The number is so wrong, I don't want it to be right
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is a bizarre game to say the least. Being heralded by it’s creators as “The last game in the saga” it has a lot to live up to after the first was such a loved game critically and commercially.
The first thing that you will notice as soon as you play is that graphics and gameplay wise the game seems near identical to its predecessor, if not exactly the same. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, it’s more of a “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” approach and it is fair to say that the ultra-violent pixel art style when paired with a kickass soundtrack is still as enjoyable as it ever was.
Gameplay sees you using a variety of weapons, whether it is a bat, glass, rifle, shotgun, etc. to viciously murder your enemies before they do the same to you. Using free-aim or enemy lockon both have their advantages and both take some getting use to but the best way is to use a mixture for best results but either way you have to make sure you are focused at the task at hand.
The game continues the where the first game left off story wise and is even harder to follow. Spanning several violent different perspectives and several different years all linked through the threads that the first game set up. If you played HM1 and lamented the story and the way the game conveys itself then this game will not be for you. At the times it gets a bit too hard to follow with all the different narratives changing but if you stick with it to the end it is satisfying to see the end of the story.
In the first game you play as Jacket, where you the player get to pick from a variety of masks for him to wear, with each mask comes a different ability which changes the way the character plays. In HM2 this concept is focused upon less in exchange for a whole plethora of different playable characters all with their own abilities. One character can roll to avoid bullets, another can kill enemies with a single punch and one does not even use guns, choosing to empty all the bullets out before throwing it away. This in turn alters the way you play the game dramatically compared to the original, you are forced to approach situations from a different way than you usually would sometimes, having to take risks outside your comfort zone which is very refreshing from the first game.
Characters are not the only big change from the first game but also the level design. Levels are a lot bigger when compared to the first game. This means you have to constantly be aware of the enemies that are out to get you, and from time to time you can get a few cheap deaths from a bullet you never knew was coming. So with that in mind you find yourself in a “trial and error” situation until you finally master the level correctly or somehow go in guns blazing and survive.
Hotline Miami 2 delivers a more varied and longer piece to feast on when compared to the its first outing. The gameplay is still solid and highly addictive. The satisfaction gained from escaping a room after killing a dozen enemies is one to be rivalled to say the least. However the story whilst being very thought out can be confusing at times and will definitely put people off who just want to go killing.
