Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number (2015 Video Game) User Reviews

Fast, Brutal, Fun, and Intelligent

[loganholley · 9/10 · 28 March 2016]

I've beaten the original Hotline Miami 2 times, and loved it both times. When I heard there was going to be a sequel, boy, was I excited. When it released, I was unable to get it... but now, I've played it, and these are my thoughts.

Hotline Miami 2 instantly gets points for having a longer story than it's predecessor, and also for having yet another rocking soundtrack that I listen to even when I'm not playing it. While this is cool and all, I do have to address one thing about the story (no spoilers, I promise): one of the reasons the original Hotline Miami was so great was that it was thought provoking in the ways it created mysteries out of minor events, and major events alike. Wrong Number, however, makes the mistake of TELLING you what most of what those mysteries were, and not keeping them mysterious. Regardless, I still found the story to be equally enjoyable, and intelligent in both it's presentation and content.

Then there's the game-play. In sequel tradition, not much has really changed here, other than a few characters having some new abilities, but the U.I. (User Interface) has been worked on, and... looks allot better than last time. This said, though, the actual design (and not mechanics) has gone through an overhaul, making for much longer stages that take a while to beat (a later level actually took me an hour and a half to beat, if you want any confirmation). While this seems cool on paper, and for most of the time, a glaring issue (that cannot be fixed) about the first game only shines brighter: getting killed from an enemy you couldn't see. Does this make the game more tactical? Yes... BUT, it also makes it allot more slower-paced than it should be.

In conclusion, Hotline Miami 2 offers better design, story, and music, but I can't help but find little nitpicks every time I play it. Is it as good as the first game? Yes, but don't come into it thinking it will surpass the original by any standards.

A worthy sequel

[colonel_autumn-31062 · 9/10 · 29 August 2023]

This game definitely holds up to the great original Hotline Miami. Although this game has a couple of issues with gameplay, the story is significantly richer and provides a fitting thematic conclusion to this duology.

As I've said before, the game has a slightly weaker gameplay than the original. Firstly, there is less variety with playstyles - you no longer have an access to a big number of masks, each providing different perks and/or downsides. Best case scenario, the player gets to choose from a 3-4 different character/starting weapons, but that's about it.

Secondly, the game has worse level design. Many levels are way too open, allowing the enemies to just shoot the player from the far corner of the map, even though the player can't even see them.

However, the game excellent in the story department. The storyline of the original is great, but the sequel evaluates it to a new level. If you liked the first installment, then I highly recommend you to try this game out as well.

An Excellent Continuation To A Master Piece

[felipe_maldonado_e · 10/10 · 15 March 2015]

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is the last installment on the "Hotline Miami" franchise and is also the conclusion to the story from the first game. In this review I'll not reveal any spoiler. The main story revolves mainly on the acts after the events of the first game.On this game you can controls multiple characters,everyone with their one story or motivation,the first one is an actor of a "snob film",so every mission with that character is part of a movie based on the mass murder from the first game.Other group of characters are the "Fans",who are fanatics of the first game protagonist,they make the same kind of massacres to random gangs,using masks with the same style as the ones from the las installment. Other important characters are a detective and a writer,the detective is trying to solve the case from HLM1,but in the way he makes the same actions as the murderer.The writer,who is also a friend of the detective,is writing a book about the case,getting information all the way into the game. Other minor characters are: a guy from a national group who is against the Russian mafia,the Russian mafia leader,a Russian mafia member,a character from the first game who is also a "mask assassin" and a group of soldiers in Hawaii(1985). The gameplay on this game is practically the same from the first one,the campaign also consist on the same kind of levels with the same enemies. the difference between this game a the first one are mainly on the story,on this campaign you have a bunch of characters with different stories,not like the first one where you could play with only 2 on the whole game.Other thing is that the story is more clear and less cryptic than the first one,where you didn't had any clue about what was going on until 3/4 of the campaign and even there everything was blurry and ambiguous.Nonetheless,this story is equally involving and psychedelic,and even more brutal. This game is a perfect sequel to an extremely well done game,keeping the same "spirit" of the first one. If you are interested to read my thoughts on HLM!,please visit the IMDb page of the game. Thanks for reading! 10/10

One of My Favs.

[theringingguy · 10/10 · 26 October 2015]

It's a brilliant follow up to the original Hotline Miami(2012), in which it concludes the story of the 50 blessings conspiracy and the ever-strange phone calls that the original character, Jacket, received from 50 blessings in the first game. It tells the story un- chronologically, from different views of the playable characters. There is the Fans, 5 vigilantes obsessed with the phone calls that Jacket received in the first game, Jake, a 50 blessings operator found dead in the first game, Manny Pardo, a Miami PD detective who bends the rules by slaughtering a bunch of people, Evan Wright, a man who is trying to write a book about the masked killings, and has a interesting "no killing policy" to his gameplay, the Henchman, a mobster who wants to get out of the game, Richter Berg, the 50 blessings operator who shot Jacket and his girlfriend in the first game, and finally the Son, the son of the mob boss that Jacket killed in the first game. Good game, great gameplay, I highly recommend playing it. -theringingguy.

Amazing game

[dafrashhre · 10/10 · 19 August 2022]

The story of this game is legendary, it can't be denied, and it also has a shocking ending. And the gameplay oh god its addictive bro hotline miami 2 is masterpiece buy it as soon as you can u won't be disappointed.