History Videogame / SUPERHOT

* MistreatmentInducedBetrayal: The Ninja mind of ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' turned to superhot.exe when his rival at the Dojo was consistently promoted above him. Combining this with [[ArrogantKungFuGuy his repeated belief that he's better than anyone at the Dojo]] made it easy for superhot.exe to empower and subsume him.

* AttackItsWeakPoint: ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' introduces enemies which are entirely white save one part of them (a limb, torso, or head). The white parts are immune to damage and aren't stunned by thrown objects. However, hacks that upgrade one of your damage aspects (piercing for bullets, damage for punching and throwing) bypass this invulnerability.

* BulletproofHumanShield: Bullets can't penetrate mooks, which means you can't shoot through them and they can't shoot through their buddies to hit you. The melee enemies can e used to block the gunners in this fashion.

* GameBreakingBug: ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' has an error with the spiked enemies that causes you to automatically take damage upon destroying them, even if you're nowhere near the bullets they release. It appears to be more common if the spiked enemy is at a lower elevation than you are.

* LeadTheTarget: a non-intuitive part of gameplay. It's not just that BulletTime kicks in whenever you're not pressing buttons; it's also that ''all bullets move slower than normal'', because if not then you still wouldn't be able to dodge them. But ''all'' bullets move slower than normal; if you can dodge them, {{mook}}s can too. And do! Unless you... lead the target. Even the railgun in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' has a very small delay, despite its near-hitscan attack.

* OneHitPointWonder: Both your enemies and you die from one bullet shot, regardless of where the bullet hits. The only real difference is you die from a punch, they need three. On the upside, jumping on top of them instantly kills them.

** The piercing shot hack in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' causes all bullets to pierce enemies, not just the railgun. It also makes the normally invulnerable white enemies vulnerable to bullets.

* ZergRush: One of the ERROR nodes in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' causes most of the enemies to spawn either unarmed or with a melee weapon. Roughly one in five will have a pistol. As a tradeoff, it takes three times as many kills to end a level and they spawn a lot faster.

* UnusuableEnemyEquipment:

** Once you've completed all the standard levels, several error nodes are unlocked. These exclusively feature one type of enemy in every level (white, spiked, red guns, etc.), forcing you to adjust your strategy for that type.

** [[MasterSwordsman RECALL.CORE]]: Start with a katana, and the ability to recall it after throwing it, slicing apart enemies between you and it. Upgrades improve the recall ability, allowing it to do things like bounce between enemies.

* BulletCatch: Used to be possible during the beta. It was taken out for the full release, but put back in for VR.
** The suppunch.hack in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' lets you do this.

* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: The {{Retraux}} aesthetic is tweaked slightly in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' to reflect story details. [[spoiler: There are no longer ambient sounds from the computers or anything other than superhot.exe and The System's messages, because [=Avar1ce=] has already killed their body and is a part of the System.]]
* GoombaStomp: You can land on top of enemies to kill them. The achievement for doing so is even called "It's a me, Mario!".

* KatanasAreJustBetter: The full release uses these, where you can slice bullets in half when time is slowed. [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks They are also one of the few objects which are lethal when thrown, and they can be picked up after being thrown.]] They're also the most durable of all the weapons, only breakable if you throw it and a stray bullet hits it.

** White-bodied mooks in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' suffer neither damage or stun to their white parts unless you have a hack that enhances weapon damage.

* TakingYouWithMe: Spiked enemies in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' explode in a hail of bullets when killed. Specifically, this happens when their body is shattered, so while bullets and other forms of instant death will explode them on contact, punching them to death allows you to get behind cover and wait for the body to explode when it hits the floor. If you swap into one with Hotswitch, it will activate the effect without killing the host, which can be useful in killing off nearby enemies and is a safe way to detonate them in general.

* BulletproofHumanShield: Bullets can't penetrate mooks, which means you can't shoot through them and they can't shoot their their buddies to hit you. The melee enemies can e used to block the gunners in this fashion.

* MagneticWeapons: ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' introduces the railgun. It fires a metal rod much faster than any other gun, to the point of being nearly hit-scan in the player's hands, and pierces enemies as a standard effect. The rods can even be picked up after they're fired and thrown at enemies. As a tradeoff, it takes even longer to chamber a new round than the shotgun, though it has three shots instead of two.

* AttackItsWeakPoint: ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' introduces enemies which are entirely white save one part of them (a limb, torso, or head). The white parts are immune to damage and aren't stunned by thrown objects. However, the piercing and punching hacks allows guns and fists, respectively, to damage the white parts.

** ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' adds a slew of semi-lethal to very lethal thrown objects. Anything pointy that isn't lethal will stick in the enemy and can be grabbed out of them to be thrown again.

* MagneticWeapons: ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' introduces the railgun. It fires a metal rod much faster than any other gun and pierces enemies as a standard effect. The rods can even be picked up after they're fired and thrown at enemies. As a tradeoff, it takes even longer to chamber a new round than the shotgun, though it has three shots instead of two.

** Hot-swapping into an enemy causes them to immediately discard their gun, denying it to you.
** ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' introduces enemies whose weapons are connected to them, represented by the weapons being red instead of black. These enemies can't be relived of their weapons in any way, though they still recoil from stunning hits.

** [[FlashStep CHARGE.CORE]]: Gets a charge attack that effectively teleports to a target and strikes them with a melee attack. Upgrades make it recharge faster with kills and allows the player to chain them.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: You always throw away your weapon at the end of every level, no matter what. [[spoiler:You do the same thing when releasing control of a body during hotlinking.]]

* LuckBasedMission: Sometimes. Given the nature of the game, there can be times where you get yourself into a bind and can't set up a viable escape route for yourself no matter how much you work it. Most situations are escapable but every so often you'll just be stuck without any recourse.
* MagicFloppyDisk: You'll be loading some of these in the VR version, which appear to contain the in-universe version of the game.

** An ability called "Hotswitch" that you gain near the end of the game, with the added benefit of killing your former host whenever you switch.
** In ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' you are able to use this ability as a CORE. [[spoiler: In addition, the Addict can pull this on ''you'', being heavily implied to be the [[DuelingPlayerCharacters protagonist of the original game.]]]]

* AwesomeButImpractical: Using the katana to deflect bullets back at the shooter in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE''. Just as cool as it sounds, but the bullets still have travel time and can't be manually aimed, meaning the only time it's worth doing so is with the ''defall.hack'' upgrade [[note]]deflecting one bullet will also auto-reflect ''every single'' bullet currently moving through the map[[/note]] or with projectiles fired from the Railgun.

** ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' adds a Railgun, which bypasses the bullet time, but has the longest reload time of them all, as well as a larger hitbox for the projectiles to get caught on geometry. Enemies also can use it against you, requiring you to take cover or prioritize them.

* MagneticWeapons: ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' introduces the railgun. It fires a single bullet much faster than any other gun and pierces enemies as a standard effect. As a tradeoff, it takes even longer to chamber a new round than the shotgun, though it has three bullets instead of two shells.

* OneManArmy: Adding to the action movie-like feel of it all

* AttackItsWeakPoint: ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' introduces enemies which are entirely white save one part of them (a limb, torso, or head). The white parts are immune to damage and stun from throwing weapons.

* MagneticWeapons: ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' introduces the railgun. It fires a single bullet much faster than any other gun, pierces enemies as a standard effect, and its rounds can't be deflected. As a tradeoff, it takes even longer to chamber a new round than the shotgun, though it has three bullets instead of two shells.

* OneHitPolykill: Bullets stop when hitting something, but a thrown katana will keep going until it hits a wall... skewering any Red Dudes caught in the way. Getting a double-kill with a thrown katana nets you the ''Shishkebap'' achievement.

* ParryingBullets: Using a katana, you can slice bullets out of the air.
** Taken UpToEleven in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'', since slashing at bullets with the katana now ''reflects'' them back at the shooter. This goes even further with defall.hack which will reflect ''all bullets on the map'' when you reflect one.

* TheBladeAlwaysLandsPointyEndIn: Katanas usually stick in the floor or walls when thrown or dropped, to allow easy retrieval.

* BoringButPractical: Throwing objects at people isn't lethal, but it distracts them for a crucial few seconds while you grab new equipment (even theirs) or beat them to death, and has the added bonus of being able to block stray bullets better than other bullets.

* BodySurf: An ability called "Hotswitch" that you gain near the end of the game, with the added benefit of killing your former host whenever you switch.

* InterfaceScrew: [[spoiler: The more you play the game, the more the superhot.exe overseers wrest control from you in ways like changing your chat messages and messing with your view]].
** ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' has its own take: [[spoiler: the deeper the player progresses, the more maps break apart into gibberish, have massive distortion and perspective effects, and eventually the level select itself bugs out to show a very glitchy Level 5]].

