The Hong Kong Massacre

My Review of The Hong Kong Massacre

Gameplay: 8/10
I was extremely satisfied and excited by the gameplay in The Hong Kong Massacre. The aim is straightforward and fun in a fast-paced shooting perspective: the game's style is overhead and as you make your way through rooms you can dash to avoid being killed or to go for stealth, slow down time before shooting, or just to make cool looking kills. This reminded me of the films of John Woo which I found leaning into. The game encourages precision and skill, and there is plenty of motivation (especially if you are interested in high scores) as you could try for the elusive three-star rating on each level. There is also weapon motivation to push you as well since you earn stars to upgrade your weapons over time, your in-game currency. While this is a highlight of the game, it is slightly overshadowed by a few negatives. On the downside, the weapon type restrictions, there are four weapons, some are better than others. And the weakness of some weapons limits choice and variety for styles; for instance, shotgun is overpowered in melee zone. Subsequently, the repetition of levels eventually wore on me, as each room began to feel similar and almost copy and pasted. While highly enjoyable, the levels did eventually become monotonous; as even with the high-voltage action the pace of the game is almost just the same.

Story & Atmosphere: 6/10
The plot line, though not elaborately told, was not a big deal to me. It simply and immediately got underneath the skin of the game's atmosphere driven by revenge and violence. And when the protagonist's motivation was gradually revealed through the cut scenes, I must say it was still very shallow and forgettable. The main character's journey through the game was mainly through style and gameplay rather than a deep storyline. The effect of the 80s-90s Hong Kong combined with color and light was, however, so lively that I was kept thrilled throughout my runs. It may not be a story-driven classic, but it indeed fits well the action aesthetic.

Graphics & Visuals: 8/10
Visually, The Hong Kong Massacre looks lovely. Environments are flooded with neon colors, explosions light up the screen, and destructible environments make each level look and feel alive and frenetic. The visual effects sell the game's energetic pace. On the downside, the cutscenes are surprisingly low quality and poorly executed, undermining the visual polish of gameplay. In-game graphics, however, are sharp and stylish, hitting the tone of a crazy/awesome Hong Kong aesthetic perfectly.

Sound & Music: 8/10
The music is terrific—fast-paced melodies that go hand in hand with the rapid-fire action and Hong Kong’s gangster movie vibes. The music is a big part of the adrenaline rush, but it can also be tiresome if you get to an area where you keep replaying it. The gunshots and blasts are among some of the effects that give nice feedback as they give a sense of every shot counting. The only complaint is that sometimes the audio cues are not so well varied.

Difficulty & Challenge: 8/10
The game finds a great balance between fair and challenging. To earn the thirty stars, I need to achieve precision, and this requires mastering dashing, slow motion, and shooting with accuracy. The level of challenge goes up when an enemy can roll, or ultimately avoid any bullets, making the experience even more unpredictable. The game isn't holding your hand at this difficulty, so when you finally clear a level with a perfect score, you feel accomplished.

Overall Experience:
The Hong Kong Massacre is a stylish, fast-paced gun shooter that excels in both its satisfying combat as well as its aesthetics. The downfalls, found in the weapon variety, level design, and storytelling, are shortcomings that leave it from being a classic. However, if you enjoyed John Woo films, like difficult shooters, or are looking for kinetic gameplay, then I think it is something worth playing for a discount.