The Hotline Miami Experience

Revisiting the nihilistic masterpiece

I will never forget Hotline Miami. The gameplay, art design, and soundtrack unite so effectively that they can put the player in a trance-like state. The ’80s aesthetic brings through a classic feel and the ultra-violence is oh so perfect. This is a setting of gangs, nightclubs, and nationalism, which all folds together surprisingly well. Hotline Miami stands out as genuinely unique within the broader gaming landscape.

Do you like hurting people? This question is directed at the player more than once throughout the game. On a personal level, we would all (hopefully) say no. But can you honestly say that after having bashed in 327 virtual skulls with your bare digitized hands, all while bathing in glorious synth beats? We, as the player, are forced by an organization to kill. We later discover, via the sequel, that there’s a revenge plot involved here — a thin veneer that shrouds our actions in some sort of moral justification. The story is purposefully shallow, although I always felt it was hiding something from me. The ending is a fourth-wall breaking moment that essentially says “you don’t even know why you’re here” and “I hope you had fun”.

You could argue that Hotline Miami is mocking players who ask questions. At the same time, despite its heightened atmosphere, there’s also a…