Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

Last updated

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
Hotline Miami 2 cover.png
Cover art featuring "Beard", drawn by Niklas Åkerblad
Developer(s)
  • Dennaton Games
  • Abstraction Games
Publisher(s) Devolver Digital
Designer(s)
Programmer(s) Jonatan Söderström
Artist(s) Dennis Wedin
Writer(s)
  • Jonatan Söderström
  • Dennis Wedin
Platform(s)
Windows
OS X
Linux
PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation Vita
Release
10 March 2015
  • Lin, OSX, PS3, PS4, Vita, Win
  • 10 March 2015
  • Android
  • 4 August 2015
  • Nintendo Switch
  • 19 August 2019
  • Xbox One
  • 7 April 2020
  • Stadia
  • 22 September 2020
  • PS5, Xbox Series X/S
  • 23 October 2023
Genre(s) Top-down shooter
Mode(s) Single-player

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is a 2015 top-down shooter video game co-developed by Dennaton Games and Abstraction Games, and published by Devolver Digital. The game takes place before, during, and after the events of Hotline Miami (2012), focusing on the background and aftermath of the massacres committed against the Russian mafia in Miami by Jacket, the protagonist of the previous game. The player takes on the role of several different characters throughout the game, witnessing the events from different perspectives across the United States. In each level of the game, the player is tasked with defeating every enemy through any means possible. In the version of the game released on Steam, the player has access to a level editor, allowing them to create and share custom levels with other players.

Contents

The game was initially conceived as downloadable content for the previous game, but it became a standalone sequel after its length surpassed that of the original. The game was first announced in December 2012 via Jonatan Söderström's Twitter. Developed as the final installment in the series, Dennaton incorporated all unused concepts from the first game's development into the sequel. It was formally announced at E3 2013, and after a few delays, was released worldwide on 10 March 2015 for Linux, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Windows.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number received generally positive reviews from critics, with reviewers praising the soundtrack and gameplay, but having divisive opinions on the level design and ending. A scene depicting sexual assault triggered a mostly negative response from media outlets and resulted in the game being refused classification in Australia. A localised version was released in Japan on 25 June 2015 as part of Hotline Miami: Collected Edition. An Android port was released on 4 August. The game was ported onto Nintendo Switch alongside the first game in the Hotline Miami Collection in 2019, which was later ported onto the Xbox One and Stadia in 2020 and the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2023.

Gameplay

A gameplay screenshot showing the player playing as "Corey", while engaging in combat with the Russian mafia, with the current score visible in the top right Hotline Miami 2 Gameplay.png
A gameplay screenshot showing the player playing as "Corey", while engaging in combat with the Russian mafia, with the current score visible in the top right

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is a top-down shooter game. [1] [2] It is divided into several chapters (a building, for example), each of which is further broken down into several stages (such as the floors of the building). In each chapter, the player is tasked with defeating every enemy with melee and ranged attacks. Additional methods available to the player include knocking out enemies with a door, kicking them against the wall, and finishing moves. Each stage has a varied design, composed of large, open rooms with many ways for enemies to approach the player. [2] Most chapters have the player take control of one of thirteen playable characters. Each character behaves differently, possessing unique abilities like dodging or defeating opponents non-lethally. [2] Some characters can choose from a selection of weapons or masks, the latter of which modifies their abilities depending on the mask chosen. [2] [3]

Both the player and enemies can be felled by a single attack. To compensate, the player can quickly restart the current stage after death, allowing the player to rethink their strategy. [2] As the game progresses, different types of enemies will appear, including guard dogs immune to melee attacks and thugs that are immune to everything except bullets. [3] [2] Additionally, the enemy behavior is inconsistent, with reactions towards player action ranging from immediate reaction to ignorance. An example of this is the enemy not reacting to a death occurring in front of them. [4] [5] Upon completion of the game, "Hard Mode" is unlocked for levels in which the player achieved a rank of C+ or higher. In Hard Mode, enemies are more difficult to take down and abilities such as locking on enemies are removed. [6]

The Steam version of Hotline Miami 2 includes a level editor, allowing players to create their own levels". [7] Additional tools allow for the creation of cutscenes and dialogue, making it possible to make custom campaigns. These creations can be shared onto the Steam Workshop service, where other players can download and play them. [8]

Synopsis

Characters and setting

The events of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number are presented out of chronological order: before, during, and after the events of the original, focusing on events in 1985, 1989, and 1991 respectively. After the events of Hotline Miami , the player character, Jacket, [lower-alpha 1] is arrested, having been manipulated by 50 Blessings—a neo-nationalist terror cell posing as a peaceful activist group—into assassinating the Russian mafia's leadership, which leads to his nationwide infamy.

