
Once sufficient points have been accumulated on a level, the player has the option of having additional weapons and equipment smuggled into the area, even into secure areas. Longarms such as rifles can now be slung across the back to free up the player's hands for other tasks.

While standing on a ledge outside of a window, the player is able to aim a handgun into the window at certain angles. This gives the player far more options for moving into secure areas. New features include vastly expanded movement capabilities: Agent 47 is able to vault over some obstacles such as low walls, drop down from some higher elevations, climb pipes, walk on narrow ledges, and even hang and swing on ledges. It will also reveal the location of the target anywhere on the map, allowing the player to track them easily, though this does not apply to Elusive Targets and in a few other special cases. Instinct mode greatly assists the player by highlighting useful objects and nearby features. For this reason, unconscious targets cannot be stored they must be killed before being hidden. Unconscious characters placed in containers are disabled for the duration of gameplay, they become inaccessible and are effectively removed from the level, though their disguise can still be acquired, if applicable. Most containers can hold two bodies (either unconscious or dead) and the player can hide in it if there is only one body inside. Many of the features of previous games have returned, including the ability to hide in containers and instinct mode. The trilogy also includes three stand-alone sniper missions unrelated to the main story, as well as bonus missions that share the same maps as some campaign missions but involve different targets, time-limited elusive targets, and small, playful side-missions called escalations. Eventually they will learn of and take on the secretive and powerful organization known as Providence. In the course of fulfilling assassination contracts, Burnwood and 47 will conclude that the ICA has been manipulated into taking out targets on behalf of a mysterious third party. Diana plays a prominent role in the trilogy, and the series explores Burnwood's backstory in far more depth than previous installments of the series.

It focuses on Agent 47 and Diana Burnwood and their careers working for the International Contract Agency.
