We discuss SUPERHOT on this episode of the Moving Pixels Podcast.
For all of SUPERHOT‘s solid focus on the mechanics of slow-motion shooting play, there is a lot more going on under the hood. In fact, I’d hold SUPERHOT as a prime example of a game that can’t get a fair shake because the critics purposefully turn their brains off with what it’s saying. The number of people saying that all the narrative material shouldn’t have been in the game and they wished it has been excised, is frankly appalling. Especially when they’re the people usually on the side of defending deeper criticism of video games. But no, the moment they see a meta technique in use, off go the brains.
I had to get that off my chest, because I see otherwise intelligent people making asinine statements about any game that isn’t of a certain standard mold. SUPERHOT has a lot to say about the behavior of groups and the nature of addiction through it’s sci-fi premise. Part of the issue for people, I think, is that the premise is explored not from a holistic perspective — there is no character that can step back and explain to the player what’s going on — everything is from the first person perspective, including the narrative. So the details of what is happening in the plot are lost, but the systems of behavior, group think, addiction and cultism are still on display.
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“You have to play SUPERHOT. It’s the most innovative shooter I’ve played in years.”