This is the first time in my life i'm writing something on a forum but this one is bugging me so much, I might just go insane. First of all I'd like to say that I really enjoy errant signals videos and escpecially the one about the first hotline, which might just be my favourite game ever. However I feel like you missed something this time around. It might just be me, but I see a really strong connection between these games and the metal gear solid series. Those are the only games I know that, while having a complex narrative, choose to convey their message through actual gameplay rather than story. This was the case with the first hotline miami as you brilliantly explained in your video. The story was purposefully vague and the developers actually mocked the players who searched for answers and context instead of just enjoying the gameplay. I highly doubt that dennaton simply decided to throw all of this away just to insert a shitload of lore and please the very fans they just mocked with the whole "find all the puzzle pieces" joke. It just doesnt make sense. In your review you pretend like this time around there is absolutely no meta-talk involved, like its just straightforward storytelling. But why would they do that? It would simply contradict everything they did in the first game. Moreover there are numerous 4th wall breakings during the story, which you choose to ignore completely. But just like in the first, I think those are the moments we should really pay attention to, since they shed light on the developers motivations and intentions, which are essential to those who want to understand the game as a whole. What happens in those scenes is pretty obvious and has been pointed out by numerous redittors, but I'll just summarize it once again. All of the character in the game have at least one encounter with richard, who act like a "voice of reason" and is actually talking to the player. In all of his scenes richard tells the characters (and the players) the same thing: their quest is useless, nothing good will come out of it, their motives are just shallow excuses for their bloodlust, the point of the whole thing is that playing violent videogames is fun and cathartic as long as the mechanics work, and that you dont need a narrative to try and justify what is happening as long as you enjoy it. Richard did the exact same thing in the first game, so obviously they are not trying to make the point of the first game "invalid" by giving you motives and context. I think these sequences show that the developers actualy DIDNT want to give all of this background away. That they understood what made the first one great just as much as you do (not surprising, after all, they are the ones who made it vague and trippy). They saw the danger of taking all of that mistery away and knew that players expectations about the plot explanation could never be satisfied, since its just much better to make up your own. BUT explanations, plot and lore is what the fans wanted, at least some of them. Thats what the whole game is about. Its obvious. All of these characters are different then jaket since they have motivations. But as richard explains, their motivations are just excuses, just a facade. They dont turn them into better characters; actually they make them more limited. Jaket is vague and undefined and awesome, since he can be whoevere you want. He can wear any "mask" (which is really a metaphor for personality and motivations). The characters in HM2 cant. Using them is frustrating cause their playstyle is forced on the player. So their levels end up being less enjoyable than the ones of the first game. And this is INTENDED. Dennaton is actually pulling a sons of liberty. Just like mgs2 some parts of the game are meant to be frustrating and confusing. And I dont mean the story. I mean the actual gameplay, the actual level design. Even the haters cant deny that the first game had brilliant level design. I just dont belive that the developers lost their skill and decided to place offscreen enemies everywhere cause they just dont know better. Everyone who plays HM2 for the first time is frustrated by the level design. Seeing how long this was in development I just refuse to think that they simply didnt notice those issues.