The game follows several playable characters through a series of intersecting plotlines that explore the background and aftermath of Jacket's rampage. Beard, the shopkeeper from Jacket's hallucinations in the first game, serves with him in a commando squad deployed in Hawaii in 1985. Operating simultaneously with Jacket in 1989 are Jake, a nativist member of 50 Blessings, and Richter, a reluctant operative of the same group, both committing their own massacres. In 1991, a group of copycat killers known as The Fans try to emulate Jacket for attention. Meanwhile, the Son of the Russian Mafia boss from the first game aims to restore the Russians' power against the Colombian Cartel, assisted by The Henchman, who seeks retirement. Martin Brown, a sadistic actor, uses his role in the in-universe film Midnight Animal to fulfill his violent fantasies, while detective Manny Pardo employs extreme violence to deal with criminals. Evan Wright, a writer, seeks to document the massacres in a book.

Richard, a mysterious figure in a rooster mask that appeared to Jacket in the original game, appears at different points to most of the game's playable characters. He is a representation of their fears, taunting and criticising them for their actions. [4]

Plot

In 1985, the United States and the Soviet Union are at war and Soviet forces have invaded and occupied Hawaii. To repel the invasion, Beard and his squad conduct a series of special operations against the Soviets. Their psychologically troubled Colonel begins losing his grip on reality, volunteering them for increasingly desperate and dangerous missions while ruminating on their impending deaths and the loss of the war. For their last assignment, they besiege a heavily guarded Soviet-occupied power plant. The Soviet Colonel–in an act of desperation–murders the plant's technicians and causes a reactor meltdown before committing suicide. As the unit escapes, a booby trap explodes and severely injures two of its members, including Jacket, but Beard manages to save his life. After the event, the two are sent home as the war continues. One year later, the Soviets fire a nuclear missile at San Francisco, winning the war and killing Beard.

In 1989, Jake and Richter are sent on missions parallel to Jacket's. Jake realises the officially peaceful 50 Blessings organisation has been the one ordering him to commit massacres when he meets with one of their representatives, who denies this. Jake is sent on a suicide mission but is captured and killed by the Russian Mafia. Richter is reluctant to work with 50 Blessings until they threaten his ailing mother. He is captured and imprisoned, but escapes during a prison riot orchestrated by the organisation to kill him, as they wanted to prevent him from corroborating Jacket's testimony.

In 1991, Jacket undergoes trial for the mass murders he perpetrated. The trials are widely publicised, and journalist Evan Wright wants to learn more about the events to write a book, placing strain on his finances and marriage. Evan is given leads by his friend Manny Pardo, a police detective who uses his position to conduct killing sprees during stakeout operations, justifying them as self-defence. Richter shares his story with Evan in exchange for plane tickets for his mother to come to Hawaii. The trials also result in a film depicting Jacket as "The Pig Butcher". The film's star, Martin Brown, dies when he is accidentally shot by an actress with live ammunition on set of the film's final scene. Inspired by Jacket's killings, the Fans carry out a string of murders against petty crooks and drug dealers, unaware of the larger context of Jacket's campaign of violence. They kill a former henchman of the Russian mafia; when his boss (the Son) attempts to reconnect with him, the Fans track down the call's origins and assault the mafia's headquarters. The Fans are all killed in the attack except for one who Pardo kills afterwards. Pardo has a nightmare where he is outed as the "Miami Mutilator", a serial killer he has seemingly been investigating, and barricades himself in his home.

The Son tries to reclaim his father's empire from Colombian gangsters who filled the power vacuum left by his father's death. After the Colombians are defeated, he invites his old henchman to visit their new hideout, inadvertently giving away his location to the Fans and triggering the attack depicted earlier. Under the influence of his designer drugs, the Son goes on a rampage, killing his men and the otherworldly monsters he interprets as the Fans before walking off the roof on a rainbow bridge to his death. After the attacks, Richter and his mother in Hawaii hear news of the assassination of the American and Soviet presidents in an attempted coup d'état. The Soviets declare war on the United States, launching nuclear attacks that obliterate Miami and Hawaii. In their final moments, Pardo points a gun at his barricaded door while drunk, Evan either works on his book or eats with his family depending on the player's actions, the actress from Midnight Animal drinks in her bedroom, and Jacket sits alone in a prison cell. Starting a new game adds a new introductory cutscene wherein Richard berates the playable characters for starting a story that ends in their deaths.

