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Dennaton Games’ Hotline Miami was a massive hit out of nowhere. Its killer soundtrack, its frantic, hyperviolent gameplay, and its trippy, nauseating, pulsating aesthetic formed a unique addition to the independent games scene, and people loved it. The eagerly anticipated sequel, Wrong Number, faces the difficult prospect of following up on a surprise hit, aiming to recapture what was great about the first game without limiting itself to that original vision. Sadly, the result fails to satisfy.

The gameplay is mechanically identical, the main departure being an increased emphasis on guns over the bats and steel pipes of the original. The first game’s charm was the appeal of throwing yourself into a room full of thugs and bashing your way out of it, a single misstep meaning instant, brutal demise. Thanks to the additional guns in Wrong Number — well over half the bad guys have them — you’ll find yourself regularly sniped by offscreen enemies, meaning a large amount of game time is spent cowering around corners, in direct opposition to the chaotic, hyper-aggressive fun that the first game was all about.

This means that the game’s aesthetic, with its slasher-flick gore, horrifying psychadelic plot (or lack thereof), and its 80s-inspired electronic soundtrack — which, for the record, is awesome nonetheless — is directly at odds with its gameplay, creating a disjointed experience. There are stretches which recapture the pace and excitement of the original, but that flow is jarringly cut short at the weaker sections, marring the game as a whole.

Reviewed on PC. Also available on PS3, PS4, and PS Vita.