HITMAN: World of Assassination: The Herbalist Pack - A DLC so smooth it practically hotboxes the entire trilogy.

There’s a moment, early in The Herbalist Pack, where you realise IO Interactive has stopped pretending Hitman is a serious game. It’s still about assassinations, sure, but now it’s also about Agent 47 stalking a cannabis mogul who looks suspiciously like Snoop Dogg on holiday. And somehow impossibly it works. This is the kind of crossover that feels like it was pitched at 3AM in a smoky boardroom, and instead of rejecting it, IOI just shrugged and said, “Yeah, why not. Let’s get weird.”

The Herbalist himself is a delight. He moves through the level with the slow, deliberate confidence of a man who has never once been told “no.” His entourage is a swirling cloud of hype‑men, handlers, and business associates who look like they’re one bad decision away from becoming accidental witnesses. It’s not just a celebrity cameo; it’s a fully realised character who feels like he wandered into the Hitman universe after taking a wrong turn at Coachella.

The mission content is surprisingly generous. You get a two‑level Arcade contract for those who enjoy the “one mistake and you’re locked out for 12 hours” lifestyle, and a full Special Assignment for everyone else who prefers to save, reload, and generally behave like a normal human being. The Special Assignment is the real star as a replayable, offline, challenge‑filled sandbox that lets you experiment with Herbalist takedowns ranging from elegant to “47, what are you doing, please stop.”

Cosmetics are where the pack leans fully into the joke. The Entrepreneur Fur Coat is so luxurious it feels illegal. The Hustler Tracksuit is perfect for blending in with people who say things like “big moves only.” The Big Biz Briefcase is exactly what you’d carry if you were negotiating a deal that definitely isn’t legal. Even the smaller props like the cookies and the custom mic, “The Smoke” feel like IOI giggling behind the scenes as they add them.

And then there’s the tone. Hitman has always lived in that strange liminal space between deadly seriousness and slapstick chaos, and The Herbalist Pack sits right in the middle of that Venn diagram. Agent 47 silently stalking a cannabis tycoon voiced by Snoop Dogg should feel ridiculous, but instead it feels like the most natural thing in the world. It’s as if the series finally admitted what fans have known for years: Hitman is at its best when it’s stylish, absurd, and just a little bit stupid.

Pros

• Snoop‑energy baked directly into the mission design

• Replayable content: Arcade + full Special Assignment

• Cosmetics that are equal parts stylish and unhinged

• Safehouse decor that lets you live your best Herbalist life

• A tone that perfectly balances cool professionalism and absolute nonsense

• Surprisingly high production value for a crossover pack

Cons

• Not a large content drop — more of a themed treat

• Cosmetics are fun but not mechanically meaningful

• Players who dislike celebrity cameos may need a lie‑down

• The mission isn’t as complex as full Escalations or campaign levels

The Herbalist Pack isn’t huge, and it’s not pretending to be. But it is memorable, a crossover that embraces the weirdness of the Hitman universe without ever tipping into parody. It’s polished, funny, and surprisingly replayable. If you’re already deep into WOA, this is the kind of DLC that reminds you why you fell in love with the series in the first place.

XPN Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (GOLD)

The Herbalist Pack is out now!