Development

Designer and programmer Jonatan Soderstrom at the Game Developers Conference in 2010 Jonatan Soderstrom (Cactus) - Independent Games Festival 2010.jpg
Designer and programmer Jonatan Söderström at the Game Developers Conference in 2010

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number was developed by Dennaton Games, [10] a duo composed of designer and programmer Jonatan Söderström and artist Dennis Wedin. [11] Following the success of Hotline Miami, Dennaton soon began developing downloadable content to expand on the game, planning for it to both rival the base game in scale and introduce new playable characters alongside a level editor. [12] However, as development progressed, Dennaton realized the scope was greater than that of Hotline Miami and decided to transform it into a full sequel. Söderström announced the sequel on 26 November 2012, via his Twitter account. [10] [13] As with the first game, Hotline Miami 2 was made in Game Maker 7. When porting the game to consoles, Abstraction Games used their own SilverWare engine as well as the conversion program GameBaker. [14] [15]

The game was designed to be the last in the series, with Dennaton focusing on including ideas they were unable to use in the first game and developing a more fleshed-out universe. Dennaton prioritised developing the game specifically for the fans of the original, comparing their development strategy to that of the Mega Man series and being unconcerned with trying to attract a larger audience. A primary focus was to expand the universe of Hotline Miami, designing new characters that were each given a unique personality. Söderström described this as a necessity, or else they would have turned out to be "bland". [9] [16]

Music

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"Roller Mobster"
An excerpt from Carpenter Brut's "Roller Mobster", used in the game's "Death Wish" chapter [3] [17]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The success of Hotline Miami contributed to a rise in popularity of the artists behind the game's soundtrack. Seeking similar success, numerous artists submitted tracks to Dennaton to get their music featured in the sequel. By the time the soundtrack of Hotline Miami 2 was finalised, roughly 200 songs were sent to Dennaton, with only a few being accepted alongside tracks found by Dennaton themselves, resulting in a final soundtrack of around fifty total pieces. [9] [18] Music from artists such as M.O.O.N. and Jasper Byrne, who had tracks in the first game, were included alongside music from newcomers such as Carpenter Brut and Castanets, whose song "You Are The Blood" was used in the game's ending cutscene. [3] [19]

Marketing and release

A demo of Hotline Miami 2 being played at RTX 2014 RTX 2014 - Playing Hotline Miami 2 (14583610172).jpg
A demo of Hotline Miami 2 being played at RTX 2014

The game was formally announced at E3 2013 under the title Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number with a release date scheduled for later that year. It was disclosed that the game would be the last in the series, and a trailer across the street from the Los Angeles Convention Center hosted a gameplay showcase after the announcement. [20] [16] Following numerous delays, the game's release date was pushed to Q3 2014. [21] A trailer at E3 2014 demonstrated the game's level editor. [22] In August 2014, roughly 80 minutes of footage from an early version of the game leaked and was uploaded to YouTube, [23] and in October it was announced that the game could be delayed once again to an unspecified time. [24]

In January 2015, a promotional track titled "The Way Home" was unveiled from Magic Sword. [25] A month later, the game was given a release date slated for March. [26] Swedish artist Niklas Åkerblad created the cover art for the game featuring Beard, a character that was noted to be directly inspired by the artist. [27] [28] As a promotion, Jacket was added to the video game Payday 2 (2013) as a playable character, included as a bonus for purchasing the digital special edition of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number on Steam. [29] Additionally, a mask pack was included in Payday 2 for both the standard and digital special editions of Hotline Miami 2. [29] A collector's edition of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number was also announced, which included a digital download code for the game and the game's soundtrack on vinyl. [30]

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number released on 10 March 2015 for Windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita. [26] A Japan-localized compilation of both Hotline Miami games, titled Hotline Miami: Collected Edition, was released in June. [31] After previously being in alpha, the level editor was released on 22 June 2016 exclusively on computer platforms. [8] [7] On the first day of the level editors release, around 700 levels and 100 campaigns were published on the Steam Workshop. [32] On 19 August 2019, another compilation of both games, the Hotline Miami Collection, released for Nintendo Switch. [33] The Hotline Miami Collection was later ported to Xbox One and Stadia on 7 April and 22 September 2020 respectively, [34] [35] and PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on 23 October 2023. [36]

