One of the best returning features in Hitman 3 is its Elusive Targets which were originally introduced in the first part of IO Interactive’s reboot trilogy.
If you’re a little confused about Hitman 3’s elusive targets then allow us to quickly explain them. In the coming weeks and months, special Elusive Target missions will appear for a limited amount of time before vanishing. These missions are similar to basic contracts but with a spicy little twist. You only have one shot at completing them with no restarts – fumble an assassination and your target will be gone forever.
Following on from The Deceivers, Hitman 3 has just gone live with its second Elusive Target – The Stowaway. Scouring the island fort Sgàil, you have from now until March 29th to eliminate this particular pest.
The Stowaway is now live in HITMAN 3.
Go to the Isle of Sgàil, and do what you do best… ? pic.twitter.com/mXaaTDkyxB
— HITMAN 3 (@Hitman) March 19, 2021
In this guide we’ll help you through the latest Hitman 3 Elusive Target mission in your hunt to track down The Stowaway. This guide covers:
- What are Elusive Targets?
- Elusive Targets – what’s the best loadout?
- The Stowaway – where to find Jimmy Chen?
- Elusive Targets tips and tricks
What are Elusive Targets?
If you’re a Hitman veteran then you can move onto the next section but for newer players, let’s quickly go over some ground rules for Elusive Targets:
- You will need an online connection to access Elusive Targets.
- Each Elusive Target mission is time limited and had a countdown before vanishing.
- You will need to identify Elusive Targets yourself – they won’t automatically appear with a red highlight.
- If you die or fail an Elusive Target mission, you cannot retry the contract. Even if you successfully complete the contract, there is no way of replaying.
- Once started, you cannot re-plan or restart the Elusive Target contract.
- You cannot save during an Elusive Target or reload a checkpoint.
Elusive Targets – what’s the best loadout?
Thankfully, you can rely on any of your Mastery unlocks awarded while playing Hitman 3 (as well as Hitman and Hitman 2). Most players will have their own preferred equipment loadout for Agent 47 – we’ve put together a comprehensive guide listing the best weapons, gear, and items, and where to find them.
For The Stowaway we’d recommend taking the lockpick (as always), while also stocking up on distraction devices. As with any Hitman 3 contract, there’s plenty of room for experimentation. Equipping a remote explosive or having a silenced sniper stashed away are just as good though, remember, you only have one shot at this.
Sgàil may be a large map with plenty of open space but you’ll find that The Stowaway prefers to skulk around its tightly-packed interiors. These areas are teeming with guests, event staff, and dozens of heavily armed guards. Once killed, you will need to recover his Dictaphone, so a long-range assassination isn’t ideal.
The Stowaway – where to find Jimmy Chen?
This Elusive Target can be found infiltrating the keep to the north of the map. More specifically, The Stowaway can be seen disguised as a member of the waiting staff in the gallery area where The Ark Society have a number of priceless antiques on display. The Stowaway is dressed in a white shirt, black trousers, and red apron. Jimmy Chen will frequently talk to himself so should be easy to pick out – now you have to isolate him.
You can spook him by walking up to him and using the talk prompt. Agent 47 will ask The Stowaway what he’s doing, forcing him to flee into an adjoining bathroom. If you’re quick enough you can get there before him, otherwise he’ll lock the door behind him. Unless you have a key, just wait – picking the lock is bound to draw the attention of nearby guards. If you didn’t take this opportunity to kill The Stowaway he will emerge from the bathroom dressed in the blue and black robes of the Ark Society’s most elite members. He will then proceed to make his way upstairs but don’t follow him right away. There are guards posted on the staircase who will prevent you access if you aren’t wearing the correct disguise.
Once you’ve found a way to the higher level of the keep, you’ll need to work out which of the guests is The Stowaway. Again, this is very easy as he’ll often speak into his Dictaphone – you’ll now need to find a way of quietly killing him. If you’re not bothered about the body being discovered then a lethal syringe or thrown sharp object can be used. Similarly, you can grab a waiter disguise and wait for The Stowaway at the bar area, poisoning his drink.
An easy solution we found was to wait in the bathroom adjacent to the red-lit room with the giant head sculpture as this is one of the stops on The Stowaway’s loop. Once in position, turn on the bathroom radio and he’ll come to you. Just make sure the door is closed behind him and that the radio is switched off after killing him to avoid detection.
Elusive Targets tips and tricks
To finish up, we have a few handy tips and tricks to help with taking down Hitman 3’s Elusive Targets. Firstly, read through the contract briefing, making sure you visit the same location to get as many Mastery unlocks there as possible. This will give you access to a number of starting locations, disguises, and hidden stashes which could help save loads of time.
It’s not recommended, but there’s nothing stopping you from doing a dry run of The Stowaway contract. If you have multiple accounts on your PC or console then you can theoretically play the Elusive Target mission more than once. This will give you a more practical idea of where The Stowaway roams around the map and potential spots where you can isolate him.
It’s a method we’re going to avoid, though a number of Hitman 3 players have reported that you can close the game application or disconnect from the internet to avoid a fail state before booting it up again. It’s not only risky but isn’t the way Elusive Targets were meant to be played.
