Video Game Review: Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

Title: Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
Developers: Dennaton Games
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Genre: Action, Top Down Action, Virtual Drug Trip
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Playstation Vita
Reviewed On: PC
Price: $14.99

**Be Warned: This game is INCREDIBLY violent. If hardcore violence bothers you, be sure to at least lookup some gameplay videos before you purchase.**

So, Hotline Miami was one of my favourite indie releases of last year. An insanely fast top-down action game that felt like some insane 1980's drug trip, with way more blood and guts then usual, and everything about it worked. The art style, the story, the music, even the gameplay, all added to the rush of the original, and most of that carries over to the sequel. It has some flaws that hit the game, mostly with a few of the levels, and its fair share of bugs, but when it gets it right, the game is an absolute blast.

Veterans of the first game will feel immediately at home here, as the sequel is basically the same with some improvements. For those who haven't played it, the game plays out from a top-down perspective, full of split-second thinking and tactics. You as the player can take maybe a bullet or two before going down, and a single melee attack from an enemy will down you, but same goes for the enemies, with a few having certain characteristics to throw you off, some can only be taken down by melee or guns, for example. Your character, along with enemies, can move very fast, leading to a speedy experience. Even resetting the level after death takes a second, allowing you to jump right back in.

While there are extra weapons and enemies in the game, the core gameplay remains the same. The major changes come from the masks, which can be chosen at the beginning of many levels. Masks, or similar items, can be chosen at the beginning of the level, which changes your gameplay style in drastic ways. This can be anything from allowing only punching which can one-hit kill enemies, to starting with dual machine guns. While the first game had masks, they didn't have the drastic changes like here. It's a definite improvement over the masks from the first game.

For most of the game, the level design is great, allowing speedy rushing through rooms with plenty of cover to lure enemies and not get shot, playing to the main strength of the core gameplay, its speed. However, the game has its fair share of levels that work against the game's strength. Many times, the game will throw large levels at you with very little cover. This can be extremely frustrating, as a few shots will kill you, and enemies have a large sight range, many times rushing you from outside your own camera view. Many times, a level will also be full of windows, which enemies can see through, and if said enemy has a gun, this can be a death sentence.

But what about the graphics? Well, they look beautiful, in a weird, drugged-up kind of way. The game has an 8-bit style to it, and brings a full colour palate to the table. Everything in the levels look vibrant, with a sea of colours flowing in the background, and vibrant environments, including forests, prisons, and grungy buildings. The animations of the game are also great-looking, with little details there, if you notice them. There's also the music. The music is one of the best parts of the game, with frantic disco-like tracks blasting over the on-screen brutality.

There's also the story, and if any of you play it, and can tell me what the plot is, you go right ahead. The plot is a jumbled mess of flashbacks, odd characters, sociopaths, soldiers, and murder sprees, along with some mysterious phone calls that cause people to commit horrible massacres. The writers also love to play mind games with the player. Through the game, you will never be quite sure exactly what's real and what's not. While a plot like this would normally be panned, it fits into the atmosphere here, adding to the jumbled mess this game creates. When analyzing the storyline though, it's kind of a mixed bag. Some characters work, some don't, some plotline works, some don't.

There's also technical issues with the game, besides the sometimes iffy level design. Many times, I've noticed enemies get stuck in doorways, causing their AI to freak out and spin around. It can also be a pain to try and pick up specific weapons on the ground, as you cannot choose a specific weapon if they're in a pile. I've also noticed that doors can be sometimes inconsistent about knocking down enemies. Overall, the glitches in the game are there, but they don't effect the game too much, at least in my playthrough.

Overall, if you want a fast-paced action game with a lot of strategy, definitely check out Hotline Miami 2, and the first one. If you want a game that creates a visual and audio drug rush, give this a try. The gameplay is incredibly addictive, with fast, fun gameplay, and a scoring system that encourages you to perfect your strategies for each level. Despite its flaws, the game manages to live up to the original's quality, and is worth playing.