Posted on 11/07/2012 at 11:02 PM
| Filed Under Review
I played this game a bit too, and while I think I had more fun with it than you did, I felt like the game was compensating for it's inconsistencies by making the action fast, furious, and graphic. "Oh, did we just screw you over buy having that guard come out a door that he's never used before? just hit "R" and try again instantly! No big deal right?"
I'll admit it was fun for a few missions, but there was a reason I turned it off after 5 and went to bed. Here's what happened: I finished my 4th or 5th mission (I can't remember, they're all pretty much the same) and got out of my car to talk to that dude that apparently works the counter at every little store in Miami. I had realized by this point that I was watching my character slowly become unhinged, and was actually pretty interested in seeing how it went. Somehow, after getting out of the car, I accidentally got right back into it and drove off. I realized in order to see what would happen, I would have to replay that mission again. I also realized that I really didn't want to.
There's a certain "try, die, try" mechanic that 8 bit games are famous for. Take Ninja Gaiden on the NES for example. Yes, that friggin stupid bird will knock you off that cliff if you don't take him out mid-jump, but he's going to be in that same place every time, so once you figure out how to deal with him, it's just a matter of remembering and executing your actions properly. I feel like Hotline Miami is trying to capture the "try-die" style of gameplay, but it's missing the consistency that makes it playable and enjoyable.
