SUPERHOT launched on Xbox One in 2016 and is built on a single rule that turns the entire first-person-shooter genre inside out: time only moves when you move. Stand still and bullets crawl through the air as if in slow motion, giving you time to think; take a step or turn around and the world speeds up. This turns an action game into a series of tactical puzzles — every scene is essentially a problem to solve with a single pistol, a katana, an ashtray, or your bare hands. Weapons carry almost no ammo, so you're constantly dropping empty ones and picking up whatever falls from an enemy you've just killed.
The art direction is as minimalist as the rules. The environment is entirely white, enemies glow bright red, and breakable objects are black, so even in a chaotic situation you instantly know what to look at. Enemies you hit shatter like glass and break into shards, one of the most memorable effects of the entire generation. On Xbox One, controller-based aiming is key and, thanks to the slowed time, works surprisingly well — aiming doesn't need to be lightning-fast, just deliberate. The music is sparse, dominated by electronic hums and sharp sounds, and the whole thing is framed by a chilling metafictional storyline in which the game comments on itself and on the fact that you're playing it.
SUPERHOT grew out of a prototype made for a game jam and reached its full version through crowdfunding; its idea was distinctive enough to be talked about far beyond the indie scene. The campaign is short, around two hours, but after finishing it, challenge modes with restrictions open up that extend its lifespan considerably. Its influence is still visible today in every game that experiments with time tied to player movement. Even years later, SUPERHOT feels utterly original, and on Xbox One it's an ideal title for short, intense sessions where you feel like you're choreographing your own action film.
Game 101 of 204 for Xbox One
