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Finally, Io Interactive has to Agent 47, the bar-master of disguise and killing returned. Oh, how we 've missed him

Danish developer Io Interactive gained an excellent reputation thanks to the Hitman games, the mysterious Agent 47 - a man with a barcode on the back of his shaved head and unmatched capabilities when it comes to shipping, there was the most heavily defended targets.

But since 2006, the laconic fellow has not been seen, with Io instead making two Kane and Lynch games which, frankly, were rather rubbish. Someone, though – either at Io itself or publisher Square-Enix, which owns the studio – has finally seen sense, and after a five-year hiatus, the company has returned to its alma mater in the form of Hitman Absolution, due for release some time in 2012 on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Fortunately, the demo we were treated Hitman absolution at E3, it was more or less immediately clear that Io Interactive has their comfort zone back. The game - shown for the first time - create a whole activity. What we experienced was pre-alpha software, but it already looked like a big step for the franchise.

How many games at E3, it was clearly a product of the late period in a console cycle, if the developers are working on how to extract the last ounce of their graphics processing capabilities.

The action started with a comprehensive recording of the environment: a wet, rainy Chicago mercilessly. A certain amount of table-turning game was - Agent 47, the consummate hunter, was himself the subject of a citywide manhunt by the police.

Io Interactive outlines some of the game 's most important aspects .- The developer has the game \ improved' s artificial intelligence engine, so that the enemies you encounter in a more sophisticated (and less predictable) behavior, Agent 47 has a new feature called Instinct, which allows him to size situations before taking down multiple enemies, and he is now inhabiting his disguises more convincing.

The stated goal of all games offered - it is a new engine called Io Glacier 2 - is to give players the freedom of choice. You should be able, in whatever way you always want to play, something that promised a lot of games, but few delivered.

Agent 47 creepy refuge in an abandoned library is crumbling, and still full of books. It quickly filled with impractical large number of policemen, and he set about dispatching them individually, and employs camouflage cover and unleashing vicious take-downs, including a garrote with a power cord.

Finally, the demonstrator confronting tired of such an approach and a large group of police officers, grabbed one as a human shield to steal his mac-22 submachine gun, several planning and making his escape, to escape a fire.

Working his way up the building triggered a sequence that was more appreciably cinematic than in previous Hitman games. He ran up a staircase, taking out a number of cops below by shooting a chandelier. A police helicopter was called in, whose relentless machinegun-fire was destroying his cover, but he leapt thrillingly to a nearby building.

Finding an isolated police officer, he took him out secretly and stole his clothes before an apartment which is curated be as full of a few hippies a marijuana-growing business. Of course, they distributed in funny, stoned panic - we saw a glimpse of an attempt to flush its inventories down a toilet. Soon the real police officers appeared to be, and Agent 47 took one out by going to him over the head with a handy bong.

The last we saw mechanic agent involved 47 's ability to move, in the disguise - his instinct told him that if the cops sidling past he had to leave the building were always suspicious of him, and he could hide his face or In an instinct, grab a donut from a handy box (Donuts are always on hand if there is a large concentration of police officers).

It was such a joy to watch, Io Interactive to do again what it does best - what Hitman games. Graphically Hitman absolution was fantastic, and the gloomy view of Chicago looked very impressive. But the prevalence of the major cinematic-looking sequences and the portion was surprised to see humor, but very welcome.

Welcome back, Agent 47 - where have you been all this time?

• Hitman is absolution for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC will be released in 2012