Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

So it finally came out and the wait was so very very worth it!  Hotline Miami is easily one of my favorite games due to its fast pace and challenging nature and Miami 2 is essentially just more of the same thing.  That isn't to say though that Hotline Miami 2 is lacking in new things, quite the opposite but at it's core its the same fast pace murder spree that it always was.

This is usually the part where I'd go on to talk about the story but Hotline Miami 2s plot is actually rather hard to follow.  Taking place both before and after the first game you follow the adventures of multiple characters so you get to see the story unfold from a number of different perspectives.  These characters include an actor with a dark streak, a group of vigilantes, a detective, a writer and more.  However, knowledge of what went down in the first game is pretty much vital for understanding what is going on in this one so if you haven't played the first game then expect to get very lost very quickly.  While I quite like Hotline Miami's story, it isn't vital to enjoying the game so even if you don't have a fucking clue what's going on you can still enjoy the experience.

The game play is essentially the same as Hotline 1.  The game is played from a top down perspective and you use your mouse and keyboard to move and aim.  The goal of each level is to kill all the dudes and while sometimes you may have to collect a key or a briefcase off a table the objective is only ever kill all the dudes.  However, Hotline Miami 1 featured only 2 characters with slightly different play styles while each character in 2 has a unique spin on them.  For example, the group of vigilantes each has their own special ability such as a dodge roll, lethal punches or a two person team of chainsaw with pistol backup.  This game even features one character that doesn't kill people and picking up weapons will make him unload them for bonus score.  Whenever the story switches perspective you will end up having to play a little differently to suit the strengths and weaknesses of your character.  What's good though is that no character feels useless and while some will fare better in some stages than others you can complete each level with any mask/weapon etc.

I do feel like one would be Mistaken to call Hotline Miami 2 an action game though.  Sure the game is fast and there's lots of shooting and fighting but it plays very much like a puzzle game with the player having to work out the best route through the level and its enemies to survive.  Not to mention that the levels in 2 are a lot bigger than they were in one so it's no longer possible to just punch your way through the whole game like I do when I speed run the first one. 

The game has a few bugs such as enemies walking through walls sometimes but generally speaking Hotline Miami is a well made and super fun game that I think everyone should at the very least try out.