![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() In the completed version of SUPERHOT, enemies and weapons resemble glass, shattering when destroyed or thrown.Their slides locked open after they were depleted and operated independently of the time mechanism, allowing one to fire quite quickly. In the prototype, the enemies sported shades, their deaths resembled alpha helices in a protein’s secondary structure after being shot and the guns were more realistic-looking. The SUPERHOT prototype was released in September 2013, and I was taking proteomics at the time.SUPERHOT‘s campaign presents all of the game’s mechanics with a quirky narrative, and while it’s quite short (clocking in at only two hours), its main purpose is to prepare players for the game’s challenge and endless modes. The minimalist artwork further makes SUPERHOT easy to play enemies and usable items immediately stand out against the white background, and bullet trails help players determine how to evade them. Each level, though short, is about finding a functional solution for completion, and each level further permits players to experiment with different means of completing them. Weapons have extremely limited ammunition, and players can choose to discard their weapons manually: a well-timed throw will disarm an enemy, making it possible to use this as a means of relieving enemies of their weapons to buy one more time. Gun mechanics are now tied with time, so players must strategically move around before their weapon will cycle a new round into the chamber. The handling for the game is superb, and comparing the final product with the prototype, it’s clear that the game has been well thought out. Its minimalistic artwork, novel concept and clean execution combine to make SUPERHOT a super hot title: the game lives up to its own claims as “the most innovative shooter…in years”. The flow of time and hot switching create two novel elements that allow players to create novel solutions for extricating themselves out of difficult situations: upon successfully completing a level, the announcer reiterates SUPER…HOT, two words with strongly positive connotations (“positive” and “intense”), and yes, it does feel very good to complete a mission in one attempt, because SUPERHOT, like Wolfire’s Receiver, is highly unforgiving in that a single bullet will result in death. This feature is highly useful for escaping difficult situations and is balanced out by the fact that when entering a new body, the player immediately discards the weapon and cannot hot switch again to prevent abuse. This is where SUPERHOT stands out from other shooters: by utilising the time mechanic, players are afforded a few extra moments to plan their next move, and later missions in SUPERHOT provide players with hot switching, allowing them to possess different bodies. Throughout the game, the player is reminded that they are not in control, a caricature of the linear nature of many contemporary shooters. Playing as themselves, SUPERHOT introduces itself as a cracked game, but it becomes apparent shortly after that something sinister is occurring the player is being watched and gradually becomes absorbed into SUPERHOT itself. Armed with this mechanic, SUPERHOT is a first-person puzzle game where the goal is to capitalise on this unique power to complete the different levels: when the player stops moving, time flows at a dramatically reduced rate, allowing one to carefully plan their next move. “It’s about time”, states SUPERHOT, “time moves only when you move”. “ SUPERHOT is the most innovative shooter I’ve played in years.” - SUPERHOT Tagline ![]()
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