Hotline Miami Review
Welcome to our CHEATfactor Game Review of Hotline Miami. We review the game and then factor in how the available cheats affect the overall game experience.
 

Reviewed on: PC
Developer: Dennaton
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Rated: "M" for Mature

 
CHEATfactor Game Review
by Joe Sinicki
Presentation 9/10 
It may look like it came from the 8-bit era, but Hotline Miami drips with style. It's ultra violent content works well with the visuals and the soundtrack is one of the most original in years.
Gameplay 9/10 
Hotline Miami's simple gameplay formula makes for an incredibly addicting experience. I often failed, numerous times to complete a puzzle and told myself I'd try one more time.
Lasting Appeal 10/10 
Hotline Miami features no online and no multiplayer, but it does have a great progression system which finds you earning points for your runs through levels and earning new weapons and masks in the process.
Overall 9/10 
The stylized and often over the top violence is sure to turn the squeamish away, but underneath all of that gore is something you wouldn't expect - -a deeply addicting puzzle game that even has a bit of heart.
CHEATfactor 5/10 
 

I still remember the moment I fell in love with Hotline Miami. Early in the game, after completing your first hit, your unnamed character hits his knees and throws up in the back of an alley, presumably because of the carnage he's just witnessed. It was here that the game showed that underneath the loads of violence and retro style, Hotline Miami has heart. This one may not be for the squeamish, but if you can stomach it - it's one of the best games you'll play this year.

In Hotline Miami you assume the role of Jacket - or at least that's what the community has dubbed him because of the letterman jacket he always wears. Jacket keeps getting a series of unsolicited calls asking him to take care of “problems” throughout Miami which always ends with storming buildings and killing everyone inside viciously. The story takes a few rather weird turns when Jacket comes in contact with men wearing animal masks who question his motives, but the ultimate swerve here is too good to spoil.

"...bad guys who want nothing more to waste you."

 
   

Gameplay wise, Hotline Miami features an easy to grasp but incredibly addicting formula that makes the game so much fun to play. Most levels start with Jacket standing outside of a building that's crawling with bad guys who want nothing more to waste you. You charge in, pick up weapons and attempt to clear the building. Sounds easy right? The twitch gameplay of Hotline Miami mixed with the incredible difficulty spike make sure that you'll be dying, and dying a lot. Each stage in Hotline Miami feels like an almost impossible puzzle, especially later in the game but searching through solutions via trial and error and eventually working your way through a solution is incredibly rewarding.

Make no mistake about it though; Hotline Miami is one of the most violent games you'll play. You'll regularly smash people's head's wide-open with blunt objects or repeatedly beat their head on the ground until they're not moving. While it's a bit jarring at first, it never feels overwhelming because of the game's retro, 8-bit style visuals, which portray the violence but never let it take over the gameplay. In fact, due to the challenging nature of the game and the not so in your face violence, these parts can be incredibly rewarding in their own right.

"It's the perfect soundtrack for your killing spree ..."

 
   

One area where Hotline Miami truly excels is with its soundtrack, which features an irresistible mix of techno and house beats mixed with even a bit of rock. It's the perfect soundtrack for your killing spree and keeps your blood pumping. I've found myself wanting to finish a level but enjoying a song so much that I wait just a bit longer. I did go back and go them again though since the game has such a remarkable progression system where the more bold you are and the more efficient you are in your killing spree, the more you points you get, which leads to more masks and weapons.

Hotline Miami isn't for everyone - the stylized and often over the top violence is sure to turn the squeamish away, but underneath all of that gore is something you wouldn't expect - -a deeply addicting puzzle game that even has a bit of heart. Hotline Miami shows what a dedicated and talented indie game team can do - create one of the biggest sleeper hits of the year.

 
 
CHEATfactor
 
CHEATS USED: No Damage, Unlimited Ammo
 

I'm not sure if there is a better cheat in all of the trainers I have used than the no damage cheat for Hotline Miami. The ability to run through a room with as vigor and boldness as possible while earning more and more perks is an incredible one. Combine that with the unlimited ammo cheat and you're sure to have fun unlocking everything in the game.

The trainer though has few options and doesn't allow you to unlock all weapons and masks at once, which feels surely missing.

 
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