Seriously, I know the game is bugged, and all, but I thought we could actually start a conversation about aspects of the game(s) we find interesting, share screenshots, talk a bit about what we like or what we think about the game.

With no further ado, one of the best pause screens ever to grace video games:

I got killed over and over in the police station. Good times. Made me quit for now.

Hotline Miami or Hotline Miami 2? Both iterations of the police station can be pretty brutal, in my opinion...

In 2, I'm now taking a break from the jungle level. I absolutely love these games, but I can't play them for a long time, unless I get really lucky and things go a bit more my way. I admire those that can actually master the game play, as I'm definitely not good at Hotline Miami. Still, I love the paranoid freaky pseudo-post-modern storyline, the gorgeous pixel gorey neon art style and the superb sound design, so I'll keep trying levels after repeated breaks until I get through the games. That's how I did it with the first one, and there's no indication yet it will change with the second.

Both. Had to watch the remainder of the levels in 1 on yt.

I like to just rush in with no weapons to start with, fists flailing and see how far I get. Once I'm familiar with the level I'm a bit more strategic. I like that some guards will react to gunfire and come running. You can really plan out your ambushes this way, although at the moment the x5 multiplier bug on the Mac means you have to be extra careful not to lure too many at a time. But I'm enjoying the game so much I'm trying to make a conscious effort not to let the multiplier get to 5.

This is one of the few games where dying doesn't frustrate me. It makes me chuckle to myself, especially if it's a stupid mistake on my part. Like meticulously clearing out a level very carefully and then suddenly getting jumped by a dog I didn't notice. It just makes me work harder to clear out the level.

Really enjoying it so far.

Good luck. I'm stuck on scene 10. Keep getting carried away and forgetting about the bug. Trying hard to remember!

Loving the pause screen too. And that it doesnt ask "are you sure you wish to quit?" or something else along those lines.

And the music is great in both games gets you pumped up. And sometimes with HM2 ragequit when 20th time you get shot/stabbed/clubbed/etc from guy that was too far away to be seen.

I loved Hotline Miami 1, even the hard levels. The police station level 'Assault' was a classic example. Great soundtrack, ruthlessly hard, yet fair once you figure it out. But Hotline Miami 2, oh my God, very, very few games have made me rage quit as much as this game. It's not fun, it's not fair, the levels are annoying long and huge, there's way too much emphasis on gunplay on higher levels, and takes way too long to complete a level. How in the hell this game got past the QA stage, I have no idea. I haven't been this letdown by a game since Mass Effect 3. Although in this case, the developer did deliver what they promised, they just bungled the hell out of the delivery. My mouse speed is all over the place, and annoying characters that should have been ditched are still in. Classic example are the melee proof guards that take at least three to four shots to kill. Why are they still here? On level 11 alone, I counted minimum of four of them, and that's not counting ones I haven't even seen because I got killed before I got that far. I hate to say it, but I mean this from the bottom of heart. Fuck this game, fuck Dennaton, fuck Devolver, fuck them both for charging as much for the soundtrack as for the game itself. The PC Gamer score of 57 is entirely justified.

Oh, god, I just finished level 11 and it took me so many tries! Hahaha!

Loving the game so far, but they sure as hell ramped up the difficulty from the first one... levels are bigger and have more enemies, I understand how this can be frustrating and even irritating to some -- DarthCruciare, your points are absolutely valid --, but, personally, I'm enjoying it as much as I enjoyed Hotline Miami.

I found the first one to be frustrating as well and it took me an actual month to beat it; I tend to finish a level, try a bit of the next, then make a break and only return to the game the next day, or so. I'm not a pro at these games but I manage to beat them, albeit at my own pace.

To be honest, I like how they expanded the narrative on Wrong Number, it's really nice to have longer cutscenes, and to be able to interact with them for longer periods of time, compared to those found in the first game.

It's sad that Devolver/Dennaton's latest GOG patch broke the game on Windows, because supposedly it fixes the sloppy shift look of version 1.01, but let's hope they fix that soon. In the meanwhile, I'll keep going through the game, slow but steady, on my 1.01 version. :P

I have a mixed experience. There have been times when I've laughed out loud with how much fun I'm having, and times when I honestly just ground on to complete a section so i could get to the end. I have no interest in the hard mode as a result!

Overall, this is a very different game to HM, despite a shared name and visual style/approach. The story, well it doesn't work at all for me. I didn't have a clue what as going on. The original was a messed-up mystery, but HM2 is more impenetrable incoherence.

And the combat and overall design... there are too many "special state" characters in the game. Either it's heavies who you can't melee, who are so prodigious in number to make them an irritant rather than an "OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD" threat, or it's dogs, or it's guards literally everywhere, and walls that are inexplicably covered with windows unlike almost any building I know.

But then I'll hit a streak, where everything gels, and the sequence from one room to the next is so smooth, and so focused, and the soundtrack is perfect, with that incredible art design, and I temporarily forgive it. But it's nowhere near the first game... I went and got an A+ on every level of that, on PC, PS3 and Vita just cause I love it so much.

Doubt I'll be doing the same this time.

HM moment - I think it was the first time I threw the brick and took out two guys in a row. I laughed for nearly ten minutes because of the other thugs, who just looked on passively.

HM2 moment - I think it's the vigilante mission where you switch between all four. Although one part is complete gash (the duo), my second playthrough was like a masterclass is murder. That sense of power, then revulsion at all the horror I've left behind is pretty incredible.

later on they mix those dudes with a new enemy type that is fucking bulletproof. they run at you at super speed and a shotgun blast to the face makes them pause on one knee for a moment before they continue dashing. fuuuuck the fifth area of the prison escape level.

I guess as far as ~favorite moments~, there's a sort of serendipitous beauty in being frustrated and going "okay one more death and I'm taking a break for today" and then that life is the one you beat the level on, so when that happened with the prison level it was pretty satisfying. I also love kicking severed heads around Blood-style. (with its punishing difficulty and fragile player character Blood scratches a lot of the same gameplay itches for me as HLM, as a matter of fact.)

Awww man I hated the Police Station in HM1. In HM2 I actually enjoyed playing it.

A couple of years ago i got bored to shit with AAA games. They all looked the fucking same and were pricey. I saw a review of hotline miami on ign and it was just what i was looking for. Reminds me of the megadrive days when i was a kid except shit loads more gore :D
Playing through wrong number now and loving it, very difficult game but i can't get enough of it. Finished playing about 2am last night. I use a controller cause i ain't into the mouse & keys. As for the enemies off screen you a "look" control for them ay Love the series. Enjoying getting used to Alex & Ash and becoming fluent, nothing like maiming a few with the saw then letting the ensuing bunch have some lead. Fast paced murder mayhem.