Superhot aims to alter the very essence of the FPS genre. Instead of frantic twitch reflexes required by most FPS games, Superhot’s main selling point is that the game moves only when you do. Players will need to rely on clever movement and on the fly tactics for the best results. If you want a visually stylish and unique FPS title then look no further than Superhot. Just be prepared for an odd and mind altering tale that Superhot will craft as you play.
What to Expect
On paper, Superhot is just labeled as an FPS game. However, the reality is anything but a typical FPS game. Superhot throws players into a pseudo-virtual reality where they fight against red colored humans. Time only moves with the player moving, meaning you can actually see bullet trajectories and plan out attacks. Players will need to move in and out of bullet trajectories as one hit from a bullet or weapon will kill you. If a player wants to be successful in Superhot, mastering the gameplay and timing will be your keys to success.
Story
In Superhot, players take control of an unnamed gamer. One day a friend sends the gamer an instant message claiming they have found a super cool game that hasn’t been released yet called Superhot. Giving the player the download for it, the gamer is thrown into an odd FPS title where red humans try to kill you and time moves only when you move. The Gamer is about to learn that Superhot isn’t a normal game. Inside this strange FPS lies a dark reality that will soon be unleashed changing the gamer’s life forever.
Gameplay
Superhot is an odd but very unique FPS title. Players will take control of a nameless gamer as they enter the strange world of Superhot. Before they actually begin the game itself, they are met with an old menu design that looks reminiscent of MS-DOS and it’s that design that shows us how Superhot aims to be a narrative story throughout. Once players do boot up Superhot, they are dropped into an odd polygon shaped world with grey colors and enemies being red. This is where the true heart of Superhot takes place.
Superhot requires a finesse not seen in other titles of the same genre. Every movement—and we mean every movement that includes the camera—makes time move. This is significant because it means the enemy can move and that’s where they are able to shoot at you and attack you in tangent. All it takes is one bullet or punch and you’re restarting the area. While it could be said that Superhot is trial and error, we find that as long as you can master the controls you will notice yourself moving and reacting with ease. Players will need to either melee, grab items to throw and or shoot guns themselves—though there is a later power gained but we won’t spoil it—to defeat the foes. It all seems complicated but after a few minutes we assure you’ll be understanding how everything works perfectly.
Visually, Superhot is visually very stylish even though it seems bare minimum. The environments, enemies and even weapons have simplistic designs but how the game moves and what happens during the story sequences or end of area parts—literally the game says Superhot nonstop while showing you what you did in said area—are very different and we loved that about it. Some may have gripes with this overly simple design but it actually works well in presenting the story that’s taking place. We do praise the aesthetics of the game because of the simplicity and trust fully you’ll feel the same as you play. For us here at Honey’s Anime, seeing an enemy explode into shards of red pieces never got old.
Now let’s dig into the few issues we have with Superhot because truly no game is perfect and Superhot does have its fair share of issues. The first issue comes in the form of the controls which at times can be a bit finicky. We had issues at times grabbing items and the camera was sometimes a bit too sensitive but it’s not a game breaker, mind you. Our next big issue is the lack of a soundtrack. We get that Superhot is meant to be a story focused experience but the lack of soundtrack at times made some segments feel almost eerily quiet. This is a personal gripe but we’ve seen we’re not alone as some of the community did have issues with it as well. Finally our last issue is the game’s length which is ridiculously short. We clocked in a few hours to beat the main story and while there are challenge modes, a few mini games and a speed run mode the main story being so short makes this a hard sell at the price warranted.
Honey's Gameplay Consensus:
Clocking in at maybe 2 hours, the main story of Superhot is over in a flash. While there are dozens of challenge maps and speed run modes, it won’t be enough to satisfy everyone into paying $24.99. We also weren’t able to try VR but from various sources we heard the usual issues but haven’t heard anything bad. That being said though, the regular controller gameplay and story itself are very intuitive and the game overall is a great gaming experience. However, here at Honey’s Anime we feel that the pros outweigh the cons and feel it’s definitely one of the cooler games we’ve played in some time. That’s why we can honestly recommend Superhot despite the quick nature as you’ll find yourself wanting to play it even when the credits roll.
Honey's Pros:
Very interesting gameplay mechanic
Unique story
Loads of challenge maps
Simple but intuitive controls
Visually Stylish
Honey's Cons:
Very Short Main Story
Sometimes Finicky Controls
No music
Expensive Price Tag
Honey's Final Verdict:
Superhot is one of those titles that is over before you know it. While we enjoyed Superhot immensely, the asking price is a bit steep for how short the main game is. While yes there are multiple things to do after the credits roll they don’t amount to more than challenges and speed runs which won’t be for everyone. Superhot though will be one of those indie titles that truly will make players realize the true potential in small companies when they pour their heart into a gaming title. Hopefully folks, you enjoyed this review and feel free to let us know if you did by commenting down below. We promise you more game reviews like this one will be out before too long so don’t stray too far from Honey’s Anime.
Writer
Author: Aaron
Hey everyone I’m Aaron Curbelo or Blade as I’m called by my YouTube Subscribers. I’ve been an anime/manga fan since I was a young kid. In terms of anime I have watched nearly a thousand shows and have read hundreds of manga series. I love writing and honestly was so happy to join Honey’s Anime to get a shot to write articles for such a wonderful site. I’m a firm believer in respect in the anime community being the most important embodiment we should all have. We all love anime and we have varying opinions of series but we should respect one another for those differences! Life is too precious to spend it making needless arguments in a community that should be the shining example of loving an amazing medium. I hope as a writer for Honey’s Anime I can bring you folks some amazing articles to read and enjoy!