Steam only

The level editor for Hotline Miami 2 is no longer in beta, and to celebrate, I think a Carpenter Brut playlist is in order. If it seems like this rollout has taken its sweet tim?e, I agree -- the game is over a year old and, initially, I thought ??we'd be playing custom levels soon after launch.

Over on the Steam Workshop page, you can find simple murder boxes and also more story-centric, multi-part user creations. I know some of you were frustrated with the layouts in the core game to the point where you didn't even finish it, so this could be a good way to get your Hotline fix.

This is what the editor itself looks like:

"Thank you so much for your patience and help over the extended development of the level editor," reads today's announcement. "Without your passion, help, and feedback this would not have been possible. Now please go make Hotline Miami 3!"

Knowing the fanbase, someone totally will. Heck, there's already a Doom level.

Hotline Miami 2 Level Editor Leaves Beta, No?w Live [Steam]

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DIY bloodbaths, now freely available

At long last, Dennaton has finally released an early beta of the mod tools for Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. It’s only available for Window, but you’re no??w able to make your own custom maps.

A tutorial released by Dennaton shows how easy to use the tools are. Most of the interface appears to be tile-based drag and drop, yet it also has a surprising?? amount of functionality. Not only can you create individual levels, but you’re also able to make fully-fledged campaigns and cutscenes too. Of course there will be bugs, this is an early beta after all, but for a first release, it’s mighty impressive.

The sticking point is actually sharing levels. Steam Workshop isn’t supported yet, so the only way you’ll be able to find new maps to play is if you go hunting for them. To get you started, I recommend looking through the more recent posts of /r/hotlinemiamimaps, as well as this thread in the /r/hotlinemiami subreddit.

I wonder how? many penis-shaped maps there? are already…

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Happy murder maze designer

It's been a little while since we last heard about the “almost ready” level editor for Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. But good things come to masked murderers who lie in wait and our patience has finally been rewarded. Developer Dennaton has announced that the level? editor beta will hit the Steam version?? (and only the Steam version) on December 10.

According to t?he announcement, the level editor will be open to everyone (no need for an invite) and all the content ??will be available from the start. Sadly, there are a few limitations. The level editor will never see the light of day on the console versions (although they are planning on releasing map packs to those platforms), there won't be any custom music options given the obvious copyright problems that would expose Dennaton to, and there won't be a custom sprite editor included (although there are third-party options available).

The level editor may be coming out a little later than initially expected, but it's still good to see a developer supporting their game with free additions like this. Looking forward to all the fun and frustrating rampages the Hotline community will cook up with these tools.

The post Hotline Miami 2 level edi??tor beta hitting next ??month appeared first on Destructoid.

The level editor is almost ready

One of the common complaints for Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is its large levels. Were they too large? I didn't mind them. Sure, it felt bad to die from the last guy on the floor after pulling off a m??iraculous string of executions, but that struggle defines these games.

Getting into the zone, finally coming out on top, strolling past the carnage as the pumping music calms and your heart rate returns to normal -- that's the Hotline Miami experience.

Anyway. If you aren't into the sprawling levels -- or you'd just prefer them to be more compartmentalized -- know that the level editor is "pretty close to completion." Jonatan Söderström of Dennaton Games has posted an annotated look at the editor and spoken about its limitations, of which there are quite a few depending on how ambitious you want ??to get with your designs.

It's unlikely we'll see the editor on PlayStation, but Dennaton is "looking into releasing packs of levels from the community on the console versions.?" That'll be sufficient for some players, I'm sure.

Hotline Miami 2 Level Editor [Dennaton]

The post We’ll soon be able to make tiny levels in Hotline Miami 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Cocaine Cowboys and Neon Lights

I still remember how the original Hotline Miami suddenly came out of nowhere and left an incredible impression on those who took a chance on it. It was such an unusual title. Its bright, vivid visuals, along with the overhead view of the extreme violence gave it a very distinct look. And the music? I still hum Jasper Bryne's "Miami" theme on occasion. Since 2012, the Hotline Miami games ??have had quite a big following, ??with many fans even coming up with their own interpretations for the surprisingly bizarre and cerebral storyline.

Just two months after the release of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, the developer duo at Dennaton Games, Jonathan Söderström and Dennis Wedin, have opened up about the creation of their surreal, and ultra-violent action series. In a newly released half-hour-long documentary, the folks at Complex have interviewed friends, colleagues, and associates of the talent behind Hotline Miami to discuss the origi?ns, influences, and impact these two indie titles ?have had on gaming.

