SUPERHOT / DEVELOPER & PUBLISHER: SUPERHOT TEAM / PLATFORM: PC, PS4, SWITCH (REVIEWED), XBOX ONE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
With its unique concept and strikingly minimalist art design, Superhot went down a storm with first person shooter fans when it was originally released on PC back in 2016. The game has amassed a cult following through subsequent releases on Xbox One and PS4, and a rebuilt version was made available for VR platforms at various points over the last couple of years. Being the current console of choice for indie developers, a Switch release seemed almost inevitable – the time has now arrived, so let’s take a look!
Superhot drops you straight into its world by placing you in front of your computer screen when a message arrives from one of your friends. They’re raving about this amazing new game, insisting you download a cracked .exe file to play it immediately. Booting the game up, you play through a series of bite-sized levels where time only moves when you do, and the only thing you need to do is to kill half a dozen or so enemies. It feels a little bit like being part of one of those slow motion sequences in The Matrix, slowly inching forwards while bullets skim past your face. With the entire game only moving when you move your character, each level is an exercise in strategically planning the best route to avoid enemy fire while giving yourself the best chance to take out your opponents.
The story mode is relatively short (a couple of hours at the most), but its narrative becomes increasingly sinister and ends with quite a bang. Completing the campaign isn’t the end though – your work is only just beginning, as you now have access to an endless mode where you keep going until you’re defeated, as well as a hefty challenge mode which asks you to complete levels under certain restrictions.
An undeniable critical success as well as a cult classic, Superhot‘s Switch appearance is an extremely welcome one. Its short levels are ideal for portable play, and look excellent on the small screen. A tremendous addition to the Switch’s growing library of indie darlings.