** Averted in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE''. All [=COREs=] can take two hits before dying except MORE which can take three. [[spoiler:Until you finish the game and unlock PURE.CORE, which lets you replay the game with the rules of the original.]]

* CharacterClassSystem: In ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'', the Cores serve as this. Each has a unique ability and two hacks related to it.

* TheLastDance: Towards the end of ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'', [[spoiler:[=Avar1ce=] must give up the Cores they've earned. Each core is removed only after a short gauntlet of levels where that core is mandatory, it automatically gets its related hacks, and faces enemy types designed to highlight its strengths, and must face its EvilCounterpart]].

* MirrorBoss: The minds in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE''. Each is the source of one of your COREs (except MORE which is your own [[spoiler:and PURE which is a post-game bonus]]) and can therefore use your own tricks against you.

** Averted in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE''. All COREs can take two hits before dying except MORE which can take three. [[spoiler:Until you finish the game and unlock the PURE core, which lets you replay the game with the rules of the original.]]

* MistreatmentInducedBetrayal: The Ninja mind of ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' turned to superhot.exe when his rival at the Dojo was consistently promoted above him. Combine this with [[ArrogantKungFuGuy his repeated belief that he's better than anyone at the Dojo]] made it easy for superhot.exe to empower and subsume him.

** Taken UpToEleven in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'', since slashing at bullets with the katana now ''reflects'' them back at the shooter.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: In ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'', because unarmed and melee enemies are silent, if they sneak up behind the player and land a hit, it doesn't take away a heart, and the System warns you to "WATCH. YOUR. BACK."

* AcceptableBreaksFromReality: Even in real time, bullets travel much more slowly than they should. Just as well, since bullets traveling at their actual speed would make dodging pointless and the game less cool.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: In ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'', because unarmed and melee enemies are silent, if they sneak up behind the player and lands a hit, it doesn't take away a heart, and the System warns you to "WATCH. YOUR. BACK."

** In ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'', there's "MORE".

* AssimilationBackfire: [[spoiler: In ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'', the System is unable to stop the Player's desire for ''MORE''. Even when it tricks the Player into giving up everything, they find a way to keep searching for ''MORE''. Eventually the System gives up and lets the Player back into the game, trusting they'll give up eventually.]]

** [=Avar1ce=] in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' starts the game already assimilated, but the sheer force of their {{greed}}, their desire for [[ArcWords more]], [[AssimilationBackFire is more than the System can keep up with]]. The System makes an effort to show them the error of their ways, [[spoiler:driving them to give up everything they've earned if they want to see how it all ends. This backfires; [=Avar1ce=] still finds a way to undelete what was deleted. The System gives up and lets them have it]].

* FatalFlaw: Each of the minds in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' has one that led them to the System. The Dog's is fear, the Ninja's is anger, the Addict's is their namesake. [[spoiler: The player's is Avarice, the endless desire for MORE]].

* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: The {{Retraux}} aesthetic is tweaked slightly in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' to reflect story details. [[spoiler: There are no longer ambient sounds from the computers or anything other than superhot.exe and The System's messages, because the player has already killed their body and is a part of the System.]]

* TheLastDance: Towards the end of ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'', [[spoiler:the player must give up the Cores they've earned. Each core is removed only after a short gauntlet of levels where that core is mandatory, it automatically gets its related hacks, and faces enemy types designed to highlight its strengths, and must face its EvilCounterpart]].
* LateArrivalSpoiler: ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' has many, most especially with the end of ''SUPERHOT'' being ritualistically repeated several times throughout the story [[spoiler: as the player continues to kill their body despite the System telling them there's nothing to gain from doing so]].

* LotusEaterMachine: Explored as a concept in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE''. [[spoiler: The repetitions of superhot.exe aren't literal anymore, and are just the System feeding players more of the game. But even the System struggles to contain the player's desire for [[ArcWords more]], with the levels becoming increasingly broken as the player pushes for more and more.]]

** In ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'', both the default player and the Addict desperately search through superhot.exe, hoping that the System's Core gives them something worth their time - like hardcore gamers trying to justify following a story to keep getting at that gameplay loop.

** [=Avar1ce=] in ''MIND CONTROL DELETE'' starts the game already assimilated, but the sheer force of their {{greed}}, their desire for [[ArcWords more]], [[Assimilation is more than the System can keep up with]]. The System makes an effort to show them the error of their ways, [[spoiler:driving them to give up everything they've earned if they want to see how it all ends. This backfires; [=Avar1ce=] still finds a way to undelete what was deleted. The System gives up and lets them have it]].