Republished on Wednesday, September 28, 2022: Following the announcement of the PlayStation Plus Essential lineup in October, we’re bringing this review back from the archives. The original is below.
SUPERHOT is the most innovative shooter I’ve played in years. Just because the game tells us to do it, we’re not saying it – it’s true. Weave firepower to overcome the odds and create puzzle-like scenarios where you have to lob objects. It’s absolutely wonderful.
This is a non-virtual reality version, built on the same premise as SUPERHOT VR, but for all intents and purposes, a completely different game. The main difference here is that the DualShock 4 gives you full mobility. The PlayStation VR edition more or less keeps you grounded and teleported around a whitewashed environment.
This drastically changes the experience as all the strafing and other maneuvers take place. So it’s arguably even more frenetic than what we see in virtual reality. For example, because you can’t distort your body like PlayStation VR, matrix Impossible.
The two complement each other in different ways, so it’s best not to compare them. The non-VR version, on the other hand, has a ‘locked-in’ feel that extends to the scale of the stage and the fact that it’s limited by the stage. Here’s a much better story about a villainous AI trying to take control of your mind, regardless of the size of your TV screen.
The game breaks the fourth wall with reckless abandon, embedding puzzle scenarios with subliminal messages, fake chat room exchanges, and an engaging menu system filled with mini-games and bizarre tech demos. All of these things come equipped with the operating system and help with the idea that you’re not entirely in charge of what you’re doing.
You can finish the campaign in about 3 hours, but the package run time is extended with additional modes such as Endless, which turns the core gameplay loop into a highly engaging arcade game. There are also plenty of challenge options, such as beating the game in a specific time frame or using a single weapon such as a katana.
Conclusion
SUPERHOT is the best. What it may lack in the physicality of its virtual reality alter ego, it makes up for this with a poignant story and a decent menu system. produces a different kind of cadence than the PlayStation VR version. Buy both editions if you can. These editions complement each other and in our humble opinion cannot be overlooked. Tell all your friends now…