During their interview, they discuss their initial work on simple shoot-'em-up and zombie titles, before transitioning over to what would be Hotline Miami after watching the documentary Cocaine Cowboys. With other inspiration from the era, including shows like Miami Vice and even recent films such as Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive fueling their passion for the project, they eventually caught ??the at??tention of indie publisher Devolver Digital.

Of course, that's only the beginning. As we all know, it really blew up after the release of the original, and it's interesting to see their thoughts on how fans and critics alike accepted their title. If you're a fan of the Hotline Miami s??eries, or just generally curious about how development works, then? I highly recommend checking it out.

The post The H??otline Miami? Story covers the making of this trippy series appeared first on Destructoid.

'The Way Home' by Magic Sword

I've stopped playing Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, but the soundtrack hasn't gone anywhere -- well, not all of it. I said I'd play the songs on repeat until I grew sick of them and, yep, that has mostly happened.? But these things are cycl??ical, you know?

Today's free release of "The Way Home" is here to pull me back in. Now, this isn't my favorite Hotline Miami 2 track --? in fact, it's not even my favorite Magic Sword track featured in the game -- but free is free and it'd be thoughtless of me to not pass along this info.

So go on, download the song.

The post Download th?is free ??track off the Hotline Miami 2 OST appeared first on Destructoid.

Comes with some art cards, comics and stuff too

Rejoice Hotline Miami fans who still like physical boxed releases, there's a Hotline Miami and Hotline Miami 2 physical collectors edition in the works.

The $60 (£40) box set, due to ship out in August 2015, comes with DVD and Steam copies of Hotline Miami and Hotline Miami 2 Special Edition, a fancy looking DVD case, a mix tape on an actual music cassette, a trade paperback version of the Hotline Miami 2 comic, five trading ca??rds, an art card, and a spray-paint stencil.?? 

At the time of writing the physical release still needs another thousand or so orders to enter production, but considering the speed these have been being ordered so far I don't doubt they'll reach their target. You can take a closer look at the physical release and order it here.

The post Get both Hotline Miami games in a ??brutal physical box s?et appeared first on Destructoid.

More of the old ultraviolence

For some, Hotline Miami was an existential look at the current macro-state of videogames. You were told to commit random acts of murder seemingly without remorse, an??d at the end, you get a bit ??of interesting commentary on the culture of violence. Many argued that the only way you can truly win is to not play, and it started some insightful conversations.

For me, it was a really bitchin' action puzzle game that made me constantly reinvent my strategy for each and every level. It was an experience that didn't hold my hand at every t?urn??, and let me be as creative as I wanted while a kickass soundtrack blared in the background.

Hotline Miami 2?? may not be as "profound" as its ??predecessor, but it's still a bloody good time.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number  (PC [reviewed], PS3, PS4, Vita)
Developer: Dennaton Games
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Released: March 10, 2015
MSRP: $14.99

For those of you who didn't play the first game, Hotline basically functions as a top-down shooter with a completely open-ended style of play. Each map features a host of different ene?my types and weapons, all of which can be used in an almost endless combination of ways. Your goal is to simple destroy an entire floor of foes, move on to the next part, and repeat the process until everyone is dead. It's that simple.

After the very first broken-down door I was hooked again. Heck, even when I proceeded to die five times in rapid succession immediately, I had a blast. It's still amazing to me how many different ways you can ap??proach a room, and no two methods between players are the same. That's due in part to a slight randomization for each spawn, where select enemies may not have the exact same weapo??ns or may vary in their patrol routine -- but for the most part, the maps are technically laid out in the same manner, allowing you to divine a plan of sorts.

Of course, plans almost never go off without a hitch, and you'll constantly have to reinvent the way you ap?proach every level. While it may seem like going in guns blazing in a certain room is the quickest way to clear out the guys impervious to melee attacks, it's easy to miss a window right where you're standing that leaves you open to gunfire. It's variations like this that cause you to think twice before doing anything, and patience ultimately wins out in most circumstances. It's not just a shooter, it's a thinking man's game.

There are still are some cases of poor AI though, where luck will win out above all else. While most enemies will come running if they hear gunfir??e, some are oblivious to muzzle shots two feet from their face. In very rare occasions, baddies glitched into doorways, rendering them invincible for a few seconds, only to re-materialize and take me out when I wasn't looking. It's maddening to die repeatedly, especially on tougher stages, but these instances are so few and far between that they didn't impede my overall enjoyment.

