Developer: SUPERHOT Team
Publisher: SUPERHOT Team
Release Date: February 25th, 2016
Platform: PC [Reviewed], Mac, Linux & XBox One
Price: $24.99Â $22.49 [10% off on Steam]
Disclaimer: The following game was reviewed on PC. A code was provided by the publisher for review purposes.
SUPERHOT IRL (as opposed to the game universe) is the quintessential success story. It started out as a 7 day Game Jam project made by a small group of friends in late 2013. After releasing the initial prototype to the internet, SUPERHOT immediately blew up in popularity! This momentum and fan-based support catapulted this game through the Steam Greenlighting process over the course of a single weekend. Almost a year later SUPERHOT had expanded with a bigger team, making their initial prototype into a full-blown game through a Kickstarter campaign. Within the first 23 hours of the campaign’s launch, the game was funded and even went on to receive over $250,000!
That’s all fine and dandy, no doubt about it but it still doesn’t answer the one question we all really care about, “Is the game any good?” Stay tuned for the answer. YES! Plain and simple, SUPERHOT is a legitimate contender. Some might nitpick about the sub-par style of the graphics or the annoyance of the audio’s innate repetition. All of these small flaws easily become overshadowed by SUPERHOT‘s . . . je ne sais quoi. In other words, it’s hard to pinpoint or describe what exactly makes SUPERHOT so good. It just is!
SUPERHOT is not afraid to dive headfirst into the realm of darkness. SUPERHOT does not fear going experimental. SUPERHOT will not back down from challenging innate perceptions of what games are or should be. To use a very tired cliché, SUPERHOT is pretty damn unique! There’s just no other way to characterize it because at least to me, it is beyond comparison. So let’s get into the nitty gritty.
Super Hot Graphics:
While obviously simplistic in its execution, SUPERHOT‘s graphics will not require a 4K monitor to enjoy. All the better for it, I say. When developers have nailed the core features of a game so accurately, as they did here, there’s no real need for any added fluff. It is what it is, que sera, sera (if I can indulge some more cultural turn of phrase). What sets SUPERHOT apart from the others in its graphic pack is what they were able to do with these “simplistic” visuals.
None of my words are going to be able to do it justice and a picture is worth a thousand words, so feast your eyes:
Super Hot Audio:
SUPER . . . HOT . . . SUPER . . . HOT . . . SUPER . . . HOT . . . SUPER . . . HOT!
‘Nuff Said.
Super Hot Plot:
Without delving into some major #spoileralert terrority, I cannot do the plot of SUPERHOT any real justice. I can just give my full endorsement in saying, PLAY THE GAME! Let me try and put it this way, if I may be so bold. Was anyone out there a fan of Deadpool? Most likely a few people out there just said, “yes!” This would be understandable, as it has grossed $520.6 million box office in the short 17 days since its initial release.
My point here is this: Â if super dark comedy, 4th wall breaking to the MAXÂ and some badass butt kicking is “your thing,” then this just might be the game for you! SUPERHOT has hit this glorious trifecta in spades. Its plot is full of mind-blowing twists around every corner that will have you questioning your very existence on this Earth! (*Over dramatization)
Super Hard:
Don’t even go there, guys. SUPERHOTÂ was by no means meant to be an “easy” game. Though it may be quick, it is thoroughly satisfying because its innate challenging difficulty. You’d think having the ability to dictate the passage of time would turn you into some all-powerful wizard. You would be wrong. You will die often and horribly in this game. Do not be fooled.
As a categorized “FPS,” it will have a few fun guns to play with, don’t worry there. What sets SUPERHOT apart is its gameplay mechanics. More often than not, I’d end up throwing my guns at my enemy’s face rather than shooting them. With a wide array of lethal options ranging from fists, to bats, to trucks, to shotguns –there’s no lack of options. How creatively you choose to kill is up to you.
Conduct a symphony orchestra of beautifully composed, chaotic destruction in SUPERHOT. Just beware, are you really doing what YOU want to, or are you just choosing to,
OBEY!
Super Hot Fun-stration:
SUPERHOT really did find the best way to put the “fun” in “frustration.” Aren’t some of the best games in history the ones that have made their audiences the most upset? Think back to childhood. Ever remember slamming down a controller in a seething rage to something along the lines of a: Mario Party, Super Smash Bros. or Halo? Now did you really hate those games? Didn’t think so.
SUPERHOT is no different. Though playing this game could leave one feeling frightened, controlled, even borderline violated, it’s still one hell of a game. I believe the real key to SUPERHOT‘s success is just how creepy it chose to be. The psychological-thriller aspects of the game stand out more than any of the FPS aspects ever could. I even found myself forgetting an amazing aspect of the game (controlling time with movement) due to the nature of its story-line.
The Bottom Line
SUPERHOT avidly tempts its audience to STOP playing it numerous times throughout its campaign. It begs, it threatens, it even makes you promise –all to no avail. If that isn’t the mark of a great game, I don’t know what is! Even at the height of my rage and depression, dying for the 10th time in a row on the elevator level, I was thoroughly enjoying this game. SUPERHOT creeped me out and left me shocked at its unexpectedly dark narrative.
The simple fact that it was so different and it was not afraid to get so dark is what made it a lasting memory. I highly recommend it to any type of gamer rookie or pro and to any enthusiast of an FPS or otherwise. SUPERHOT is a one of a kind experience that everyone should be thrilled to partake in at their soonest possible convenience.
