chris carter from destructoid also awarded the game a 9/10, praising the open-ended gameplay, engrossing story, accessible interface and level-creator, as well as the game for allowing players to utilize creativity and strategy in every level. however, he criticized the poor ai. he summarized the game by saying that ""hotline miami 2" may not be as "profound" as its predecessor, but it's still a bloody good time." chloi rad from ign gave the game an 8.8/10, praising its high replay value, engaging story, sizable maps, rich characters' backstory, character-specific abilities, the improved lock-on system as well as the level-design, which demands players a new and more cautious approach towards dangers. however, she criticized the occasionally frustrating levels. she summarized the review by saying that ""hotline miami 2: wrong number" is a great game and a worthy sequel. it's more confident in its style, storytelling ability, and level design than the first game." alex carlson from hardcore gamer gave the game a 4.5/5, praising its seedy and visceral art design and its improvement on its predecessors gameplay, but criticized its adherence to the established formula. he summed up the review saying ""hotline miami 2: wrong number" is purposely discomforting and hypnotically visceral. it's one of the best games released so far this year."