Superhot review

Superhot is a game by Polish developers, which is distinguished by a very original concept of both playability and graphics. Time passes here only when our character moves. Time manipulation is necessary for us to survive and with the help of various tools to deal with enemies.

The first news about the game created mixed feelings in me. What could be interesting in stopping the action of the game with graphics consisting of a few colors? It's all kind of sterile," I said. And as I received the game as a gift it was necessary to try what it was about. I put aside Destiny 2 and started playing Superhot. And somehow 3 hours passed in a flash. Ot, the magic of simple games - one could say. But beyond the visual layer, there is nothing simple here.

It's all pretty damn complex. We have a room and we have to eliminate all the enemies. There are several - a dozen opponents in each of them. The fun is ahead when we have only bare fists, and the rival holds a gnat and shoots. What to do? Approach and just knock him out ? Let me remind you - when we move, time passes. And during this time we will easily receive a bullet. It is necessary to combine. You can try to catch the enemy from the side, you can find an object, throw it at the weapon that falls and take it. There are a whole bunch of such flavors in the game, but they are very difficult to execute.

Here we constantly have to think, be two steps ahead of the enemy and very respectful of time. It passes even when we turn around or press the trigger of the gun. I got incredibly emotional when I shot an enemy when he did the same thing at almost the same moment. What then? We shoot and hope to retreat to lengthen the path of the bullet and at the last moment miraculously move away. Because in the game...it is impossible to crouch. I don't know if the creators forgot about this, or deliberately made the gameplay more difficult with this procedure. Quite possibly, since we have only one life and any mistake will result in repeating the level. And we will repeat them very often, constantly looking for opportunities to win. In short - to pass a level, we need to make a perfectly coordinated plan and still execute it. Mindless shooting blindly, as in typical FPSs, will certainly end in imminent death. That's why I have a problem with classifying this game. Because at first glance it is an FPS, while the whole environment around destroying enemies is already a puzzle game. There hasn't been something like this on the market yet. Death lurks around every corner and can surprise us, so we need to have eyes around our heads. But sometimes you just can't, due to the number of enemies. Superhot might as well be called "Memento Mori."

The game does not forgive mistakes and death is natural here, like in the Souls series games. We live to die, or possibly to learn how to complete a level and do it one time. Such repetition, however, does frustrate, because we never try to play the same way. The different approaches to a level generate incredible fun and a desire to try new techniques. In addition to guns and white weapons, we have the ability to throw various objects encountered on the map. We must keep in mind that picking them up also speeds up time.

An amazing atmosphere is built here by the graphics. It's incredible how a few colors in a game can build artistry. Because those simple character models, breaking them up into crystals, speeding up and slowing down time is real art. This originality has meant that we don't demand Forza Horizon 3-like graphics from the game. It's beautiful in both games, but in Superhot in a different way. I'll leave the plot of the game for you and won't spoil it, but against all appearances it exists and is quite good.

The game lacked some atmospheric music for me and the overall sound layer could have been much better. An even bigger drawback is the fact that the game is quite short. We should complete the main campaign in a few hours. This is definitely not enough. Fortunately, bonus modes come to our aid, allowing us to beat our own records and have fun to our heart's content. Besides, you can always complete the game once more to look for new solutions.

Nevertheless, Superhot is a must play. It is probably the most original game I have played. As I mentioned, simplicity is an art. The gameplay itself and the mechanics of the protagonist and enemies deserve the highest rating and a place in the Hall of Fame of gaming history. It is a true masterpiece. I dream of a second part of the game and a much longer basic mode. However, due to the length of the game or the lack of any distinctive soundtrack, I simply do not have a conscience not to give this game a 10, because beyond these issues - we are dealing with a masterpiece.