Reception

Critical response

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number received generally positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, it holds an aggregated score of 74 per cent based on 67 reviews for the PC version, [38] 75 per cent based on 18 reviews for the PlayStation 4 Version, [37] and 66 per cent based on four reviews for the PlayStation Vita version. [39]

The gameplay received a mixed response from critics, who felt the narrative ambition generally led to larger and more challenging levels. Alex Carlson of Hardcore Gamer found this made the level design feel more realistic and diverse. [1] Steven Burns of VideoGamer felt that the game's ambition fell to the "bigger is better" trope, criticising it for not granting as much freedom to the player and gameplay instead being reliant on the character being used. [43] However, These different characters were viewed positively by Chloi Rad of IGN , who liked the unique ideas of each character, and considered a pacifist character as a "shocking twist" for the series. They described the unique aspects of characters and more gameplay restraints as a trade-off between "arcade-like aspects" and a more expanded story. [41] Maddy Myers of Paste was more negative, stating that the game's difficulty and level design made him feel "disgusted and angry" and describing the game as a "pathetic cash-in on an idea that only worked once and couldn't possibly work again". He furthermore referred to it as a "glorified DLC pack of new levels" specifically made for people who "like rape and torture." [44]

The game's narrative was noted for being far more elaborate than in the first game, and was divisive. Burns of VideoGamer and Rad of IGN lauded the narrative, with Burns praising Dennaton's world design and Rad praising the variety in character motivations. [43] [41] Dave Cook of Vice praised the narrative for being a "smart story that many people simply didn't understand", and praising the ending. [45] On the contrary, Chris Thurster of PC Gamer and Tony Coles of Eurogamer were conflicted on the game's narrative and its ending. Both questioned if the series needed lore, or if the events leading up to the first game needed to be explained. [3] [46] The game's story was found difficult to follow by Myers of Paste and Alec Meer of Rock Paper Shotgun , with the former criticising the constant swapping between characters and the latter describing the story as a "disordered jumble of post-it note scribbles". [44] [47]

The game's soundtrack was acclaimed by critics, being considered just as good as the first game's and one of the best aspects of the game. [2] [43] [3] [42] Chris Carter of Destructoid considered it one of his favourite video game soundtracks. [40] The soundtrack was praised for its combination with gameplay by Thurster of PC Gamer and Burns of VideoGamer. [43] [3] Some tracks received praise for their use in the game, with "Roller Mobster" highlighted by Thurster of PC Gamer, [3] and "You Are The Blood" being lauded by Caty McCarthy of VG247 post-release in 2018, describing the usage of the song in the ending sequence to be harrowing. [19]

Sexual assault scene

A screenshot of the scene where the Pig Butcher assaults a woman sexually in the game's controversial opening Hotline Miami 2 Rape Scene.png
A screenshot of the scene where the Pig Butcher assaults a woman sexually in the game's controversial opening

In the game's opening tutorial, the player controls the Pig Butcher who, after clearing out all other enemies, is guided towards a girl and instructed to "finish her". Control of the Pig Butcher is taken away from the player and a cutscene plays where he attempts to sexually assault her whilst she struggles to escape. The scene is interrupted by the director of the in-universe movie Midnight Animal, revealing the events to be a film shoot. [48] [49] This scene was demonstrated for the first time during the gameplay demo shown at a Rezzed exposition. [48] Many attendees shared Nathan Grayson's view of it being a "deeply troubling moment in an otherwise excellent demo". [50] Cara Ellison of PC Gamer wrote that the scene made her feel "betrayed by something she loved", uncomfortable with being placed into the role of the Pig Butcher and having to identify with him. She also criticised the low amount of agency given to the victim. [48] The scene was removed from the demo and its inclusion in the final game was reconsidered. Wedin affirmed that the team chose to cut the scene short because "[sexual violence] was not what the Hotline Miami series is about". [50]

The scene led to the game being refused classification in Australia, prohibiting its sale. In January 2015, the Australian Classification Board wrote that the scene features red light over a black background to emphasise the sexual violence, while the victim's legs are "viewed kicking as she struggles beneath him". [49] Devolver Digital mentioned a cut and uncut option for the scene had been added. Dennaton said they were "concerned and disappointed" by the actions of the Australian Classification Board, feeling they "stretched the facts" in their judgment of the game, but confirmed they would not challenge the ruling. [51] They later suggested that fans in Australia should pirate the game. [52] [53] In August 2019, Devolver applied for a rating for the Hotline Miami Collection via the International Age Rating Coalition to publish the collection on Switch. After being given a rating of MA15+, the game was briefly available in Australia via the Nintendo eShop, [54] but removed within a few hours. [55]

