Hotline Miami

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1873 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,580 out of 1873
  2. Mixed: 208 out of 1873
  3. Negative: 85 out of 1873

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  1. Magical_Viktor
    Apr 30, 2023
    8
    Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»
  2. ManHoof
    Aug 22, 2023
    8
    Cool game with awesome vibe. Best part of the game, is music. Interesting/tricky plot. Game mechanics isn't best, some control are bugged. But it's a vibe-game.
  3. Xiphus200
    Jan 16, 2013
    7
    Hotline Miami is a fun but difficult game in which you sweep through levels from a top down view and kill everyone you find. One well placed bullet or lucky swing by an enemy is enough to kill you but respawning is simply a matter of pressing a button and then you're set to try and clear out the floor again. The visuals are eye-bleedingly retro neon and the soundtrack is pretty good. TheHotline Miami is a fun but difficult game in which you sweep through levels from a top down view and kill everyone you find. One well placed bullet or lucky swing by an enemy is enough to kill you but respawning is simply a matter of pressing a button and then you're set to try and clear out the floor again. The visuals are eye-bleedingly retro neon and the soundtrack is pretty good. The mask system allows you to choose what minor perks your character will have, though why anyone would use anything other than the mask that makes gunshots silent is beyond me. The one tip I would suggest is make liberal use of the auto target feature as it will point you in the direction of offscreen enemies and clue you in to their locations to avoid any nasty surprises.… Expand
  4. Spoonman
    May 9, 2019
    7
    I have to say, I haven't seen so many 10 ratings on a game since The Last of Us on the PS3!
    Yet there are so many negative reviews. I don't get it.
    So here's the deal.... We have a top down shooter with NES style graphics, a high level of blood, gore, violence, and even some brief nudity (8-bit style!), and a stylized soundtrack of some low end "wub wub"... So what's not to love?!?    I have to say, I haven't seen so many 10 ratings on a game since The Last of Us on the PS3!
    Yet there are so many negative reviews. I don't get it.

    So here's the deal.... We have a top down shooter with NES style graphics, a high level of blood, gore, violence, and even some brief nudity (8-bit style!), and a stylized soundtrack of some low end "wub wub"... So what's not to love?!?

    Well, I have to admit I was really enjoying the first few levels. I was dying pretty often at first, but that's part of the learning experience and there is no penalty or 3 lives per game business.

    What I didn't like is the difficulty spike around level 5. It goes from only a couple enemies having weapons to EVERY enemy have fully automatic guns along with rabid dogs darting at you.
    So basically it plays like this... If a gun toting enemy sees you YOU ARE DEAD!

    It quickly becomes a game of "Don't throw the (with apologies to Q•bert) controller at the TV!
    It's a bit like being sniped by someone you can't see over and over again.

    Very frustrating IMO and I grew up playing, and in most cases, beating some of the harder classics such as Ninja Gaiden 1-3, Ghosts 'N Goblins, & Battletoads.

    Had they oven the player a fraction of a second to see and respond to an enemy it would have helped. O even a lesser difficulty option, but no, it plays like its on Maniac mode all the time.

    Perhaps the developer can add a slightly easier difficulty via an update. I've seen this happen before. I would definitely jump back in and play if they evened up the odds a bit.    … Expand
  5. tech-noir
    Sep 5, 2013
    7
    Despite its minor technical issues regarding the engine, bugs, and glitches, the game manages to impress on all fronts. The action is engaging and loads of fun even when it gets slightly frustrating. The music is great and compliments the atmosphere perfectly. The various masks are also a nice addition.
  6. Champigne
    Aug 19, 2013
    7
    Awesome game, amazing soundtrack. Fast paced, very challenging, will have you trying to beat the same level 20 times.

