So it seems Hotline Miami 2 has rape in it...

[hazabaza1]

...ssssssssssssssssssssssssooooooooooooooooooooooo?

Hotline Miami was always about being as fucked up as possible, and I don't see why something controversial or fucked up can't be put in a game without backlash.

 

[Hannah Cocomazzo]

If we sensor everything that might affect someone we would have nothing. Rape is a terrible thing. But so is blowing someones head off with a sniper rifle. Why is one acceptable in a game and the other not?

 

[JazzJack2]

If we sensor everything that might affect someone we would have nothing. Rape is a terrible thing. But so is blowing someones head off with a sniper rifle. Why is one acceptable in a game and the other not?

It's not about censorship. There isn't a binary choice here. One can have the ability to criticise the content within a game without calling for censorhsip.

When movie critics give films bad reviews, they're not actively calling for films to be censored. They're simply pointing out the elements that the film got wrong. Saying something shouldn't have been done is criticism. Saying something mustn't be done is censorship.

In this case, it is possible to criticise the game if it turns out that it handles the rape issue in a very offensive, badly thought out manner. That doesn't mean we'd be calling for the developers to pull the game, just that they should have exercised more restraint and maturity.

But the difference is that film critics rarely make a negative judgement on a film on the grounds it could 'offend' someone.

 

[Benpasko]

In this case, it is possible to criticise the game if it turns out that it handles the rape issue in a very offensive, badly thought out manner. That doesn't mean we'd be calling for the developers to pull the game, just that they should have exercised more restraint and maturity.

Criticizing Hotline Miami for its lack of restraint is like saying Diablo is bad because it has too much gear. That's the whole point of Hotline Miami. You're a deranged wild mass murderer.

 

[shadowuser10141]

All publicity is good publicity. People are talking about the game.

 

[Reeve]

So what if it's in the game? Rape is in lots of things. And rape happens in the real world too. Are you saying that art should not be allowed to reflect reality? Or are some things "off limits?" Nothing is off limits for the artist.

 

[Slycne]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escapist-news-now/7559-Hotline-Miami-2-Preview

Watch the preview. You can clearly see a fat character raping a woman who's crawling on the floor.

One of the developers actually addressed this on Twitter. You can find the whole discussion here - https://twitter.com/cactusquid.

I'll leave you all to discuss whether context changes things, but I figured you'd want the information.

 

[Carnagath]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escapist-news-now/7559-Hotline-Miami-2-Preview

Watch the preview. You can clearly see a fat character raping a woman who's crawling on the floor.

So let me ask the all important question, does that fact that it's retro graphics make it more palatable? After all Tomb Raider couldn't even have an enemy "Aggressively Stalk" it's female protagonist with out the whole internet blowing up.

You're just trying to stir shit up, aren't you? Hotline Miami is not the kind of game that's out to make things "palatable", so the question is kinda pointless. Any game can include anything, as long as they at least attempt to make something out of it other than just shock value, in my opinion.

 

[JudgeGame]

Something else to note is that the character doing the raping is actually being controlled by the player. You can see the cursor on to the right of the screen.

This isn't going to go over well at all.

It's kind of bizarre how the video is about them wanting the game to be more than just disturbing when it seems the sequel is going to be much, much more disturbing than the original.

Edit:
http://www.digitalspy.ca/gaming/news/a491260/hotline-miami-2-first-look-preview-this-is-the-series-finale.html
According to this and other sources, that rape scene is part of a movie the main character "pig butcher" is acting in based around the events of Hotline Miami 1. Apparently immediately after what we see happen in the escapist preview, the camera turns to black, and when the lights come back on it's revealed that everyone involved is acting, and you can see workers cleaning up fake blood and such.

Not gonna give an opinion on it, but there you go, some context.

That's.... actually pretty brilliant.

Well, that scene was repulsive. I'm not sure if I will buy the game or not. I think it's worth bringing up that Denaton already sparked a small scale cntroversy when the two developers sexually harassed a journalist who was interviewing them. Don't quote me on that but that story is about 95% accurate. So yeah, I'm not forseing Hotline Miami 2 will be a thoughtful thesis that will further the discussion on gender politics.

but in Hotline Miami 1, it was okay when you smack the russian gangster in the head with a bat.... It doesn't kill him, and he's crawling on the floor clearly in pain and you walk over and smash his head in?

Or the pouring of boiling hot water on to the guys face? and for what? Extra points?

I have no answers. Only questions.

EDIT: This is suppose to be the final Hotline Miami game... I'm very sad now.

Crimes are crimes and hate crimes are hate crimes.

