97| Hotline Miami

Released: October 23^rd, 2012

Definitive Version: PC (All major OSes); Also on: PS3, PS4, PSVita, Android.

The previous generation saw the rise of independent developers. This was the largely the result of two factors. The first was the growing popularity of a digital distribution through platforms such as Steam. The second is that due to the enormous cost and difficulty of developing games for modern consoles, it pushed many developers to leave the traditional console market go their own way. Fuel met fire when these two factors met which led to a massive explosion of independent titles. One of the most notable titles of this era was Hotline Miami. Developed by a single person on a game engine that was widely seen as a joke at that time, Hotline Miami brought the beat-em-up genre back as it hypnotized its players through addictive gameplay, non-apologtic violence, trendy style, and party music.

Playing through the game is like an acid trip of a hyperviolent 1980's Miami dominated by violence, drugs, crime, club music, animal masks. The player barges through doors as they use their hands, firearm, or any object lying in the ground to turn their enemies into pools of blood. The player has the choice in the begining of each level to select an animal mask to which each one grants the player a unique ability such as superspeed or stronger firearm damage. The game is hardly forgiving as the player will find themselves dying A LOT. However, this is the appeal of the game. To deduct what went wrong and what strategy could lead to elminating all of the enemies as clean as possible. It is actually what makes the game so addictive. Just how perfect can an area be cleared.

Going from dying at the first open of the door to achieving this

is highly rewarding.

That said the game isn't without faults. While the game is guaranteed to have you play through it a second time around, it isn't something you are likely to keep going back to after that. The story and "lore" are also a little too nonsensical to truly appreciate. Yet these faults don't override Hotline Miami's strengths. It's a game that is fun, additicitve, hypnotic, and definitely worth your time.