Hotline Miami Collection

Genre: Compilation / Top-Down Action / 2-Stick Shooter

Players: 1

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Review:

Hotline Miami Collection is two games (Hotline Miami and Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number), both Top-Down Action Games with 2-Stick Shooter elements that play very similarly, although there are subtle differences I’ll get into in a bit. But the gist is, you play as a character on a murder spree through various buildings, using a combination of stealth and fast-paced action in a game where one hit kills.

Both games present this as a drug-fueled surreal 80s-inspired bloodbath, where your character inexplicably wears animal masks that give him different abilities, and the presentation ties into the story, such as it is – in the first game, you’re inexplicably receiving your kill assignments on mysterious phone calls while being haunted by nightmarish conversations with unknown people wearing the other animal masks. In the second game, you’re jumping from character to character, picking up where the first game left off and trying to piece together exactly what’s happening. In both cases, it’s clear that the exact reality of the situation is uncertain, and the involvement of drugs and insanity may mean that what you’re seeing may not be as it appears. It’s an interesting story, to be sure, although the third game tips over into “too convoluted and confusing”, in my opinion. However, in both games the neon-infused presentation is definitely memorable.

With both games, working your way through a level requires players to plan out their method of attack. Since one hit with a weapon can kill, you need to find a way to minimize your risk of exposure on your killing spree while systematically dismantling the enemy forces, and using stealth wisely is often a good idea, since taking on a horde of enemies is often suicide. The gameplay in the first game tends to do this a bit better, with the second game’s difficulty being a bit on the high side due to level design that isn’t quite as good. However, in both cases, it’s really enjoyable to plan out your way of approaching each room to try to take out enemies

However, while these games may have their flaws, Hotline Miami Collection is still an excellent pair of action games that are a lot of fun to play. I’d argue that the first game has a more cohesive story and better level design, making it the better one of the pair, but both have a lot of good action, and the game’s one hit kill mechanic places an emphasis on strategy that works wonderfully. If you enjoy intense action games and don’t have these games already on another platform, this collection is well worth getting on the Switch.

tl;dr – Hotline Miami Collection is a pair of solid Top-Down Action games with a colorful 80s-inspired presentation and intense action that makes players consider their plan of attack. It’s a solid experience, although the first Hotline Miami game is clearly the better of the two, thanks to the more cohesive story and better level design.

Grade: A-

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2019 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best Compilation/Collection

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