Hotline Miami

I bought this game a week ago. I had a spleen, my girlfriend was in the hospital, I didn't hear from her all day and I needed something that would brighten up my mind... Hotline Miami didn't really do that... but it definitely got my mind off everything else for a couple hours. The story the game tells... I'm not sure I got absolutely everything and I'm more than sure I will play through it again, it's unsettling, it's engrossing, it's captivating... The game is like a magnet, if you have a heart of steel, you'll get hooked! Chopping people up with a katana has never been more fun! Hotline Miami is a great game!

Simple mechanics and a simple gameplay, blended to a brilliant experience. The music haves sex with your ears and the game makes you feel like the angel of death/the terminator. After killing a lot of people, you start to feel a bit like an arse...

I don't know how much my opinion counts since I just started playing this. I love the Neo-80's vibe and music. The controls are iffy though. I don't really like the idea of getting "good" at getting used to a game's unorthodox, unnatural controls. Characters run at 500 MPH. Pixel art is rather ugly. Might be a good story though, I guess. I'll see as I continue to play.

Graphics: ***** +) Very stylized. They earn that score despite (or because) of the pixelart with trippy scaling, rotating and neon effects. The characters have lots of animations for deaths and kills. -) The character portraits are ugly, but they perfectly fit the crude style. Still, thought this belonged here. Sound: ***** +) Fantastic electronic soundtrack with some pretty trippy themes. Most of the tracks will get pumped you up while playing. -) Unless you don't like the music style. Game length:**** +) Lots of masks to unlock, a secret ending and episode selection make it a game you can pick up and play at any time for short periods of time but for a long time. -) Still, the campaign isn't what you'd call long by any means. But it doesn't overstay its welcome. Gameplay and enjoyment: ***** +) It's predatory stealth but it's frantic. Play it how you want, but i'd recommend play fast and dirty. Death isn't frustrating as you instantly restart the section you were in. The story is bizarre and interesting. I love how the game forces you to retread your path to the exit and see what you've done. It's sick! Masks and weapons are a lot of fun. -) It's not a poor man's GTA. Not that it's a bad thing, but it will be if you think that's what you'll find. It's not very varied, but it's insanely fun.

The story is great Gameplay is fast and smooth Just get over the initial difficulty and you have a game that's worth replaying 100s of times. For $10 you can't go wrong with this timeless classic that many have attempted to recreate but only few have ever succeded.