If you're one of those people who yearns for traditional Hitman, then IO Interactive has got you covered in Hitman: Absolution with a range of difficulty levels including a hardcore mode that caters to veteran fans of the series. There'll be a number of stealth assassin trophies to unlock too, with various parameters to fulfil.

"We will get into more details at a later point, but obviously it's linked to the playing style," said Lead Producer Hakan Abrak. "It's more pacify your enemies, be undetected, maybe solve the challenges in a smarter way. That will probably give you a stealth assassin achievement."

Abrak hopes that this will satisfy the die-hard Hitman fans who weren't particularly enamoured with the first gameplay demos, showing Agent 47's new-found ability to detect enemies through walls. "Rest assured, the hardcore fans that like to have replayablity value in the game or want to have this stealth assassin - you know, I'm the ultimate stealth assassin - that playing style, those achievements, are very much in the game," Abrak stated.

"There's a huge replayability value in it and we have some features in the game I cannot speak about that will enhance this and make this easier, and heighten the replayability value for the hardcore players as well."

Hitman: Absolution's hardcore difficulty will also have a special name, which has yet to be revealed. "I'm pretty sure it's going to please the hardcore fans. I can't say what it is," teased Abrak.

Hitman: Absolution is out in 2012.

[Via Eurogamer]