The Hitman 3 Mission You Can Beat In A Matter Of Seconds

Despite having a bit of a rough launch, critics and fans alike have been positive about the release of Hitman 3. The game adds new elements to the series while maintaining the humor that has made the stealth franchise so much fun. Part of the Hitman series' challenge is discovering ways to complete missions in different or ludicrous ways. Some speedrunners have done just that by finding a way to beat the first level of Hitman 3 in less than ten seconds.

First reported by PCGamesN and verified by Speedrun.com, speedrunners have completed the first level of Hitman 3, "Top of the World," in under ten seconds. Wreak and Der_Lauch_Linus accomplished the feat in similar ways, securing themselves places on the Speedrun leaderboard, and now fans can do the same at home.

"Top of the World," the first mission in Hitman 3, tasks Agent 47 to eliminate two targets, Carl Ingram and Marcus Stuyvescent, by scaling a fictional skyscraper in Dubai. Speedrunners have found a sneaky way to complete the level quickly, but it requires a little practice. As explained at Kotaku, players must run up a set of stairs immediately after spawning in the level and then "shoot one target on the balcony above then turn to shoot the other target, who is perched above that target on an even higher balcony." Then, of course, players need to make an expeditious retreat to avoid any repercussions from their actions. The entire series of events must be precise, so players may want to practice before attempting a true speedrun.

Speedrunners have found bizarre ways to complete games quickly for almost as long as video games have existed. Last year, one player discovered a strange way to beat Dragon Quest 3 by exploiting a glitch in the original cartridge. Greatness comes at a price, though. The glitch can cause both the cartridge and console to overheat, potentially destroying the game in the process. But hey, anything to break a record, right?

Hitman 3 has many achievements for players, though, even if they don't want to embark on a speedrun. In addition to unlocking shortcuts in each level, which open up new possibilities for replays, players can use creative assassinations to earn specialized achievements. If players want to take a little longer with "Top of the World," they can potentially earn an achievement that requires some patience and stealth skills. Trophies alone may not keep fans fully satisfied, though, as the game leaves players with some specific questions after finishing up the story mode.