    Only one complaint. It crashes, a lot. I'm on Windows 8 and certain levels crash almost every time. Seems like when too much is going on, the game will crash. This has made it very hard for me to get through the game.
  7. Othrandur
    Jan 28, 2013
    7
    This game is fun, and the tension is good. The soundtrack is particularly interesting as it is modern, but still manages to capture the flavor of chiptune without the grating tinny sound. The graphics are of Commodore 64 quality -- and this isn't an exaggeration -- so I can't really say anything good about them. But the game's greatest weaknesses are its repetitiveness and linearity. TheThis game is fun, and the tension is good. The soundtrack is particularly interesting as it is modern, but still manages to capture the flavor of chiptune without the grating tinny sound. The graphics are of Commodore 64 quality -- and this isn't an exaggeration -- so I can't really say anything good about them. But the game's greatest weaknesses are its repetitiveness and linearity. The levels are all different and progressively more difficult, but only in the way that levels in Sokoban change: ultimately, they are the same thing, but just organized differently. Which is ok. It works. But it isn't spectacular. Some people love the instant death without penalty (one shot kills you, but you just restart the level), but I find that it ruins the tactical aspect of the game. Instead of planning out your moves and playing it intelligently, you'll find that it's a lot easier just to do trial and error. One of the first things the game tells you is, "don't be afraid to die," and pretty early into the game, you really won't be and that detracts a bit from the mood. But for all its flaws, my overall impression is positive. The game does what it's supposed to do: it entertains. Just buy it when it's on sale.… Expand
  8. Kuzkula
    Mar 21, 2013
    7
    Well, this game is nowhere near as hyped online, but it's still good for some good ol smashing. Visually, a retro look is becoming quite normal and is starting to get pretty old, but it's fitting for the plot. Learning the mouse is a pain at first, but after a while you get the hang of it. Enemies are ruthless, and I love the challenge. Trying again is as easy as hitting "r', so it's easyWell, this game is nowhere near as hyped online, but it's still good for some good ol smashing. Visually, a retro look is becoming quite normal and is starting to get pretty old, but it's fitting for the plot. Learning the mouse is a pain at first, but after a while you get the hang of it. Enemies are ruthless, and I love the challenge. Trying again is as easy as hitting "r', so it's easy to keep going. Everyone kept hyping the music too. I didn't think it was much to sneeze at, but hey, that's how it goes. It wasn't thrilling, but it felt, once again, for the plot. Worth a shot, I'd say no more than $5 worth though.… Expand
  9. 5hassay
    Jun 20, 2013
    7
    Pretty great game. You can tell its indie though. The soundtrack is fantastic. The art style and animations are great. The story was pretty cool, weird and novel. The gameplay is kind of niche: you will have to play the same level many times often until you finish it. So, the game involves memorization. The repeated play has some issues, because there's some levels that have "new" gamePretty great game. You can tell its indie though. The soundtrack is fantastic. The art style and animations are great. The story was pretty cool, weird and novel. The gameplay is kind of niche: you will have to play the same level many times often until you finish it. So, the game involves memorization. The repeated play has some issues, because there's some levels that have "new" game mechanics that are sometimes not obvious to figure out, resulting in a lot of play throughs up to this one point until you figure it out (I think they should have offered gameplay tips at these obstacles). Some combat bugs, such as doors getting in the way of bullets oddly, which can become very frustrating, and the hit detection sometimes being odd.… Expand
  10. dumle
    Jan 2, 2013
    7
    Hotline Miami just oozes with atmosphere. The soundtrack is amazing and the simple graphical style looks surprisingly great. The story and setting is bizarre and grotesque and its casual use of extreme violence really sets the mood in place. The gameplay works great in its simplicity and it is as rewarding as it is challenging to succeed in the perfect way. The game has some minor flaws.Hotline Miami just oozes with atmosphere. The soundtrack is amazing and the simple graphical style looks surprisingly great. The story and setting is bizarre and grotesque and its casual use of extreme violence really sets the mood in place. The gameplay works great in its simplicity and it is as rewarding as it is challenging to succeed in the perfect way. The game has some minor flaws. Checkpoints placed before cutscenes is one of them. Its biggest flaw if you can call it a flaw is that the game isn't very long. Most will probably beat the game in about 5 hours or less. But if you take into account the very low cost of this game that is hardly a real problem. And i would wholeheartedly recommend everyone to pick this one up since the game offers some really quality gameplay for a cheap price.… Expand
  11. suneater
    Dec 13, 2012
    7
    Drug-fueled Tactical Espionage Action in the 80s. You have to beat each level without being hit, rewarding stealth and planning versus run & gun. While short, it's a very unique action game and worth picking up at a reduced price.
  12. alexaxa
    Jan 6, 2013
    7
