By Eric Curtis on March 11, 2015 at 5:48am
"Hotline Miami 2" is the sequel and the final entry in the Hotline Miami series. So does it stack up to the gore and the challenge of the previous game?
Presentation
"Hotline Miami 2" looks incredible. The graphical theme of the game sticks to the top-down, 8-bit view that was used in the first game and it does an amazing job of conveying emotion in every moment. Watching a man bleed out as he tries to crawl away is intense, and kicking around decapitated heads, frozen in fear, is hilarious and unsettling.
Story
"Hot Miami 2" has a much deeper story than the first game and takes place both before and after the first game. I won't talk too much about this because it's a twisting and winding trail of confusion and mystery that makes for an amazing, cinematic narrative. You'll jump around playing as different characters until all their stories cross paths. There is plenty of story here and it's really good.
Gameplay
"Hot Miami 2" holds true with the same gameplay as the first. The challenge is amplified this time around, you will be dying a lot but the game doesn't punish you for it. One button is used to fire/swing your weapon while another throws your weapon to leave your enemy unconscious. It plays like a twin-stick shooter (especially if you are using a controller) and once the action gets started it's a rush that will have you cheering or cursing at the outcome of each scenario.
All the missions consist of killing a massive number of enemies and leaving a trail of bloody corpses in your wake. "Hot Miami 2" does a good job of spicing up this violent formula with different touches here and there - for instance, all the masks you wear are all different characters with different abilities. The gameplay is addictive, fast paced, and extremely fun.
There are very few negatives to speak of, the main thing being targeting. You have a system in place to look around the map as you advance and target certain enemies. The problem is it's too floaty and really hard to target the one guy you mean to, sometimes this will mean the difference between life and death. With such a hard game and the targeting being the reason you die is really frustrating, especially on really long levels where you are sent right back to the start of the section with every death.
Conclusion
"Hotline Miami 2" makes amazing improvements on the first game, mixing up the formula and keeping you guessing until the final scene. The satisfaction of beating a level or pulling off something amazing never gets old. If you love a challenge and a crazy story with crazy characters then you should definitely grab this game. $14.99 is a steal for all you get. This game is really hard though, so if that's not your thing then it's best to steer clear.