One of the big draws of Hotline 2 is the addition of more masks, which function as playable characters. Powers like roll dodging can change the game up significantly. Another character can't use lethal weapons, and ejects bullets from guns Batman-style. A different style, one of my personal favorites, focuses on lethal punches, but cannot use weapons at all. "Alex and Ash," another standout mask, actually features two people at once in an Ice Climbers-like situation. If Alex dies bo?th perish, but the duo wields a chainsaw and pistol, respectively, that are controlled with two different buttons.

Without giving away the context, there's also a number of jungle scenes that really remind me of the old-school MSX and NES Metal Gear -- the character featured here can even switch between CQC at will. There's also a cool "heist-like" level featuring multiple perspectives and rapid character switching. Thankfully, Hotline 2 has plug-and-play controller support fo??r those of you who prefer it -- it just worked. You can also fully customiz?e your keyboard or gamepad controls.

Musically, Hotline Miami is still at the top of its game, and Hotline 2 is easily one of my favorite gaming OSTs in recent memory. The hard-hitting el??ectronica beats fit perfectly with the high-octane atmosphere, and artists such as M|O|O|N, El Huervo, Perturbator, and Magic ??Sword absolutely nail their compositions.

From a narrative standpoint, Hotline 2 jumps around a lot more than its predecesso??r. There's no cohesive "Jacket" and "Helmet" tale this time around, as Dennaton is content on shifting the perspective to multiple gangs, a corrupt cop, a soldier, and a few other surprises. The entire affair is framed around a violent action movie, and once again the concept of what's real and what's not comes into play. There are a select few cutscenes of sexual nature, but the latter can be turned off, and everything is par for the course for the series in general. The story is often engrossing, but the content not surprising in games where you brutally murder hundreds of people to "win?."

When Hotline 2 is said and done, there's 25 levels to play with. And in case you're worried: no, the totally manageable stealth level ??that everyone hated for some reason does not return -- it's all action all the time. There's also a hard mode to tinker with if you're so inclined, which restarts your journey back to the first level and functions as a new playthrough.

In addition to the inherent score-attack element built into the game, you'll ?also have the level editor to play with, exclusive to the PC version. It's shockingly easy to use, and right now, the interface reminds me of '90s first-person-shooter editors. Everything is an instant click a?way, from furniture to stairs to enemies, meaning pretty much anyone can craft stages without advanced programming knowledge. While I'm not super keen on creating my own puzzles, I'm anxious to see what the community comes up with.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is more of the same, but that's not a bad thing if that's all you want out of it. After beating the sequel I was immediately inspired to go back and play the original, which in turn inspired me to start playing Wrong Number again??. Between the leve??l editor and the iron-clad gameplay, I'll be enjoying this franchise for years to come.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number appeared first on Destructoid.

$14.99 on Win/Mac/Linux and PS3/PS4/Vita

No maybe about it: Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number will release on March 10, just as the cryptic phone message seemed to indicate. The ferocious overhead action game is headed to Steam and GOG.com (Windows, Mac, Linux), and P?layStation Network (PS3, PS4, and PS Vita) for $14.99.

Excuse me while I listen to these tracks again in silence. But first, some housekeeping: there's a Digital Special Edition of the game that comes with a six-track remix EP featuring M|O|O|N, Scattle, and Carpenter Brut, as well as some Hotline weapons and masks for Payday 2.

Okay, I'm leaving now. No more HM2 talk. I mean it. See you March 10.

The post Answer Hotline Miami 2’s call on March 10, 2015 appeared first on Destructoid.

Get your murder on with pictures and words!

Devolver Digital and Dennaton Games have teamed up with Italian art collective Dayjob Studio to bring you an early taste of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number in delicious, digital comic book form.

The free, five-part comic series digs into the backsto?ry of the brutal events of the first game and introduces some of the new playable characters and factions that will appear in the gore-encrusted sequel, due to release in Q1 2015.

Each comic is viewable in the application on Steam and readers can turn through the digital pages as select music from the game's soundtrack plays in the background. The remaining three issues will be updated to the application leading up to the release of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number.

Hotlin?e Miami 2: Wrong Number Digital Comic Series [Steam]

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While not encouraging the practice, S?derstr?m makes an exception

Devolver Digital and Dennaton Games' forthcoming title Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number made headlines yesterday after the Australian Classification Board made the decision to refuse the game classification, effectively banning its sales and distribution in the? region.

