I don't like this game.

[Darkshadowrogue]

As a veteran player of the first game, one who played it religiously and finished it 100%, I loathe this game.
It just feels entirely different and it doesn't feel right. Being stuck with a limited selection of masks is wrong, and it limits variety severely. Map design is awful, with the game requiring far more luck than the first. Enemies with guns are everywhere, meaning that you have to either use guns, which give you little points and aren't fun, or get lucky/wait for the enemies, which is annoying, frustrating and slows the game down to a crawl.
Why go with a story-based game, as well, after having such a vague game beforehand with basically no story? The original was an instant classic for me, as it didn't spoonfeed me a narrative. If anything, it hid it. I had to search for answers, while brutally smashing in head after head after head. This game is just slow, frustrating difficult due to luck, not skill, and just unfun to play.

Does anyone else feel this way, and if not, please tell me why. I want a friendly discussion. <3

[Coctostin]

I prefer the first one too. Only thing keeps me going is the storyline. You say the first one had almost no story but thats just not true, after mission 15 it gets interesting enough.

[Darkshadowrogue]

Originally posted by Banquo:

I prefer the first one too. Only thing keeps me going is the storyline. You say the first one had almost no story but thats just not true, after mission 15 it gets interesting enough.

Oh, yeah, but like, you don't really know what's going on.
Like, it never explains much. It keeps it hidden, and if you don't look for it with your eyeholes, you'll miss it.
And I really like that.
This one just.. it showed it off too much.

[Zydomus]

Well.. although I agree that The first one does behold more "Variety" to it's gameplay with a more "RNG" kinda style to it than the second one. I believe the 2nd one is ultimately better in EVERY way.

To be completely honest with you, with the MANY bugs that plagued the first HM, I'm surprised it actually got the sequel that it did. the first one seemed WAAY more harder for me to play than the 2nd one. as I feel that the second one is more accurate with it's hit registry and gameplay in general.. imo, the best gameplay award would obviously go towards HM2 imo.

I honestly don't see anything wrong with the story at all in HM2.. and I honestly think it kicks just the same amount of ass as the first one kicked, and even better. I honestly thought that even though it had a rather.. "Abrupt" kind of ending, I had personally just looked at it as a type of "Closure" to all of the violence and chaos that would just keep on continuing throughout the timeline of the series.

If anything.. all the second one just "Lacks" in is within it's variety and "Slow" storyline. and that's about the only thing that I see wrong with it besides a few bugs & grammar mistakes here and there.. however, that's mostly nothing to me.. but that's just me. and personally, the game was just easy as "Hell" for me once I got used to it. I beat it all, hard mode and everything at around 46 hours playtime or so. (Check my Leaderboard scores for proof of concept)


But everything else aside.. they are both great games and should both just be honoured for what they are in general. sure, Hotline Miami 1 is buggy as "Hell" to me.. but I still respect it for what it is. and tbh, story or not.. you must admit that minus the "Variety" in the masks and weapons available to use in the 2nd game.. atleast we have a nice little game with an "Editor" and windowed borderless mode. which is both something that the first one lacked for it's rather short "Indie-Dev" resources. and without the first game, there would be no second game.

TL;DR, I personally prefer HM2 over HM1 for it's Story, Gameplay, Atmosphere, Music, and Editor levels. (I LOVE the first one's soundtrack though, don't get me wrong) but besides all of that.. they are both great games to me, and I believe that they should both be respected for what they are; not for what they are not.

[Darkshadowrogue]

Originally posted by Zydomus:

Shhhnip

TL;DR, I personally prefer HM2 over HM1 for it's Story, Gameplay, Atmosphere, Music, and Editor levels. (I LOVE the first one's soundtrack though, don't get me wrong) but besides all of that.. they are both great games to me, and I believe that they should both be respected for what they are; not for what they are not. :tbpwink:

I can see where you're coming from, yeah.
I just stand on the other side of the fence, really. I'm suffering through Hotline Miami 2, and I'm just not enjoying it. Comparing it's gameplay to the first, I just see a clear winner for me.
I do wish they stuck to the "hey, niko, it's your cousin! 12th Avenue, let's go bowling!" formula, where you get a phone call, you turn up, put on whatever mask and massacre Russians. I felt making the game focused around the story entirely, instead of focused around gameplay and murder which I feel just hurt the second game.
Also, I've not heard a single catchy tune in Hotline Miami 2 that I enjoy yet.
Actually, I've not a heard a single catchy tune in Hotline Miami 2 yet. Have I missed something or is the soundtrack just lacking?

[Toolala]

If HM2 was just trying to do the same thing as the first one it'd be boring and repetitive.
also I think the music is just down to taste, I can remember 2 tracks from the first game, then everything else just blurrs together for me. same for the levels honestly, they were very samey. HM2 on the other hand I could probably name you every level alongside the track that goes with on a whim.

[Zydomus]

Originally posted by Darkshadowrogue:

Originally posted by Zydomus:

Shhhnip

TL;DR, I personally prefer HM2 over HM1 for it's Story, Gameplay, Atmosphere, Music, and Editor levels. (I LOVE the first one's soundtrack though, don't get me wrong) but besides all of that.. they are both great games to me, and I believe that they should both be respected for what they are; not for what they are not.

I can see where you're coming from, yeah.
I just stand on the other side of the fence, really. I'm suffering through Hotline Miami 2, and I'm just not enjoying it. Comparing it's gameplay to the first, I just see a clear winner for me.
I do wish they stuck to the "hey, niko, it's your cousin! 12th Avenue, let's go bowling!" formula, where you get a phone call, you turn up, put on whatever mask and massacre Russians. I felt making the game focused around the story entirely, instead of focused around gameplay and murder which I feel just hurt the second game.
Also, I've not heard a single catchy tune in Hotline Miami 2 that I enjoy yet.
Actually, I've not a heard a single catchy tune in Hotline Miami 2 yet. Have I missed something or is the soundtrack just lacking?

Eh, I could've done a little better with the "TL;DR" part of what I had said myself.. but other than that, what you said is "Completely" understandble. Yeah, I felt the gameplay sort of "lacked" a little bit compared to the first one.. but there are still editor levels you could play that have the original "Jacket" in them with all the masks and traits if you wish download them. other than that, I guess it's all just personal preference when it comes down to "Which is better" I'm just glad we could both come to an understanding on some points of the discussion though.