 

[shadowuser10141]

Crimes are crimes and hate crimes are hate crimes.

The whole "hate crime" thing is stupid. You don't know what was in somebody's head when they committed the crime.

 

[JudgeGame]

Crimes are crimes and hate crimes are hate crimes.

The whole "hate crime" thing is stupid. You don't know what was in somebody's head when they committed the crime.

I know what is in society's head and that is all you need.

 

[shadowuser10141]

One of the developers actually addressed this on Twitter. You can find the whole discussion here - https://twitter.com/cactusquid.

I'll leave you all to discuss whether context changes things, but I figured you'd want the information.

It's just some whiny dude demanding that the scene be removed.
The developer has a right not to be censored.

 

[Carnagath]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escapist-news-now/7559-Hotline-Miami-2-Preview

Watch the preview. You can clearly see a fat character raping a woman who's crawling on the floor.

One of the developers actually addressed this on Twitter. You can find the whole discussion here - https://twitter.com/cactusquid.

I'll leave you all to discuss whether context changes things, but I figured you'd want the information.

I can't believe he is even engaging in this conversation. I don't care if there's a rape scene in it or not, but I do care about the fact that any developer, especially an indie developer, should feel free to make the game that they WANT to make, without having to apologize to every fascist in carebear's clothing who owns a computer and an internet connection. Getting mighty tired of this shit.

 

[shadowuser10141]

Crimes are crimes and hate crimes are hate crimes.

The whole "hate crime" thing is stupid. You don't know what was in somebody's head when they committed the crime.

I know what is in society's head and that is all you need.

Yeah that's all you need to convict people.
Some half-baked bleeding heart nonsense about "society" and "the man".

 

[Phrozenflame500]

I wonder if the guy who made the game just threw in the misleading scene just to piss people off following the whole Tomb Raider controversy. Because I'm a certified asshole, if I was a game dev I'd do the same thing.

For those of you still concerned, the whole thing is apparently revealed to be a movie shoot after the level, so nobody actually gets raped. Really as long as rape isn't portrayed as a good thing, or isn't horribly mismanaged I'm ok with it being in.

 

[Defeated Detective]

Wasn't there implied rape on the 2d/3rd mission of Hotline Miami? The mission where you have to raid a drug house to save a coked up woman from being used and abused by drug addicts?

This isn't new, if it didn't bother you in the original Hotline Miami game, it shouldn't bother you in this.

 

[Mossberg Shotty]

Hooker actually....

Spoiler

she sits on the couch. Then next level she's taking a bath. She basically starts cleaning the apartment and is implied at that point to have romantic feelings for Jacket. In the hallucination scenes, shes Don Juan (the one in the horse mask).

Any characterization she has is kinda pointless though. Another mask ends up killing her to provide motivation for Jacket to burst into a police station to kill that mask. She's a literal woman in the refridgerator trope.... though to be fair, it's not like Jacket has anymore character than her.

I never noticed that before, never really paid attention to their body types, I guess. Does that mean that the other two (the owl and rooster) were other people from the game? I also never knew she was a hooker, I just assumed she was a random victim. Where is the hooker thing implied, if you don't mind sharing? I know she pretty much becomes the protagonist's girlfriend, and a fixture at his apartment after she's rescued and all that.

On topic though, I don't disapprove, depending on the context. Rape is a real thing, it's terrible, but it happens. And it's irresponsible to shy away from it when it's presented in the media. If the thing about it being part of an in-game movie bit is true, well then I don't really have a problem with it.

Hotline Miami isn't about being politically correct.

 

[Stryc9]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escapist-news-now/7559-Hotline-Miami-2-Preview

Watch the preview. You can clearly see a fat character raping a woman who's crawling on the floor.

So let me ask the all important question, does that fact that it's retro graphics make it more palatable? After all Tomb Raider couldn't even have an enemy "Aggressively Stalk" it's female protagonist with out the whole internet blowing up.

Spoiler: Messed up picture.

[http://s81.photobucket.com/user/Stryc_9/media/Hotline2_zps1bc9644b.jpg.html]

Is this the bit you're talking about? If it is you're reaching quite a bit to assume rape here. Just because she's barely dressed and crawling away doesn't equal rape. In Hotline Miami if you beat someone just enough without killing them they'll crawl off like that and if you leave them you get mercy bonus at the end of the level.

 

[Happiness Assassin]

snip

Watch the original video posted and start at 0:40. It is anything but implied.

EDIT: But Hotline Miami is a game where you already do some of the most reprehensible things possible. This doesn't exactly seem that far off. Though it still makes me uncomfortable.