Cocaine is a Hell of a Drug
Okay, so there's obviously been lot of buzz surrounding this game on the gamer side (which is usually a better side for buzz to be on if I remember correctly). Definitively this game takes all of what is normal or expected out of an indie game and tosses it out of the window without a single blink or nod to whatever norm you or your friends were expecting. It encapsulates itself in extreme and bloody violence, drug usage, gang-related themes, and one hell of an "answer" that'll simply leave you asking more questions.
Putting that aside, there is something to be said about throwing away all conventional means and propagating your own game that differs from the rest in very unsubtle ways that demands a layer of sheer respect for the ingenuity it took to create such a monster. Hotline Miami is by no means an average Steam release, nor is it above average. It is simply one of the biggest visual highs you will ever encounter in your gaming lifetime and one that you will almost surely not forget. From the slow and mesmerizing super-neon title screen sprawled in Russian for no other reason than "I am tripping balls right now.", to the hyper-synthesized house and ambient soundtrack, this game simply cannot be ignored by any means.
Although the game is great, as of writing this review (10-28-12) there are still quite a few bugs, and there were times were I had to restart the game and start the current mission over. This is not a big deal as the game does a good job of saving itself right after introducing each new mission and you've pretty much figured out how to get as far as you have on your current mission anyways. Once installed the game warns you that enabling Steam Community in-game can (and most likely will) cause problems while in game. While this may not seem like a huge deal, this actually does lock you out of accessing any and all trophies while you play the game. Take that as you will.
All in all this game cannot be ignored and if you're ignoring it, stop. Plain and simple. If you're looking for a deep, embracing story line a la Braid, then this is not the 10-dollar game for you. If you want nonsensical fun, dynamic visuals, gore, one HELL of a soundtrack and low-tier replay-ability, then this is the game for you.