Upon release, the scene's inclusion was widely criticised. Burns of VideoGamer described the scene as "merely existing for throwaway shock value", calling it a "grave mistake" that did not feature in the narrative. [43] Thurster of PC Gamer questioned the inclusion of the scene for the same reasons as Burns, further describing it as "artless and alienating" and believing the option to skip it demonstrated a "lack of confidence in the entire idea". [3] Myers of Paste was indifferent, criticising the scene for giving "no narrative pay-off" and further mocking it for being in an in-universe movie. [44] In contrast to other critics, Astrid Budgor of Kill Screen positively viewed the scene, describing it as "[existing] to set up a schism between reality and fiction as one of the game's major themes" and "the psychosis of [the Pig Butcher]," though criticised the option to skip it as devaluing the concept. [56]

Notes

  1. ↑ Jacket is a fan-assigned name to an otherwise unnamed character. The name was adopted by Dennaton themselves afterwards. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Quake II</i> 1997 video game

Quake II is a 1997 first-person shooter video game developed by id Software and published by Activision. It is the second installment of the Quake series, following Quake. The game's storyline is continued in its expansions, including one tying in Quake II and the first game, and Quake 4.

<i>Narc</i> (video game) 1988 video game

Narc is a 1988 run and gun arcade game designed by Eugene Jarvis for Williams Electronics and programmed by George Petro, Todd Allen, and Eugene Jarvis, with art by Jack Haeger, John Newcomer, and Lin Young. It was one of the first ultra-violent video games and a frequent target of parental criticism of the video game industry. The object is to arrest and kill drug offenders, confiscate their money and drugs, and defeat "Mr. Big". It was the first game in the newly restarted Williams Electronics coin-op video game division. Shortly before its release, Williams acquired the video and pinball divisions of Bally/Midway.

<i>Dragon Spirit</i> 1987 video game

Dragon Spirit is a 1987 vertical-scrolling shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco. In North America, it was distributed by Atari Games. Controlling the dragon Amur, the player must complete each of the game's nine areas to rescue the princess Alicia from the demon Zawell. Similar to Namco's own Xevious, Amur has a projectile weapon for destroying air-based enemies and a bomb for destroying ground enemies. It ran on the Namco System 1 arcade board.

<i>The Terminator: Future Shock</i> 1995 first-person shooter video game

The Terminator: Future Shock is a first-person shooter video game based on The Terminator fictional universes developed and published by Bethesda Softworks in 1995. A sequel, Skynet, was released in 1996.

<i>Killing Floor</i> (video game) 2009 video game

Killing Floor is a cooperative first-person shooter video game developed and published by Tripwire Interactive. It was originally released as an Unreal Tournament 2004 mod in 2005. A full retail release followed on May 14, 2009, for Microsoft Windows, and for OS X on May 5, 2010. A version for Linux was released via Steam in November 2012.

<i>Tom Clancys Splinter Cell: Blacklist</i> 2013 video game

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist is a 2013 stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Toronto and published by Ubisoft. The game is the sequel to Splinter Cell: Conviction and the seventh installment of the Splinter Cell series. Players control Sam Fisher, a highly trained operative working for the Fourth Echelon, in a mission to stop the Engineers, a group of terrorists which is trying to coerce the United States into recalling all of its troops stationed abroad. The gameplay is similar to its predecessors, with players tasked with completing objectives and defeating enemies. Blacklist marks the return of the asymmetrical multiplayer mode Spies vs. Mercs, which was introduced in Pandora Tomorrow.

<i>Hotline Miami</i> 2012 video game

Hotline Miami is a 2012 top-down shooter game developed by Dennaton Games and published by Devolver Digital. The player assuming the role of an unnamed silent protagonist—dubbed "Jacket" by fans—while committing numerous massacres against the local Russian mafia at the behest of anonymous messages he had received. In each level of the game, the player is tasked with defeating every single enemy through any means possible, ranging from simple firearms and melee weapons, to more specific methods such as knocking enemies out with doors and executing enemies brutally. Before beginning each level, the player can choose from a variety of different masks, which offer unique abilities. The game is set in Miami in 1989, and primarily tells its story through cryptic dream cutscenes where mysterious masked figures berate Jacket for his actions and foreshadow upcoming events.

