When comparing Hotline Miami vs Shovel Knight, the Slant community recommends Hotline Miami for most people. In the question“What are the best low-spec PC games?” Hotline Miami is ranked 8th while Shovel Knight is ranked 23rd. The most important reason people chose Hotline Miami is:
The overhead view allows the player to see much of the level in order to plan how to attack each situation, in violent and gory aplomb.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Excellent, ultraviolent close combat
The overhead view allows the player to see much of the level in order to plan how to attack each situation, in violent and gory aplomb.
Pro Great, tense soundtrack
The soundtrack has a very 80s electro flare to it that helps flesh out the feel of the game and its violent story.
Pro Unique, neon-soaked art style and surrealist, gritty story
Playing off of themes seen in movies like Scarface, Hotline Miami features a crazy violent story that exudes a very 80s feel.
Pro Makes the player question why they love killing
The game is super violent, but the player loves it, and questions themself because of it
Pro Feels great to play
Shovel Knight has very colorful pixelated graphics, a decent chiptune soundtrack, excellent 8-bit sound effects, and the controls feel really fluid and responsive. So whether you’re just running through a castle, shoveling away at gems in a tunnel, or even jumping on a dragon’s head, Shovel Knight is a blast to play.
Pro Great for couch co-op
Because Shovel Knight can be pretty hard at times, bringing a friend along can help out a lot. The two of you can work together to take down enemies and communicate the best ways to handle jumps and special skills. Plus, if one of you is more experienced with the game, that player can help the newcomer along and teach them the ropes instead of leaving them to figure out everything on their own, possibly to the point of frustration. Playing this game with another person is a fun way to bring back the feeling of couch co-op on the older retro systems.
Pro A unique experience
Shovel Knight has 2D pixel art, a simple gameplay, and a retro feel. It stands out in an era dominated by 3D titles with super detailed graphics and convoluted gameplay because of its influences from classics like Zelda, Castlevania, Duck Tales, and even Super Mario Bros. It’s not just trying to cash in on the nostalgia of older players because it’s a game that can be enjoyed by anyone thanks to its polish.
Pro Pretty fun risk versus reward system
In each stage, there are multiple checkpoints you can revive at if you die. The twist is that you can destroy the checkpoints for extra treasure. Doing this also means you’ll have to start from the beginning of the stage if you die. It’s a pretty cool way to increase difficulty and add tension to a playthrough, especially because it’s never forced on you.
Cons
Con Buggy
Even after all the updates, AI in the game is still very buggy.
Con Light on story and can be difficult
There is really no reason given as to why the player is doing what they are doing and the game itself has a fluctuating difficulty level that can be frustrating.
Con Can be frustrating
While Shovel Knight captures a lot of SNES era’s good parts, it also brings back some of the bad parts. It's mostly the hidden enemies that attack you as soon as you approach their hiding spots, causing you to take needless damage or even die. This adds a really tedious trial and error aspect that forces you to memorize all enemy placements just so you can beat a stage. In addition to dealing with the enemies, the timing of jumps or using special skills at the right moment adds to the frustration. Press the button too early or too late and you'll end up back at the start of a platforming section or worse, dead.