    Hotline Miami is a good game but the graphics is really bad. The story was great although the game can be finished pretty quickly (4-5 hours in my case).
  13. Asspie
    Nov 8, 2012
    7
    NOT FOR EVERYONE - if you have a low tolerance towards any of the following: "bad" graphics (retro 16 bit), extremely cheap enemies (insane reflexes, often clairvoyant), bare-bones story (albeit a somewhat thought provoking one), and/or are susceptible to rage, stay the hell away from this game as you might very well suffer a stroke. The joy of successfully completing a level after 100+NOT FOR EVERYONE - if you have a low tolerance towards any of the following: "bad" graphics (retro 16 bit), extremely cheap enemies (insane reflexes, often clairvoyant), bare-bones story (albeit a somewhat thought provoking one), and/or are susceptible to rage, stay the hell away from this game as you might very well suffer a stroke. The joy of successfully completing a level after 100+ deaths (you die in one hit from anything unless you equip a certain item) cannot be overstated, but you might go insane in the process.… Expand
  14. AloeRP
    Dec 27, 2012
    7
    Hotline Miami is hypnotic. The score based, fast-paced arcade style action set to a pulsing background and thumping music produce an experience that's really unique. The game play is very trial and error; it takes several runs through a level to learn what works, yet alone what yields a high score. There's a very fulfilled and rewarding feeling gained when a section is cleared, however,Hotline Miami is hypnotic. The score based, fast-paced arcade style action set to a pulsing background and thumping music produce an experience that's really unique. The game play is very trial and error; it takes several runs through a level to learn what works, yet alone what yields a high score. There's a very fulfilled and rewarding feeling gained when a section is cleared, however, the same game play factors that produce the aforementioned satisfaction also produce frustration. The controls are finicky, there's a very thin line between sliding around the level racking up a score and bopping from corner to corner until someone ends your misery. If I had a nickel for every time that I was shot down by an enemy off screen, I would have enough money to pay for this game twice. It's worth noting that this fun arcadey-romp has a story, which is interesting enough to keep your attention and make all of your actions feel a little more bad-ass. Bottom line: With Hotline Miami, you get your cake and eat it too, except your cake has no icing. A great experience with A LOT of room for improvement.… Expand
  15. justachair
    Jan 2, 2013
    7
    It's a great time for Hotline Miami to stand between the indie games, as lots of them are getting rewarded by its premise (The Walking Dead and Journey for example). These games were acclaimed by their compelling story or beautiful imagery. The problem is this game doesn't have any beautiful images or an interesting story. You just have to do one thing: KILL. That's right! Remember GTA andIt's a great time for Hotline Miami to stand between the indie games, as lots of them are getting rewarded by its premise (The Walking Dead and Journey for example). These games were acclaimed by their compelling story or beautiful imagery. The problem is this game doesn't have any beautiful images or an interesting story. You just have to do one thing: KILL. That's right! Remember GTA and GTA II, well, this is exactly the same. Hotline Miami is a fun game, but it's not as original as it claims to be. The gameplay is simple. Kill everything that moves quickly before it kills you. You can grab guns and knives and you can throw some weapons too. Each head will reward us with sort of XP Points and at the end of the level we will see our efficiency. Cool, right? Now, the story. You are a man who dreams about other men with masks talking to each other about you. You wake up, you get a phone call about the "job" you have to do, and once you do the "job" you go to a bar and drink. It gets repetitive. Really repetitive. But this games is all about fun. Hotline Miami is a little bit of GTA mixed with the "Do it fast" theme of Bloody Trapland. The game, though, still is fun to play. Trying to improve our record will have us replaying levels many times, and even though it doesn't have a long duration, we have lots of level. Prepare to die...a lot! Hotline Miami's difficulty is insane. You must be fast, and good, and tactical. You have to look well before getting into trouble. Hotline Miami has those 2D RPG graphics that got lost in the past, but that look so stylish it's impossible not to fall in love with them again. It's also cheerfully violent. The fun, the style and gameplay of the game is what makes it worth it, enough for a good 7.… Expand
  16. crimsondoor
    Apr 23, 2019
    7
    Story is non-existent, graphics and art style are ok if they are your cup of tea. Not mine though. I have no interest in the 80s-esque purple palette, 8-bit look and "vaporwave" music (ugh I freaking hate this term). The game is basically an endless trial-and-error process... So after the 100th time you finally cleared the stage but you would feel "relief", not "satisfaction", and youStory is non-existent, graphics and art style are ok if they are your cup of tea. Not mine though. I have no interest in the 80s-esque purple palette, 8-bit look and "vaporwave" music (ugh I freaking hate this term). The game is basically an endless trial-and-error process... So after the 100th time you finally cleared the stage but you would feel "relief", not "satisfaction", and you would think to yourself "why did I spend so much time on this damn thing..."