<i>Pillars of Eternity</i> 2015 roleplaying video game

Pillars of Eternity is a role-playing video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Paradox Interactive. It was released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux on March 26, 2015. The game is a spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series, along with Planescape: Torment. Obsidian started a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for it in September 2012. The campaign raised over US$4 million, which was the highest funded video game at the time. The game uses the Unity engine.

<i>The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth</i> 2014 indie video game

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is a roguelike indie game designed by Edmund McMillen and developed and published by Nicalis. Rebirth was released for Linux, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in November 2014, for Xbox One, New Nintendo 3DS and Wii U in July 2015, for iOS in January 2017 and for Nintendo Switch in March 2017. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions were released in November 2021.

<i>Crypt of the NecroDancer</i> 2015 video game

Crypt of the NecroDancer is a roguelike rhythm game by Brace Yourself Games. The game takes fundamental elements of a roguelike dungeon exploration game and adds a beat-matching rhythm game set to an original soundtrack written by Danny Baranowsky. The player's actions are most effective when moving the character set to the beat of the current song and are impaired when they miss a beat, so it is necessary to learn the rhythmic patterns that the various creatures follow. The mixed-genre game includes the ability to import custom music, and the option to use a dance pad instead of traditional controllers or the keyboard. The game was released for Linux, OS X, and Windows in April 2015, being co-published by Klei Entertainment, for the PlayStation 4 and Vita in February 2016, for the Xbox One in February 2017, and for Nintendo Switch in February 2018. Crypt of the NecroDancer Pocket Edition, developed for iOS, was released in June 2016.

Borderlands is an action role-playing first-person looter shooter video game franchise set in a space Western science fantasy setting, created and produced by Gearbox Software and published by 2K for multiple platforms.

<i>Killing Floor 2</i> 2016 first-person shooter video game

Killing Floor 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed and published by Tripwire Interactive, with later support from Saber Interactive. It is a sequel to 2009's Killing Floor. An early access version of the game was released for Microsoft Windows in April 2015, and the game was released in November 2016 for Windows and PlayStation 4 and August 2017 for Xbox One. The game utilizes Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3. A sequel, Killing Floor 3, is in development.

<i>Abyss Odyssey</i> 2014 video game

Abyss Odyssey is a platform action-adventure game developed by ACE Team and published by Atlus. It was released in July 2014 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Windows, and for the PlayStation 4 in July 2015.

Niklas Åkerblad, also known by his pseudonym El Huervo, is a Swedish artist and musician known for his oil paintings, watercolor paintings, and video game art. His portraits are known to be bold and vivid in nature. Åkerblad's wide body of work gained significant attention following the success of the video game Hotline Miami, for which he created the cover art, along with its successor Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. Åkerblad was also the sole artist for other video games, including Kometen and Else Heart.Break . Åkerblad is also widely known for regularly creating the cover art for Bandcamp Weekly, the official podcast of Bandcamp. Åkerblad is also a musician with an extensive discography and created soundtracks for several video games.

<i>Midnight Animal</i> Cancelled video game mod

Midnight Animal was a planned fan-made standalone mod for the top-down shooter game Hotline Miami being developed by Spencer Yan. It would have taken place thirty years after the events of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. During development, Yan was granted special permission from Dennaton Games to use the source code of the original games. Following a shift in the games direction, the game as well as Yan were met with severe backlash from several different communities over the alleged tracing of artwork. The mod was de facto cancelled by 2019. In August 2023, the source code of the project was published by Yan on GitHub.

<i>Dead Cells</i> 2018 video game

Dead Cells is a 2018 roguelike-Metroidvania game developed by Motion Twin and Evil Empire, and published by Motion Twin. The player takes the role of an amorphous creature called the Prisoner. As the Prisoner, the player must fight their way out of a diseased island in order to slay the island's King. The player gains weapons, treasure and other tools through exploration of the procedurally-generated levels. Dead Cells features a permadeath system, causing the player to lose all items and other abilities upon dying. A currency called Cells can be collected from defeated enemies, allowing the player to purchase permanent upgrades.

