Hotline Miami

[darkewaffle]

Not really feeling this game. The levels are so static and enemies so unintelligent that it feels more like a puzzle game with blood than anything else. I was much more hoping for a fast paced/fluid kind of top down action/platformer experience (kind of like Shank) but I just don't think there's enough depth.

The controls felt much too 'loose' as well, I had a hard time aiming/picking up weapons/performing executions at times (I think your character moves a bit too fast as well) and I wish you could "lock" the camera into the "free" state rather than having to hold shift the entire time I played.

Graphic options are nil, not really surprising but I'd at least rather try playing in Windowed mode.

The setting of the game is pretty cool and I did at least enjoy the music. The masks and dialogue and characters do convey kind of a creepy, decadent, psychadelic atmosphere but I just didn't have enough fun playing to keep going.

Might have fallen prey to a bit of review overhype on this one, at least it was on sale.

 

[WiseUp216]

I feel the exact same way on everything you mention.

I want to give it one more shot but it will probably end up in my catacomb of unplayed Steam games.

 

[SMOGZINN]

It is a puzzle game, don't let the shooting aspect fool you. Each mission is a puzzle to be solved. You won't get very far in the game trying to just run in guns blazing.

 

[KaOTiK]

I really enjoy it. As SMOG says, it is a puzzle game with some twitch reflexes involved, that's why the enemies do the same patterns. It is in your best interest to kill without guns at the start to not alert as many others when you do fire a weapon.

 

[Dankk]

it feels more like a puzzle game with blood than anything else.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

I mean, yeah, that's pretty much what it is. An violent, pulpy, murder puzzle game. Or something like that. I personally think it's a lot of fun, although the trial-and-error based nature of the gameplay is a bit frustrating. The mouse control is also pretty wonky, like I have some sort of weird mouse acceleration going on (?) but I've adapted to it and I've gotten pretty good at the game.

And the soundtrack... oh man, the soundtrack. I need to invent a word that describes how good the soundtrack is.

Hotline Miami is certainly a very dark, twisted sort of game though; the driving electronic soundtrack pulls you out of the game and desensitizes you to the horrible acts of violence you're committing. Then, when the stage is clear and the "calm" music starts playing, the mood shifts and you kinda regret what you've just done. You walk through the hallways full of blood and guts, exit the building to get back to your car, and think "Why am I doing this?"

It's a subtle psychological effect, but I really like how the developers did that.