    There are some notable control issues as well. For example you often get killed by enemies outside the screen. Perhaps this is intended by the developers but I don't understand what the point is. I mean, the enemies can see you so it makes no sense you can't see them. The worst is the awkward aiming/rotation issue - you can't melee enemies if they are close to you. In fact I've died many times from this way. On another note, It's very easy to miss with the guns and throw weapons because of the aforementioned aiming issue and the tininess of the projectile path (without exaggeration it's just a thin line), but enemies have 100% accuracy and will kill you with one bullet so it's pretty unfair. Weapons are hard to pick up and they sometimes get stuck under walls and furnitures... And these are just the few of them.

    If you are a masochist, there are other interesting and difficult games that actually give you satisfaction when you complete them so I find no point playing this game.    … Expand
  17. Jwv
    Jan 9, 2014
    7
    Hotline Miami's simplistic graphics and concept feels refreshing in a time where a lot of releases focus on complex game mechanics and life-like graphics. Simple but one of the most addictive games I ever played. I also liked the myriad of approaches to each level, especially with the masks, that makes for a high replay factor. A confusing and open storyline, but that just let's you focusHotline Miami's simplistic graphics and concept feels refreshing in a time where a lot of releases focus on complex game mechanics and life-like graphics. Simple but one of the most addictive games I ever played. I also liked the myriad of approaches to each level, especially with the masks, that makes for a high replay factor. A confusing and open storyline, but that just let's you focus on the nutty gameplay more. Utterly fun.… Expand
  18. JayLightBar
    Feb 9, 2015
    7
    Hard. This game is hard. Visuals are nice, old retro style to them. Plays very arcade like, and completely balls to the walls hard. I didn't enjoy the game a whole lot. Mostly because I'm not a fan for the Hard is the selling point type of games. But do I see why this is considered a good game? Yes of course.
  19. Caerleon
    Dec 26, 2018
    7
    Don't even try to understand the plot. Just enjoy the game.