<i>Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus</i> 2017 video game

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a 2017 action-adventure and first-person shooter game developed by MachineGames and published by Bethesda Softworks. The eighth main entry in the Wolfenstein series and the sequel to 2014's Wolfenstein: The New Order, the game is set in an alternate history that takes place in 1961, following the Nazi victory in the Second World War. The story follows war veteran William "B.J." Blazkowicz and his efforts to fight against the Nazi regime in the United States. Gameplay mechanics are largely similar to those of The New Order, though the team introduced improvements such as allowing players to dual-wield any combination of weapons in the game. A binary choice in the prologue alters the game's entire storyline; some characters and small plot points are replaced throughout the timelines.

<i>Katana Zero</i> 2019 video game

Katana Zero is a 2019 platform game created by the indie developer Justin Stander. Set in a dystopian metropolis, the neo-noir storyline follows Subject Zero, a katana-wielding assassin with amnesia who can slow down time and predict the future. Zero unravels his past while completing assassination contracts. Katana Zero features side-scrolling hack-and-slash gameplay in which the player attempts to kill all enemies in a level without being hit, using Zero's abilities to manipulate time, dodge attacks, and take advantage of environmental hazards. In between levels, the story is told in sequences where the player converses with non-player characters through dialogue trees.

<i>The Hong Kong Massacre</i> 2019 video game

The Hong Kong Massacre is a top-down shooter video game developed and published by Vreski for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4 in January 2019, and for Nintendo Switch in December 2020. It is the first game to be developed by the studio. Set in 1990s Hong Kong, the game follows a former police detective as he sets out to exact revenge against the Triad for the death of his partner.

