Superhot: Mind Control Delete review: More super, more hot

Superhot: Mind Control Delete is simply more Superhot. More action, more weapons, more roguelike, and more meta weirdness about addiction. More and more until you can’t take it anymore, but you still keep going.

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Superhot: Mind Control Delete started as DLC for Superhot, but grew into a separate, more substantial experience. It takes the same gameplay that made the original game such a hoot to play and adds a new layer of roguelike elements to the mix.

However, the roguelike elements take the game’s repetitive nature a little too far. You’re likely to stop playing Mind Control Delete because you just had enough, not because you reached the end.

It’s Time for More Than Bullets

In case you’re not familiar with Superhot, allow me to explain the series’ complicated premise: time moves when you move. There – done.

Using this simple but oh-so-cool concept, developer Superhot Team crafted a slow-motion, violent ballet where every frame is both a puzzle and a fight to the death. Superhot: Mind Control Delete sticks with the same concept, but builds upon it with a life system, abilities, and temporary upgrades that change the way you play.

The biggest game-changers are the cores. As you play, you unlock a handful of permanent skills you can equip at the beginning of each level. Each one is a new twist on how you play and comes with its strengths and weaknesses. I love how these cores take Superhot’s core gameplay and expand on it, helping it feel new again.

With the new cores and temporary upgrades (or hecks as the game calls them), Mind Control Delete is a whole new twist on the original. It gives fans a familiar yet fresh experience.

More of the Same

Like plenty of other games recently, Superhot: Mind Control Delete also jumps on the Roguelike bandwagon. Every level is actually a series of self-contained “encounters.” Die at any point, and you’ll have to start the list all over again.

Since most levels are rather short, and each encounter isn’t very long, it’s usually not a problem. Plus, repetition makes for good practice. Before long, you’ll be zipping through the levels, pulling off magnificent feats of precision and coordination.

Mind Control Delete manages to remain extremely fun and rewarding for a while. The cores add a layer of strategy, and the random hacks you can equip during your run make sure you always have to adapt and mix up your playstyle. Some hacks are more useful than others, though, so you will strive for a specific build once you get familiar enough with them.

But (and that’s a big but), all this “more Superhot” does get a bit much at some point. When levels start to include over 10 encounters each, the game beginning to become exhausting. It doesn’t matter how many new weapons you have or how the environments keep changing ever-so-slightly to offer new challenges. You’re still doing the same thing over and over again, and it eventually drains the fun out of the game.

At the same time, Mind Control Delete is very difficult to put down. It’s a dichotomy I’m sure developer Superhot Team worked very hard to achieve.

More Story, Kind Of

It all plays right into Superhot’s narrative (if you can call it that) about addiction, violence, and control. Superhot itself is either a game or a simulation within the game’s world. Or perhaps the player experiences it as a game, but everything is actually happening. Everything is kept purposefully vague and very, very “meta.”

However, unlike the first game, Mind Control Delete’s story has some actual gameplay repercussions. There are characters with real personalities and motivations, and none of them like you.

These characters act as bosses throughout the game, though they aren’t your conventional “really tough” enemy. They cannot be killed, and serve more as another variant you need to keep in mind while playing through an encounter. They spawn-in randomly and can turn an otherwise straightforward run into a game of deadly cat and mouse.

Each boss has a different ability that is tied to their backstory, which is a nice touch. They are all pretty one dimensional but add a challenge to overcome and make the world of Superhot feel bigger than it actually is.

Come Back for More

The bottom line is pretty simple, actually. If you love Superhot than you’ll love Mind Control Delete. If you own the original game, you’ll get this standalone title for free, so you might as well enjoy it. If you don’t like Superhot’s action puzzles, then there’s nothing for you here.

The new roguelike elements help the familiar gameplay feel fresh but eventually become a bit stale themselves. I am writing these lines after spending 10-11 hours on the game, so it takes quite a while until you’ve had enough of Superhot: Mind Control Delete.

And, eventually, you’ll come back for more. You always do.

Our Superhot: Mind Control Delete review copy was provided by the developer.

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