This ones a little old again but it's also free on Xbox right now so I'm reviewing it. Superhot is a game with one really good mechanic, good visuals, and a plot that it doesn't need.
Said mechanic is that time only moves when you do. Mostly. You can look around freely and enemies will remain still but some projectiles seems to keep moving albeit very slowly. This allows you to be placed into situations where you are completely outnumbered and survive. The game becomes a mix of shooter and puzzle game since you need to need to find a way to progress through the game by eliminating all the enemies in a section while stand alive yourself.
It's exciting and fun to plan out your attacks and by the end of the game your chaining gunshots, punches, and throws to clear out entire rooms.
You can shoot enemies with guns, attack them with fists and melee weapons, or throw objects (like guns) to make them drop their own weapons. You'll need to do all of these things too. Since time only moves when you do the guns need time to chamber the next bullet or shell. That means you need to manage 'reload' time along with the number of enemies. Often I found myself shooting an enemy, turning and then tossing my gun at another before taking his gun and shooting a third guy with it. It's gun-fu at its best. The mechanics are tight and once mastered make you feel like an action film star.
The locals are those of action movies. Construction sites, parking garages, trains, museums, and bars to name a few. When you've cleared an area you can watch a full sped replay of the level and also save the replay if it looks good.
There's a lot of things Super Hot reminds me of. Visually it reminds me of Mirrors Edge with the stark colors. The action has a Matrix and Sherlock Holmes vibe when your planning and executing attacks and Hotline Miami feel when you execute your plan. For reasons I'll get to later it also reminds me of Portal. All these influences come together to make the game special.
In a style remnesiant of Five Nights At Freddie's there's a few mini games to play along with a basic file directory that adds more questions than answers. While intriguing I wasn't drawn to any of them so I can't weigh in on them either.
I only have two real complaints. First of all the game is short. I finished the entire story in one sitting (about 3 hours). There's real potential to create more puzzles using the system and rules they've established so it's a shame it ends so fast.
The second thing is in the storytelling and there's MINOR SPOILERS here so consider yourself warned. A little ways in the game gets a bit meta. This is interesting but unnecessary. The gameplay is already unique, fun, and most important straightforward. Once Superhot starts reminding me of Portal some of the experience is lost. The meta elements are also introduced too soon for them to feel different from the base game. Add to it that they're less interesting than the puzzles and the result is an experience that feels as though it's attempting to be deep without actually doing it. The player is addressed by the game but it's made clear that the "player" isn't you playing the game but rather the character who is playing the game.
The good:
-Challenging and fun shooter puzzles.
-Simple but effective visuals.
The bad:
-The main game is too short.
-The meta plot elements fall flat.
When it's putting you into an action-movie style situation that you have to puzzle your way out of Superhot stands out as a new and exciting shooter. Unfortunately the games insistence on a meta-plot that falls short clutters the game. I'm going to go ahead and recommend it though. After all,
"It's the most innovative shooter I've played in years."
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