<i>A Fistful of Gun</i> 2015 video game

A Fistful of Gun: For a Few Gun More is a 2015 top-down shooter game developed by FarmerGnome and published by Devolver Digital. The game features eleven playable characters with differing weapons, attributes, and control schemes. Players engage in procedurally generated fights, clearing a wave of enemies before progressing. Power-ups and handicaps affect the player character's abilities, such as movement and shooting speed. Horses allow a character to move faster and endure one additional enemy shot. The game features a single-player story mode and multiplayer modes for cooperative and player-versus-player battles.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Carlson, Alex (12 March 2015). "Review: Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 O'Dwyer, Danny. "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Chris Thursten (10 March 2015). "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number review". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  4. 1 2 Wilson, Zach (4 December 2015). "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number - we are all perfectly tuned projectiles". Gamasutra . Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  5. ↑ Benson, Julian (10 March 2015). "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number review". PCGamesN . Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  6. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (23 August 2013). "Hotline Miami 2 introduces unlockable hard mode, characters with more personality". Polygon . Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  7. 1 2 Hussain, Tamoor. "Hotline Miami 2 now lets you build custom murder Rooms, tell unique stories". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  8. 1 2 Prell, Sam (9 June 2014). "Craft your own technicolor dream with Hotline Miami 2 level editor". Engadget. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 "The making of Hotline Miami 2". PC Gamer . 2 January 2015. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  10. 1 2 Onyett, Charles (26 November 2012). "Hotline Miami 2 is in production". IGN . Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  11. ↑ Gera, Emily (10 May 2015). "Jackets Off: Hotline Miami making-of docu gets personal". Rock Paper Shotgun . Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  12. ↑ Matulef, Jeffrey (16 November 2012). "The creators of Hotline Miami on inspiration, storytelling and upcoming DLC". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  13. ↑ Matulef, Jeffrey (26 November 2012). "Hotline Miami sequel announced". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  14. ↑ "Portfolio: Hotline Miami 2". Abstraction Games. Archived from the original on 11 August 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  15. ↑ "The black art of platform conversions: The challenges of integrating and recreating engines and platforms". GamesIndustry.biz . 24 November 2020. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  16. 1 2 Newman, Jared (19 June 2013). "Hotline Miami 2 is everything a sequel shouldn't ne (and that's good)". Time . ISSN   0040-781X. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  17. ↑ "What's the best level of the decade?". PC Gamer. 11 December 2019. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  18. ↑ "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number - soundtrack". Steam. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  19. 1 2 McCarthy, Caty (16 October 2018). "How a somber music cue defines the beginning of Red Dead Redemption's iconic final act". VG247 . Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  20. ↑ "E3 2013: Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number's twisted bloody heart". Hardcore Gamer. 19 June 2013. Archived from the original on 20 June 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  21. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (28 January 2014). "Hotline Miami 2 dials in Q3 2014 release date". Polygon . Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  22. ↑ Pereira, Chris. "E3 2014: Hotline Miami 2 lets you create and share your owl levels". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  23. ↑ Shaun Prescott (20 August 2014). "Hotline Miami 2 gameplay footage is 80 minutes of surreal music and ultraviolence". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  24. ↑ Futter, Mike. "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number may miss 2014 release". Game Informer . Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  25. ↑ Stuart, Keith (12 January 2015). "Hotline Miami 2 – listen to Magic Sword's contribution to the soundtrack". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  26. 1 2 Crossley, Rob. "Hotline Miami 2 release date confirmed for PS4, Vita, PC". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  27. ↑ Ho Sang, Narelle (4 June 2017). "Hotline Miami cover artist on his distinct visual style, Music, And Beard". Kotaku . Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  28. ↑ Diver, Mike (14 March 2016). "Meet the artist who brought the game Hotline Miami out of 2D". Vice . Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  29. 1 2 Gera, Emily (26 February 2015). "PayDay 2 is getting new Hotline Miami 2 content packs". Polygon . Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  30. ↑ Maiberg, Emanuel. "Hotline Miami 2 hits in Q1 2015, collector's edition comes With vinyl soundtrack". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  31. ↑ "ピーッ。新しいメッセージは1件です——「衝撃の問題作『ホットライン マイアミ』の1作目と2作目がセットになって日本上陸！ 『ホットライン マイアミ Collected Edition』が6月25日発売決定!!!!」【先出し週刊ファミ通】" [Beep. You have one new message— "The shocking and controversial Hotline Miami series, including both the first and second games, is coming to Japan! Hotline Miami Collected Edition will be released on June 25th!!!!" [Weekly Famitsu sneak preview]]. Famitsu (in Japanese). 17 March 2015. Archived from the original on 27 November 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  32. ↑ Lemon, Marshall (22 June 2016). "Hotline Miami 2's completed level editor is live". VG247 . Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  33. ↑ Sarkar, Samit (19 August 2019). "Hotline Miami Collection launching today on Nintendo Switch". Polygon . Archived from the original on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  34. ↑ Romano, Sal (7 April 2020). "Hotline Miami Collection now available for Xbox One". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  35. ↑ "Take back the town with Hotline Miami, arriving Sept. 22 on Stadia". Stadia Community Blog. 18 September 2020. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  36. ↑ Robinson, Andy (23 October 2023). "The Hotline Miami games have been released for PS5 and Xbox Series". Video Games Chronicle . Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  37. 1 2 "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number for PlayStation 4 reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  38. 1 2 "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number for PC reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  39. 1 2 "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number for PlayStation Vita reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  40. 1 2 Carter, Chris. "Review: Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number". Destructoid . Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  41. 1 2 3 Rad, Chloi (10 March 2015). "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number review". IGN . Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  42. 1 2 McElroy, Griffin (10 March 2015). "Hotline Miami 2 - Wrong Number review: a history of violence". Polygon . Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  43. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Burns, Steven (5 June 2021). "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number review". VideoGamer.com. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  44. 1 2 3 Myers, Maddy. "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number—gore bore". Paste . Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  45. ↑ Cook, Dave (17 April 2015). "The story of Hotline Miami 2 explained". Vice . Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  46. ↑ Coles, Tony (10 March 2015). "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number review". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  47. ↑ Meer, Alec (18 March 2015). "The RPS verdict: Hotline Miami 2". Rock Paper Shotgun . Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  48. 1 2 3 Ellison, Cara (15 August 2013). "Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number hands-on". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 4 January 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  49. 1 2 Reilly, Luke (15 January 2015). "Implied sexual violence saw Hotline Miami 2 refused classification in Australia". IGN . Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  50. 1 2 Grayson, Nathan (5 September 2013). "Hotline Miami devs reconsidering sexual assault scene". Rock Paper Shotgun . Archived from the original on 21 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  51. ↑ "Hotline Miami 2 Australian Classification statement". Devolver Digital. 15 January 2015. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  52. ↑ Prescott, Shaun (16 January 2015). "Australians should pirate Hotline Miami 2 following ban, says dev". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 21 December 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  53. ↑ Reilly, Luke (19 January 2015). "Devolver on Hotline Miami 2 dev's message to Australian fan to pirate banned game". IGN . Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  54. ↑ Doolan, Liam (21 August 2019). "Hotline Miami Collection removed from the Australian Switch eShop". Nintendo Life . Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  55. ↑ O'Conner, James (19 August 2019). "Hotline Miami 2 is no banned In Australia - on Switch, at least, and for now". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  56. ↑ Budgor, Astrid (24 March 2015). "Hotline Miami 2 force-feeds you sleaze". Kill Screen . Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.