A concerned Hotline Miami supporter living in Australia named Max Cartwright reached out to Jonatan Söderström of Dennaton in an email to share his concerns about the Classification Bo??ard's decision and to ask if there were alternative methods to ac??quire the game.

"Please, if there is any way for me to pay you directly for a copy of your game, I would be delighte?d," he said via email. "Perhaps you could send me a copy of your game and I could donate to your Paypal? Just give me options!"

Söderström responded by saying, "If it ends up not being released in Australia, just pirate it after release. No need to send us any money, just enjoy the game!" Devolver's Fork Parker verified the authenticity of the email over Twitter in this exchange with Polygon's Ben Kuchera.

While the developer's statement may come as a surprise to some, this isn't be the first time the Hotline Miami team has tolerated piracy of their games. Back in October of 2012, Söderström reached out to the Pirate Bay community requesting that its future torrents of the title include the latest patch that he was ?working on at the time.

When questioned by Polygon about the unusual deci?sion, Söderström replied, "I've worked very hard on making an interesting experience that I want people to enj?oy," adding "Bugs detract from that, and that's worse to me than losing money."

Obviously Denneton would prefer for people to pay for its games and not resort to piracy; but, if left with no other viable option -- as is the c?ase with Australia -- it seems that the team wants gamers to experience?? its work no matter how they have to get it.

_{[Header image by Promadas, published on DeviantArt]}

The post Hotline Miami dev suggests piracy as an alternative to Australia ‘ban’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Graphic implicit rape scene goes beyond the country's 18+ rating

Hotline Miami 2 has been refused classification in Australia, primarily due to a rape scene. Before we dig into the meat of t?he news, be warned this article contains a pretty graphic description of rape.

With that out the way, yes, Hotline Miami 2 has been refused classification in Australia, which in essence means it will not receive a physical release as the vast majority of retailers in the country will refuse to carry it. Think about this like the AO rating Manhunt 2 originally received in North America .

Also, the three major console manufacturers will not sell digital copies of a game that has been refused classification. To be clear, this would not stop developer Devolver Digital from selling the game online. This isn't censorship of Hotline Miami 2, as there are still avenues where Devolver could choose to sell it in its current form to Australian consumers, but it's a pretty strong bet it will still force the developers ?to change the game. It's not censorship, but will probably have the same effect if the developers want the game to sell.

Right, let's dig into the classification r??eport and its description of the scene?? in question:

In the sequence of game play footage titled Midnight Animal, the protagonist character bursts into what appears to be a movie set and explicitly kills 4 people, who collapse to the floor in a pool of copious blood, often accompanied by blood splatter. After stomping on the head of a fifth male character, he strikes a female character wearing red underwear. She is knocked to the floor and is viewed lying face down in a pool of copious blood. The male character is viewed with his pants halfway down, partially exposing his buttocks. He is viewed pinning the female down by the arms and lying on top of her thrusting, implicitly raping her (either rear entry or anally) while her legs are viewed kicking as she struggles beneath him. This visual depiction of implied sexual violence is emphasized by it being mid-screen, with a red backdrop pulsating and the remainder of the ?screen being surrounded by black.

EDIT: Destructoid was contacted over Twitter by a PR representative at Devolver Digital who sent over the following statement. Devolver's statement suggests the scene in question is the same rape scene from early demos of?? the game, further claiming the A??ustralian ratings board exaggerated the scene and failed to give proper context.

We are aware of the recent report published by the Australian Classification Board in regards to Hotline Miami 2 and have been in communication w?ith them. As such, we and Dennaton Games would like to clarify a few things:

First, to clear up any possible misconceptions, the opening cinematic that was first shown in June of 2013 has not changed in any way. We also want to make clear? that players are given an choice at the start of the game as to whether they wish to avoid content that alludes to sexual violence. The sequence in question is presented below in context, both after choosing the uncut version of the game and after choosing to avoid content that alludes to sexual violence.

Second, in response to the report itself, we are concerned and disappointed that a board of professionals tasked with evaluating and judging games fairly and honestly would stretch the facts to such a degree and issue a report that describes specific thrusting actions that are not simply ??present in the sequence in question and incorrectly portrays what was presented to them for?? review.

Though we have no plans to officially challenge the ruling, we stand by our developers, the?ir creative vision for the storyline, its characters and the game and look forward to delivering Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number to fans very soon. 

