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The term 'murder simulators' has definitely worn out its welcome with the unpopular media. They were all to eager to tar brush any game featuring a gun with the term during some sensationalist piece of crank journalism right up until they cottoned on to the fact former attorney Jack Thompson was clinically insane. Luckily swine flu struck and 'OMFG it's the end of the world from swine flu' became the new media cry du jour.

Funny thing is during all the 'kill trainer' and 'muder simulator' talk I never once heard mention of the game Hitman: Blood Money, which is pretty odd as the bloody game really is a 'murder simulator', even rewarding extra points for making it look like an accident! I had a lot of hot steamy love for this game once upon a time ago, as I've had for all the Hitman games, and it breaks my heart a little to reveal you can own a copy for around $10 from your local game bargain dip bin.

Despite the crappy first tutorial level, which is an entire mission long, the rest of the game is five star fun.

If you've never played a Hitman game before here's the run down. Third person gameplay starring the monotone Agent 47, each mission has at least one person, occasionally two or three, that need killed. Missions are in a contained area and you'll spend most of the game scouting the place out and discovering all your possible options before making your kill, then vacating the area as stealthily as possible. It's entirely possible to run in guns blazing and kill everyone in your way, but its not as much fun. The ultimate goal is to take out your target without even firing a single shot. As a result, despite a huge arsenal of available weapons, your most frequently used tools will be your poison and sedative syringes, your garotte wire, and your ability to disguise yourself as other people.

In case you couldn't tell, this the 'guns blazing approach' to Hitman

Missions range from taking out a mobster under house arrest by the FBI to busting up southern style wedding's in Louisiana and even rampaging through the tourist wing of the White House. One mission has you assassinating Hugh Hefner (okay it's not actually him but you can guess the inspiration) during a christmas party, so yes, you can totally stab Hugh Hefner to death while dressed as Santa Claus.

For gun porn enthusiasts every weapon you pick up in the game is added to your private armoury and can be taken with you on missions. Agent 47 also has a core set of weapons that can be upgraded to such a teched out, high calibre degree as to cause the weapons of Modern Warfare 2 to cross their knees in shame. Money earned from your hits could be poured into buying new weapon upgrades or purchasing less notoriety, depending how succesful you were at hiding yourself during your last mission. The more skillful the kill the more money you earned. I even found myself removing some of my upgraded additions to make my weapons more practical for my missions, while gunning down targets with twin wide bore .45 pistols with extended magazines and laser sights was undeniably cool, one pistol with a silencer earned you the big bucks.

The Hitman games aren't famous for gun blazing action, although there's some to be had. The real thrill comes from planning and meticulous execution and completing it flawlessly. If your looking to try something different invest some dollars in a copy of Hitman: Bloody Money, then when you love it as much as I do you can curse out Eidos online for not making a sequel yet.

Judging by the stains on the shirt Agent 47 had Lasagna for lunch, or the FBI are going Waco on his ass, its one or the other

Taking hostages is all part of career package, hey your a hitman for christ sake, it's a bit late to feel immoral