Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Remove from Multiquote Add to Multiquote
Add Reply
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
Topic Started: Mar 11 2015, 10:59 AM (553 Views)
stienerontheforklift
Member Avatar

Anyone else get this yet? I loved the first game and so far I'm not that keen on this one. I'm only on Act 3 but I really don't like the bigger levels, one of the best things about HM1 was the balance between melee and guns. It always felt like you had a choice, but since the levels are much bigger it feels like you need to use guns. Enemies also shoot you from off-screen. The perks you get from playing as different characters feel more like inconveniences. The story at the moment is all over the place because they can't stop introducing new characters changing the scenery and moving back and forward in time. Some of the sequences are so short and establish nothing, it just seems superfluous. I'm enjoying it but a lot of things are sticking out to me.
Edited by stienerontheforklift, Mar 11 2015, 11:02 AM.
Offline Profile Quote Goto Top
 
Mr. Satan Overlay Face
Member Avatar
TOUGH  BOY
stienerontheforklift
Mar 11 2015, 10:59 AM
Anyone else get this yet? I loved the first game and so far I'm not that keen on this one. I'm only on Act 3 but I really don't like the bigger levels, one of the best things about HM1 was the balance between melee and guns. It always felt like you had a choice, but since the levels are much bigger it feels like you need to use guns. Enemies also shoot you from off-screen. The perks you get from playing as different characters feel more like inconveniences. The story at the moment is all over the place because they can't stop introducing new characters changing the scenery and moving back and forward in time. Some of the sequences are so short and establish nothing, it just seems superfluous. I'm enjoying it but a lot of things are sticking out to me.
Let's go through this point by point.

1) Bigger levels: This is a matter of taste. Some people prefer the tight, space-clearing gameplay of HM1. That's fine. There's a pretty interesting experiment going on HM2 where it makes you go through both the tight areas and wide-open areas for an added challenge.

2) The need for guns: Well, yeah. They're there. Use 'em.

3) Enemies shooting you from off-screen: Shift look is your friend and is more necessary in this one. Also, you can shoot them off screen as well. You can exploit enemies as much as they exploit you.

4) The fans' perks: I found their unique playstyles a test of my skills at the game. I have to adapt rather than just play as the HM1 Tony mask the whole game and cheese my way through.

5) Story: Taste. It probably fills in the gaps more than it has to but some people are probably interested in the lore. I find that less is more but the story elements in HM2 don't strike as a negative for me. I guess I fall in the middle on this but "establishing nothing" isn't really a fair criticism when it is attempting to establish elements for a backstory.
Edited by Mr. Satan Overlay Face, Mar 12 2015, 10:53 AM.
Offline Profile Quote Goto Top
 
Justin_Brett

The only level I've really thought was poorly laid out was the first level you can pick Tony on. The third floor in that is pretty much designed to take advantage of the mask's new weakness, forcing you to play peeka-boo with all the gun enemies.
Offline Profile Quote Goto Top
 
stienerontheforklift
Member Avatar

Using the shift doesn't work all the time since the levels are huge, it's not going to find every enemy, they can still get you off-screen. It slows the game down as well. Maybe this is more of a personal thing but a large part of HM1 for me was the speed and the way you could zip around the level and improvise when needed. Since everyone and their grandma have guns you can't do that anymore. It's a balancing thing; HM1 felt perfectly balanced when it came to picking guns or melee, you could do either, now it feels more one dimensional and restrictive. HM1 felt like a fast paced puzzler. HM2 feels like a twin stick shooter when shooting isn't its strength.

The twins are a pain to control since they regularly get stuck in the scenery. The Hawaii levels are a chore because they only give you 10 ammo when you run out, when those levels have enemies that only die to bullets and your only back up is a shitty knife.

They would have easily solved part of the fan's problem if they assigned their ability to a different button than mounting an enemy when they're down. Also what's the pointing in adapting when you can cheese the game with Tony? The style and soundtrack are still amazing, and some levels are the right size and designed just fine. All I'm saying is it's not as good as one.

Edited by stienerontheforklift, Mar 12 2015, 12:43 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Goto Top
 
Cheer This Dan
Member Avatar
Big Hoss
Unfortunately if I want to play it I have to pirate it as it's banned over here because LOLAUSTRALIA.
The des are okay with it but I feel bad not paying for it, maybe I'll shell out for a copy of the amazing soundtrack.
Offline Profile Quote Goto Top
 
FoxyStalin
Member Avatar
Ladies Love it.
I'll agree it's not as good as 1.
I like the story, but the big, open levels are a pain in the fucking ass. I liked being able to slam in, cut a guy down, throw my weapon, pick up the guy i just killed's weapon, finish up and clear the room in one fluid motion.
Now I have to do that peeking and leading crap where you edge around the corner for a moment so the enemies see you and then rush over so you can kill them when they walk to you. Yes it works. But it's not fun. It feels cheap, and destroys the pacing. And shooting offscreen in the hope that I kill the guys that are over there feels cheap too. There's no way to get that great rush from clearing a place in a streak and getting a wicked combo like some crazy efficent psychopath anymore, I've gotten a 17 combo, yeah, but I got it by pointing my gun in a direction and shooting every bullet so that anything that might be over there is dead.

I liked Jake the Snake's levels.
But there were only 3 of them, so...

Eh. It's still good. Not as good as 1 though.

And I hate every fan except The Bear and the Zebra. I like to throw weapons...I like throwing weapons, is that too much to ask?

Edit: After finishing the game, I'll say It's not bad.
It's not as good as the first, and the best parts of it arn't until the very end, but it's good.
Edited by FoxyStalin, Mar 12 2015, 09:54 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Goto Top
 
TheWorst
Member Avatar
Order! Order in the court!
I had a lot of fun with the game, honestly.
It also has a neat story with interesting characters in it as well that I could see CAWs of. (hint hint)

Honestly towards the end is what made the game for me. It has the best bits of the game, with reveals in the story and fun levels.

Sure, it's frustrating at times, but I think that was the point. HL2 was supposed to be a harder sequel, to screw over the fans. The first game constantly dealt with the meta about the game and went into the heads of the players, so it's no surprise that the sequel does the same mindscrews with expectations about the sequel and everything. And it still manages to be fun for the most part.

Can't wait for the level editor, at least! With all those new game mechanics, it should be fun.

(Thanks again to FoxyStalin for the game, appreciate it)
Offline Profile Quote Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Fully Featured & Customizable Free Forums
Learn More · Sign-up for Free
« Previous Topic · The Current Generation of Gaming · Next Topic »
Add Reply