Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (PlayStation 2, Windows, Xbox)

The sequel to the successful Hitman: Codename 47 finds the bald killer -- recently retired and tormented by his violent past -- working off his guilt in a remote Sicilian monastery. He's handed his guns and soul over to Father Vittorio, a kindly priest who is aiding 47 on his path to redemption. When the priest is kidnapped by a group hoping to bring the killer back into action, 47 grudgingly returns to the world of international assassination and intrigue in hopes of rescuing his counselor.

Each of the 19 levels offer a variety of ways to solve problems, measuring your success based on the tools and methods you use. For example, if you blast your way through the underground barracks in St. Petersburg you may score high on the aggression scale, but you'll bottom out on the stealth meter -- ultimately earning a rating of "Hatchet Man" instead of "Professional."

This is one of the best-designed games of its type. You'll want to spend a lot of time in the game, as the environments are carefully rendered and remarkably interactive. Controls are easy to master yet provide an impressive range of options and control.

But make no mistake -- HITMAN 2: SILENT ASSASSIN is appropriately named, and there is no shortage of graphic violence. The brutality ranges from launching impersonal sniper fire from a distance to up-close strangulation with a wire. Copious amounts of blood paint the walls during gun fights, and depictions of torture, injury to innocents, and the potential to attack police officers all add to the general unseemliness of the game. Parents and children beware.