'Hotline Miami II’
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In 2012, gamers were still playing uninventive, cookie-cutter shooters and copy-and-paste sequels. Then they were greeted with a sudden shotgun blast to the face.
The name of the perpetrator who committed this violent act? “Hotline Miami.”
How fitting, because the game blew the minds of the gaming world with its lust for brutal, excessive violence, sadistic difficulty, a bizarre LSD-riddled story and a stunningly vibrant soundtrack to boot.
Three years later and the second act has finally arrived at our doorstep after a long vacation. The response? Welcome back, baby. We’re going to paint the town red. Literally.
Suffice it to say, “Hotline Miami II: Wrong Number” has accomplished what previously could not be. It surpasses the original in every conceivable aspect, taking what was already an amazing title and amplifying the quality tenfold.
More gut-wrenching violence, more mind-bending insanity, more great music, more great everything.
Although the 1980s-style aesthetic and mechanics hasn’t changed, “Hot Miami II” still feels different from its predecessor. This is mostly credited to the schizophrenic narrative as well as the addition of new characters, each with their own obtuse personalities and individually unique playstyles.
And here’s the part where we talk about the “finishers.” From baseball bats to toothbrushes, if you name it, they’ve got it.
I think it goes without saying that whichever instrument of doom you choose, the result will be just as repulsive.
That’s a good thing, by the way.
To summarize the overall experience of the game, imagine a cross-breeding of films like “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” “Magnolia,” “Scarface” and “Heat.” When you’ve taken in all of the above, you’ll soon realize that you’re not even skimming the surface of the iceberg.
