The new game includes far more playable characters, larger levels, varied environments and plenty of new weapons and masks. Fans of the original will instantly fall in love with the new title, and fans of classic 2D top down shooters like Smash TV should have no problem visiting South Beach in the new release either.
The narrative featured in the Hotline Miami series has always been a tough one to follow, and Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is no exception. The story of the new game jumps between a series of protagonists in timelines set just after the events of the first game, further in the future and before the original. This allows fans to learn more about the characters from the entire series including what some characters did before Jacket's murder spree, how certain characters came to untimely ends and even some surprise connections between various characters. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number uses a clever presentation showing VHS tapes rewinding and fast forwarding to help players keep track of current timelines, and though it can be difficult to take in so much content in one playthrough, the storyline for Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is a lot more easy to comprehend and enjoy than the tale of Jacket and Biker from the original game.
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number doesn't change the gameplay formula from the original. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is still excessively bloody and gory with enough aggressive enemies littering stages to make even the most skilled gamer nervous about carelessly shooting off firearms. The game rewards players for quickly disposing of enemies with melee weapons and guns found throughout each level, and the most points are awarded for chaining kills and earning multipliers. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number doesn't add many new weapons disappointingly, but some other new ideas breathe fresh air into the title.
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number features plenty of playable characters including a detective following a series of murders in the present, a writer who often works with the detective to learn more about the killings and how they are linked with the Jacket murder spree and a group of fanatics that seem to enjoy killing as much as Jacket did in the original game. Most of the new characters have different weapons or abilities that change the approach to each new level. Core, the Zebra-masked character, can roll and dodge enemy gunfire to help get in close for a kill, while Tony (Tiger mask) cannot equip weapons and must melee enemies with his fists for instant kills. Despite having so many playable characters, most of the game is played with a character already chosen for players, and some characters are frustrating to use, such as Alex and Ash (Swan masks), who are difficult to control simultaneously.
Other significant changes for Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number come from level design. The new campaign is much longer than the original, and it takes players to plenty of different locations across an always changing timeline. One mission will have players fighting it out in the middle of a jungle during a war from the past, while the next has players fighting off swarms of gang members at a loading dock and on a large freighter. Even the sleazy gang fights in rundown buildings are made more distinct with crumbled walls, interactive environment pieces and distinct lighting. One questionable change comes from the sheer size of stages, since one misstep can result in the player's frustrating death and a forced restart even after clearing out 30+ enemies in the single area.
Dennaton Games promised a level editor is in the works and will release for Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number in the coming months. While we weren't able to test the mode, we're definitely excited about the possibilities of custom levels in Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, thanks in large part to the new locations and set pieces that should be available for players to use in the new game. Players will unlock additional difficulty settings and bonus chapters after completing the main campaign at launch to add a bit of replayability to the game to keep fans satisfied until the release of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number's level editor.
The biggest presentation improvement Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number makes is its new soundtrack that includes over 40 new songs from artists including M|O|O|N, Perturbator, Jasper Byrne, Scattle, and El Huervo. Some of the new themes are even more catchy than songs in the original game, though classics such as Hydrogen and Paris will surely be missed by fans of the series. The game's graphics haven't been noticeably improved for the new release, but technical issues break immersion when enemies get stuck on doorways, staircases and other objects in the environment far too often, and this problem occasionally causes some really painful restarts when players go for kills on the glitched enemies.
The improvements to Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number include deep character backstories that will have players feeling attached to many of the game's protagonists and new environments and a new soundtrack that makes a game that plays nearly identical to the original feel completely fresh and exciting. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number has more memorable moments throughout its campaign that will literally make fans get up and yell about what just happened on-screen before running off to find someone to tell about the adventure. Some stages in the game can be a pain to complete thanks to unforgiving, lengthy levels that will force players to restart even after clearing out dozens of enemies in the area, and the game isn't completely free of deaths and restarts caused by no fault of the player. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is not perfect, but when it works properly, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is a fantastic game full of violence and addictive gameplay that is well worth a download on Steam and PlayStation Network today.
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is now available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PC, Mac and Linux and can be purchased for $14.99. For more information on the game, check out the official Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number website.
Game Features:
- Single Player
- New Playable Characters
- New Soundtrack with 40+ Songs
- Level Editor
- Trophy/Achievement Support
Game Information:
Developer: Dennaton Games
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PC (reviewed), Mac & Linux
Release Date: March 10, 2015