This unashamedly violent and brutal top-down action game instantly brought to mind old NES classics with its graphical approach, but luckily has much more going for itself than mere retro nostalgia. The game is equal parts frantic action and tactical planning: because it takes just one hit for the player to go down, the idea of the game is to plan your attacks carefully using the environment to your benefit. It's not so much a stealth game in the sense that Thief, for example, is, because ultimately you have to kill everyone and -thing, as it is a tactical action game. Using weapons found in the levels and picked up from dead foes, the key to success is a combination of stealthy kills of isolated foes and panicked bursts of action when you charge into a room full of foes and hope to kill them all before they get you.
Whilst the AI is simple and stupid (a fact the game admits!), the game sometimes seemingly randomly varies the patterns enemies patrol, meaning there's always some variation in each attempt at a level. This also means there's no surefire key to success, as an enemy may react differently this time around.
The controls are a bit clumsy at times, with the fast pace meaning you'll sometimes be swinging your weapon in all the wrong directions and occasionally getting stuck on an obstacle. This minor detraction and the very nature of the game mean you'll die frequently, but luckily each level is small, so you won't have to replay more than a few minutes of gaming time. But you may replay those minutes time and time again. Luckily, the game manages to avoid aggravation and frustration.
The other slightly flawed bit of the game are the boss fights, which rely too much on discovering that one trick rather than requiring actual skill.
Despite the downsides, Hotline Miami is a stunningly addictive and enjoyable game. Under the retro shell is a brutal little gem. The game could be a bit longer, though, and the story a bit better.
