Without giving too much away, there’s a bit of a
TRON vibe, and we’re not talking about the video game. You’re playing a game, you’re inside the game, the line between game and real life gets blurrier and blurrier… What’s really happening is teased out in a way that turns what would otherwise be a tech demo into something much greater than the sum of its parts. At a basic level, you progress through a series of levels where it appears that you’re beset by enemies who are moving. Very. Slowly. Turns out that only when you move do they move. Time isn’t frozen, just slowed down to an extreme.
SUPERHOT is built entirely on this basic premise, which may seem limiting, but then who would have thought that a game about teleporting through blue and orange circles would be a hit?
The many extensions of this basic idea are brilliant. Not only does your slow-time superpower make you feel amazing when you see the replays after a level, it produces a game that can appeal to many types of gamers. Strategy gamers will immediately see the value in standing and assessing the situation, then attacking, watching, then speeding up time and space to kick some serious butt. Action gamers will rely more on instincts and reaction time, turning, punching, throwing, and kicking. There’s no right way to play, so even a scene where you’re standing in an elevator with three armed enemies feels loaded with potential. The story elements are intriguing, and there are plenty of challenge levels you can unlock to keep the fun going once you complete the main Campaign.