Be Excellent To Each Other

I didn't think so, which makes those levels (one optional and one mandatory but only part of a level?) somewhat frustrating.

Anyway, I went back to piece together the story with a speed run through the levels and I was kicking mucho ass. I did about 8 levels before I called it a day but plan to go back and hammer the rest.

It's funny though because when you go back, you already know the level and the fun is made from smashing the level as quickly as possible. Sure, there's areas where you're pressing the camera to its extreme to catch a glimpse of who might be ahead but once you've got the placements worked out and know the level (having completed it before) it feels identical to Hotline 1. It's really only the first play through that can be frustrated by enemies 'off-screen' due to the larger level size but once you know what's coming you plot a route through the most cover.

Hotline Miami 2: Not so bad as made out in some quarters and still plenty fun albeit slightly less fun cause we've seen it before.