- Devolver Digital and Dennaton Games

The classification report ?g?oes on further to explain its decision:

The ??computer? game is classified RC in accordance with the National Classification Code, Computer Games Table, 1. (a) as computer games that “depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified.”

At the moment it's unclear how other countries' ratings and classification boards will feel about the pre??sence ;of the scene. Destructoid has reached out to Devolver Digital and to Dennaton's Jonatan Söderström for comm??ent and will update this story as necessary.

The post Hotli?ne Miami 2 refused classification in Australia (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.

Wait until you see the jacket art

iam8bit has opened pre-orders for the Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number Collector's Edition Vinyl ahead of its first quarter 2015 ship date. (Is that ??when the game is releasing? Hope so!)

At $60, the three-record set features 28 tracks, Steam codes for both Hotline Miami 2 (Windows/Mac/Linux) and ??the di?gital soundtrack, and one badass tri-fold jacket.

What a beauty. The store page promises "eve??n more art in here that will be r??evealed soon!"

It's a good thi??ng I'm not into vinyl. I w??ouldn't be able to resist.

The post Holy crap, this Hotline Miami 2 vinyl is cool appeared first on Destructoid.

Just give it to me

Hotline Miami developer Dennaton, along with Devolver Digital and esctoy.com have teamed up to create the Hotline Miami figure you?'ve dreamed of. It's a 1/6 scale, 12-inch figure based on Jacket, featuring removable clothing, weapons, and heads.

They've taken to Kickstarter to properly gauge interest in a Hotline Miami figure, and if you want this bad boy you're going to need to drop down $85 for it. You get four heads (Tiger, Rooster, Pig, and bloody bandaged Jacket head), interchangeable letter jacket, sh??irts, jeans, hospital gown, and weapons that include a shotgun, baseball bat, and katana.

For $200, you can get the "Midnight Miami Marauder" exclusive by designer Erick Scarecrow. Only 100 of these will be made, and features a color set to match the logo of the game. Plus you'll get Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, along with other digital bonuses detailed on the Kickstarter.

Unf.

The post Oh my god I need t??his Hotline Miami figure in? my life appeared first on Destructoid.

Share levels with others online

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number will have a level editor on the PC! Fans can cr??eate their own demented levels, decorate it however they want to. And yes, you'll be able to share these custom created levels wi??th other players.

Still no launch date, but we'll be getting our hands on this level editor this week at E3. Otherwise look out for Hotline Miami 2 later this?? year on the PC, ??PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita.

The post Yes! PC version o??f Hotline Miami 2 will hav?e a level editor! appeared first on Destructoid.

And make you think about corgis

I went from sipping tea from a corgi mug to wanting to hurt people this morning in about 30 seconds flat after watching this badass, brand new Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number trailer. I was like yeah. Hell yeah. Headbang?ing. Holding an invisible rifle.

But then my mind immediately went back to corgis and tea. Why? In the trailer, when the player scores the point value is displayed. For the font they use, "800 pts" looks like BOOPTS, which I imagine is some advanced form of booping (tapping t?he tip of someone's nose). I boop my corgis noses like 5??0 times a day!

I have a problem, don't I?

You don't have to be boop happy to appreciate that brand new content for Hotline Miami 2 will be playable at PAX East this weekend. We'll be sure to boop you on the nose when it launches for PC, PlayStation 4, and PlaySta?ti??on Vita later this year.

The post New Hotline Miami 2 trailer will wake you up th??is morning appeared first on Destructoid.

Do you like hurting people?

Between appointments I popped in to play Hotline Miami 2 again. And it's still awesome.

After finishing (losing) I turned around to find a list of forbidden interview questions written on the wall b?ehind m??e. The banned questions are as follows:

• When is it out on PS4/Vita?
• Why is it so hard?
• Isn't it a bit violent?
• Do you like hurting people?
• Where is Fork Parker?
• Why do you call it a sequel when it's pretty much the same?
• Which story is the true story, Jackets or Bikers?
• Why is it in pixelgraphics?
• Was Drive a big inspiration for you?
• Why are you drinking beer 9:30 in the morning?
• Can I take a pictures of this?
• Are those your normal clothes or is it just for PR?

I heard Dennis W????edin laughing somewhere in the background. 

The post gamescom: Forbidden Hotline Miami 2 interv??iew questions appeared first on Destructoid.