Hotline Miami Review

Hotline Miami is the ultra-violent, ultra-hip indie game that puts you in the shoes of a silent assassin and gives you only one goal, kill everyone.

 Every once in a while a game comes along that makes you wonder if it was made for a certain console, or if the console was designed specifically for it. This doesn't mean that Hotline Miami is the best game on Vita, but it is in essence the perfect game for the system. 

The premise is simple, enter a room, kill all the bad guys, get out. One punch will knock an enemy down, allowing you to deliver a finishing blow. If you have a weapon, it's an instant kill. If you get hit once, you're dead. All the time leaving behind you a trail of 8 bit gore as you clear room after room.

What makes the game perfect for the handheld is the pacing. If you get yourself killed, which you will, you instantly restart at the beginning of the floor. No waiting, no loading, no having to select continue. The levels themselves are short and sweet, but each one takes patience and skill. You need to learn where the enemies are, what the best approach to each room is, and make the best use of the weapons randomly generated for you. Once you beat a level the game saves automatically, and it becomes unlocked for play whenever you wish, letting you work on that high score.

Hotline Miami is about as pick up and play as a game can be.

Every time you die, it's for a reason. Maybe you didn't see that one guy around the corner, maybe you missed your shot and he got you first; and every time you'll want to go back and try just one more time. The gratification comes when you can flow effortlessly from room to room, leaving enemies in your wake, flowing by in a macabre dance of virtual murder.

This is all made possible by the Vita's dual control sticks. The left controls movement, while the right lets you aim in any direction. The top right button let's you use whatever weapon you have at your disposal at the time, the top left button throws the weapon or picks up a new one. You can use the touch screen to lock onto an enemy by tapping them, a feature which works surprisingly well. Dragging the screen lets you see what's ahead, a tactic that becomes necessary as the game progresses.

 There's a story to be had amongst all this; 80's Miami, Russian mobsters. Everything augmented by an amazing old school aesthetic. The bright  and colorful 8 bit graphics and amazing soundtrack makes this game a treat for the senses.  You rack up high scores by killing quickly and not being spotted. Masks that impart new abilities are unlocked via these high scores. All these things add to the experience, but what will keep you coming back is the game play.

If you're comfortable with the extreme violence and very adult themes, and want a great playing action game, Hotline Miami delivers. Don't pass it up. (8 out of 10)