountain train’s assassination challenges and everything you need to do to complete them. For more tips and secrets, be sure to read our Hitman 3 walkthrough and guide hub. Otherwise, check out our other assassination guides below.

Straight Shot

Once you’ve worked your way to Edwards, a limited number of options are available. If you’d prefer to get rid of the Constant the old fashioned way and you happen to have run out of weapons on your way towards the confrontation, some of 47’s signature tools can be found in Edwards’ wardrobe, past where he stands looking in the mirror. A bullet to the head from 47’s silenced pistol, an SMG, or any of the other guns you picked up will earn you the Straight Shot challenge completion. Quick, easy, and to the point.

Losing Everything

For a less lethal approach, Edwards can also be dealt with using the memory-erasing serum that he prepared for 47. Simply pick it up and inject Edwards, and he’ll be rendered helpless. Completely unaware of who 47 is, Edwards is taken off the board with surprisingly little bloodshed, poisoned with his own last resort and allowing you to complete the Losing Everything challenge.

A New Father

As detailed in the Hitman 3 Secret Ending guide, there is another option available. Remain patient after you pick up the serum, and Edwards will tempt you with a chance to become a blank slate again, free from choice. If you choose this option, not only will 47’s quest end on the Providence train, he’ll wake up in a padded cell that is eerily familiar to the one that gamers around the world discovered him in back in 2000. If that’s your choice, you’ll complete the A New Father challenge when 47 resets his entire life’s journey.

Snow Angel

An easy feat to accomplish, as all you have to do is wait for a guard to walk past and push him off the train. A single guard patrols one of the open train compartments after you make your way outside, and with the right disguise on, getting him into position is absolutely easy for the Snow Angel challenge.

Exhibition Shooting

While it’s not the type of assassination that players are used to, shooting a train signal that clearly has it in for you is still satisfying. Simply climb above a carriage, take aim, and squeeze the trigger when you see a signal getting close to 47. One dead train signal later, and you’ll have banked the Exhibition Shooting challenge.

Bullet Train

It’s inevitable that you’re going to run into some stiff resistance on your way towards the front of the train, and you might as well grab the Bullet Train challenge completion along the way. Simply take out guards with an SMG, a shotgun, and a silenced pistols, and you’ll have earned some more points.

Soda Slinger

There’s no shortage of Providence security on the train, and if you’re looking to ensure that they don’t interfere with your final mission then a can of soda to the face is a reliably non-lethal method to make use of. You’ll need to chuck three cans at Providence security guards to finish the Soda Slinger challenge. One can of soda can be found in the back compartment of a carriage, on the seat:

Another can be found on a seat opposite in a room that various gambling items in storage such as a small round poker table:

And the last one can be found on a small table opposite the bar that is guarded by two soldiers discussing local geography:

With all three cans in your possession, there are still several guards on the train whose heads would be the perfect targets to chuck the soft drinks at.

Coming off the success of last year’s Tony Hawk Pro’s Skater 1 + 2, developer Vicarious Visions is undergoing a major adjustment. Activision Blizzard has confirmed that the company will be moved from Activision’s umbrella into Blizzard, pivoting the studio to be “fully dedicated” to Blizzard games going forward.

According to GamesIndustry.biz, the transition is effective immediately, with Vicarious Visions remaining in Albany, New York. The 200-team studio will now be “fully dedicated to existing Blizzard games and initiatives.” Starting today, Vicarious Visions, which has led development on a majority of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchise, will no longer work on the famed IP.

A spokesperson told the publication that Vicarious Visions would be a great fit to offer Blizzard Entertainment’s development studios “long-term support” going forward.

“After collaborating with Vicarious Visions for some time and developing a great relationship, Blizzard realized there was an opportunity for [Vicarious Visions] to provide long-term support,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson didn’t clarify what Vicarious Vision has been working with Blizzard on or for how long, but Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier said the studio has been “working on Blizzard projects for a few months now.” What these projects are remain a mystery, though Blizzard’s upcoming games include Diablo 4, Diablo Immortal, and Overwatch 2.

As part of the shift, upper management is also being shuffled around. Vicarious Visions’ head Jen Oneal has been promoted to executive vice president of development at Blizzard. She will report directly to company president J. Allen Brack. Taking Oneal’s place at Vicarious Visions as studio head is Simon Ebejer, who previously served as the studio’s chief operating officer.

Founded by two brothers while they were in high school in 1990, Vicarious Visions has had a hand in some big-name franchises, including Crash Bandicoot, Guitar Hero, Spider-Man, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. The studio’s website seems to be a deadlink following the merger.

This news comes at an odd time for Vicarious Visions, which just last year saw Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 set a new record for the franchise, selling 1 million units faster than any previous entry. And following the successful launch of Vicarious’s Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy, Activision Blizzard said during a 2017 conference call that remasters of its other IP were likely. Vicarious Visions also served as a Destiny 2 support team before the Activision-Bungie split.

This marks the second Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater developer that has been shuttered due to a merger. The last studio handling the franchise, Neversoft, was combined into Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward in 2014.

The classic SNK fighter SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium has apparently received a rating for Nintendo Switch by the Gaming Rating and Administration Committee of Korea.

According to the rating, the game is set for everyone 12 years old and up, with the reason being SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium contains some minor violent expressions. Gematsu notes that the rating suggests the 2D fighter could be the next entry in SNK’s Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection on Nintendo Switch, though there’s no confirmation of this yet.

SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium launched in November 1999 for the Neo Geo. It’s a crossover 2D fighter featuring 26 characters from various Capcom and SNK games, including the Art of Fighting, Fatal Fury, King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, and Street Fighter. Eight of the 26 characters are hidden and come from titles such as Darkstalkers and The Last Blade.

The Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection is a series of re-releases of SNK’s classic games that dropped on the 16-bit 1999 handheld of the same name, the Neo Geo Pocket Color. Each title in the series can be purchased individually from the Nintendo eShop for $8 USD. While SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium is likely the next title to arrive in the series, the last game to come out through the Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection was 1999’s Fatal Fury: First Contact.