The killers in Hotline Miami and you
“Do you like hurting other people?”
Hotline Miami was a neon-saturated, blood-drenched, and gore-filled arcade romp. While the game seemed shallow, the narrative had a surprising amount of depth and subterfuge to it. The player encounters the main masked killers several times in what appear to be trippy hallucinations. The killers make allusions to future events and ask direct questions about the violent acts committed by the player’s character.
The catch is the game is asking YOU these questions.
“Do you like hurting people? You’re not a nice person are you? Why did you came back here? You're not a nice person, are you? You make me sick!” The game itself is a commentary on video game violence and our perceptions about it. The developers themselves made an appearance and address the player as well. There aren’t many games where the developers themselves tell you how terrible a person you are. Too bad the sequel went all-out in the opposite direction…
Published May. 7th 2015
