The Hotline Miami series has received a free PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series upgrade
A new way to slay
Hotline Miami and its sequel Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, two of the very best indie games, can finally be played natively on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles thanks to a free upgrade.
Announced in a surprise trailer posted to the YouTube channel of series publisher Devolver Digital, these new releases are available now and allow existing owners of the PS4 or Xbox One versions playing on more recent consoles to take advantage of current generation features.
For those unfamiliar, Hotline Miami was a groundbreaking indie title set in a fictionalized version of 1980s Miami. Released in 2012, you play as an unnamed contract killer with the primary goal of shooting, bludgeoning or otherwise brutalizing your way through legions of Russian mob henchmen at the behest of mysterious messages left on your answering machine.
The game stood out thanks to its vibrant neon visuals, surreal tone, and more subtle approach to storytelling, with its success spawning a sequel, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, just three years later. Following on from the events of the first game, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number expands the plot through multiple new characters and a prequel story set in a war-torn Hawaii.
It introduces a host of novel combat mechanics and an expansive level editor, although, sadly, this latter feature is only present in the PC version of the game. For those interested in playing on console, Hotline Miami and Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number can be purchased separately for $9.99 / £7.99 and $14.99 / £11.99, respectively or together as part of the Hotline Miami Collection bundle, which offers both games for $19.99 / £15.99.
Both games are also currently available to play at no additional cost to PlayStation Plus Extra subscription service members.
If you're craving more great games to play on your console, why not pick something from our list of the best Xbox Series X games or best PS5 games?
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Dash is a technology journalist who covers gaming hardware at TechRadar. Before joining the TechRadar team, he was writing gaming articles for some of the UK's biggest magazines including PLAY, Edge, PC Gamer, and SFX. Now, when he's not getting his greasy little mitts on the newest hardware or gaming gadget, he can be found listening to J-pop or feverishly devouring the latest Nintendo Switch otome.