    It's just some unimaginable dance of death. They successfully conveyed the atmosphere of '80s movies and' 90s. Perfect music perfectly adds to the entourage of the madness. Dozens of options for killing enemies. Think, plan, fight your way through crowds of enemies.
  20. angelss_13
    May 7, 2017
    7
    Muy buen videojuego. Trepidante y adictivo. La banda sonora es excelente. Además, su trama onírica y delirante es un concepto bastante bueno e interesante, que incita a reflexionar más allá de lo que es común ver en los videojuegos.
  21. Kotofon
    May 9, 2020
    7
    Клёво.
    Разнообразие оружия - тут вам и бейсбольная бита, и кирпич, и катана, огнемёт, пулемёт, гранаты, и конечно же бензопила! вообщем все для зрелищной мясорубки.
    Маски - они тут играют важную роль. В зависимости от надетой маски, которую выбираешь перед началом уровня, изменяется какой-то аспект геймплея. Например, Тигр - летальные кулаки, Лошадь - убиваешь дверью, если за ней    Клёво.
    Разнообразие оружия - тут вам и бейсбольная бита, и кирпич, и катана, огнемёт, пулемёт, гранаты, и конечно же бензопила! вообщем все для зрелищной мясорубки.
    Маски - они тут играют важную роль. В зависимости от надетой маски, которую выбираешь перед началом уровня, изменяется какой-то аспект геймплея. Например, Тигр - летальные кулаки, Лошадь - убиваешь дверью, если за ней находится враг, Пантера - делает вас быстрее и т.д. Есть даже маска, которая переводит все диалоги на французский.
    Сюжет - ну такой простенький, да он тут особо и не нужен, так для галочки.
    Битвы с боссами, довольно сложные, как и вся игра впринципе.
    Если вам нравится стилистика 80-ых, то сие творение для вас.    … Expand
  22. BulgarianCritic
    Feb 22, 2021
    7
    The concept for the game was pretty good and the game play was hard and mostly fair, I say mostly because sometimes the controls didn't function that well and when throwing objects they went into a slightly different direction which in most cases resulted in you being dead. The story starts surprisingly well and kept you guessing for what the reason is for you to kill people and who givesThe concept for the game was pretty good and the game play was hard and mostly fair, I say mostly because sometimes the controls didn't function that well and when throwing objects they went into a slightly different direction which in most cases resulted in you being dead. The story starts surprisingly well and kept you guessing for what the reason is for you to kill people and who gives you these phone calls , but unfortunately the ending was a pretty generic and a boring ''F You'' which was disappointing for me personally. The soundtrack and the trippy retro visuals were a big plus for me and the bloodyness of the kills was also nicely done 7/10,… Expand
  23. gameking
    Jul 9, 2020
    7
    I like this game. It is very good for empty times. But sometimes this game has too much repeats. Sometimes it is just can be hard.
  24. IMR707
    May 23, 2021
    7
    The music and great and the gameplay is quite fun, until you finished the final chapter. After that, it was a really hard post-game, and it made me rage quit instead. I had fun in the main story though.
  25. Prometheus1241
    Oct 7, 2021
    7
    Quiet cool, but is not that great when Katana ZERO exists. Nevertheless, it is quite short and cheap, so recommended.
  26. marpolaris
    Apr 23, 2020
    7
    Adictivo gráficamente perfecto muy creativo cyberpunk pero muy difícil hay que tener buenos reflejos, en momentos es frustrarte pero es muy adictivo te obliga a ser mejor cada juego logra el poderlo re jugar y siempre sacarle provecho
  27. FirstSpawn
    May 4, 2021
    7
    Прошёл чисто кампанию, без доп уровней. Игра своеобразная конечно же, и довольно крутая, но на мой взгляд не допиленная до 100%.
  28. vova22379
    Jan 26, 2022
    7
    ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀
  29. GreenPufferFish
    Jan 12, 2021
    7
    Fun birds eye view shooting game i compelted it in around 6-7 hours it very simple nothing complicated only negative is the enemies that can only be killed with guns :/ also its good how masks are not just cosmetics but grant a competitive advantage.
  30. eefeef
    Aug 31, 2023
    7
    Hotline Miami is a violent game with a very simple gameplay. Add to that some catchy music and a well thought out map design and you have a fun game.
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Awards & Rankings

20
#20 Best PC Game of 2012
23
#23 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
24
#24 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 51
  3. Negative: 1 out of 51
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Feb 6, 2013
    87
    From the get-go, Miami’s presentation has a unique style, with vivid colors, generous amounts of post-process filtering and a stunning soundtrack (you will just let the game play on, only to hear the tracks). But at the same time, all notions of continuous fast-paced action gameplay disappear. Hotline Miami is essentially a top-down stealth game, that rewards the player with imaginative (and quite violent) kill animations. [January 2013]
  2. Games Master UK
    Dec 18, 2012
    88
    A stylish slice of retro carnage. This is the bloodiest, least forgiving game of the year. [Jan 2013, p.85]
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Dec 17, 2012
    90
    A drug-induced coma of violence, strategy, death and rebirth. [Jan 2013, p.67]
See all critic reviews »