Moving Up is the sixth scene in Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, taking place on December 2nd, 1991, starting at 22:11. Though it's the second playable Fan mission, it actually takes place after Execution (dated on or shortly after November 22nd), making it their third job chronologically.
Intro[]
The Fan hideout has acquired a stolen goods media box, possibly from Down Under, which is placed next to the phone and tech table. Mark's red liquor bottle from the tiki bar in Ambush, Down Under, and Hank's bar is in the trash in the garage, and Mark is now inspecting an Uzi, the 50 Blessings table now sporting 2 9mm pistols, 2 Uzis, 2 MP5s, and a pump action shotgun, suggesting Mark brought in a gun delivery. A keepsake newspaper rests on the small table by the small couch. The mannequin by the now-bare band stage sports a bloodied Gang hoodie.
The player takes control of Corey, who has the option to read the keepsake newspaper dated April 4th, 1990:
Yesterday marked the fourth anniversary of the Bombing of San Francisco. A day of sorrow to many, a day of anger for others, but also a day of hope. The memorial was attended by many politicians, including the President. The topics discussed centered around the possibility of a peaceful future.
Ash has taken a job from his friend Jack told him about a place on NW 184th Street occupied by "junkies and lowlifes", where Jack's Sister, who hasn't been home for weeks, probably is. Ash suggests they "get her home" and "teach her friends a lesson". Tony is skeptical of the job, asking if "we're doing house calls for your friends now," to which Ash says he didn't hear any complaints last time (the favor for Andy in Execution) and that they can't just patrol the streets or they'd end up in jail. Tony tells Ash that he's in just for the action, not to be a hero, but Alex is anxious to get some action and Tony gives in.
Scene[]
The building has three playable floors, and is filled with gang members and dogs. The Hard Mode version additionally features thugs, who are absent in the normal version.
Normal:
The level is extremely tightly packed rooms which reward movement and is easily full combo-able with every player Fan going any number of routes.
The third screen features several storage closets surrounding a central attic hooka party room. The hooka room has several gunmen which can be spooked into the outer hallway with gunfire. Alternatively they can be spooked or shot using a broken wall between two storage rooms. Stationary gunmen occupy the first two legs of the outer ring, in addition to some patrolling dogs. The hooka room has a closet near the outer that's pretty easy to take and draw mobsters into as Tony. The final leg of the room can be spooked with gunfire from the hooka room or be rushed head on and "fished" into a storage room.
Hard:
Corey now has to use some spook-and-retreat dodge rolls on the first screen to avoid dying. Mark's gun splitting is now very useful on the first screen. The second screen has Thugs and more dogs but is still easily full combo-able with every Fan using multiple routes. It's preferable to take an Uzi to the third floor if possible.
The third floor now has a Thug at the entrance who is difficult to evade without a firearm or killing punches. The reaction time on the stationary gunmen in the outer ring requires Tony do a slightly different loop to spook the gunman behind the first corner (try drawing the gunman slightly around the corner instead of just straight peeking out). The wall break is no longer available, and if the player used a firearm to kill the thug the hooka room mob should rush the starting leg of the outer ring, making them very easy to take out with gun fire. Stragglers can now be handled in a pretty identical manner to normal mode.
Once all the floors are cleared, the player has to check on the sister, who is locked up in cupboard with a gun. She warns the player-controlled Fan to stay back, and after being told that her brother wants them to bring her home, she claims that they killed all her friends and absolutely refuses to follow. The Fan has nothing to do but leave. If the player still decides to walk closer to her, she will shoot the gun once, which can either kill the player (prompting a stage restart) or miss if the bullet hits the door.
Outro[]
The Fans' van broke down on the way back. Tony, on the driver seat, is visibly nervous, and tells Ash, who is busy repairing the van, to hurry before cops arrive. Ash answers back that Tony had to get the van fixed for weeks, being the only fan not occupied with a job, but Tony objects that the van isn't his. Ash tells him to bring the van later to "Andy by the Chop Shop", who "owes [him] one" (referring to Execution), which leads Tony to promise that he'll do it the next day. Ash eventually gets the van running again and they drive away.
Dialogue[]
Intro[]
[Tony is drinking beer, Alex is rolling a blunt, Mark is inspecting an Uzi, and Ash is sitting on the couch opposite Tony]
Tony: So, we're going somewhere special tonight, eh?
Ash: Yeah, my friend Jack told me about this place down on NW 184th St... A real shithole. The whole building's occupied by junkies and lowlifes.
Mark: Kinda like this place, huh? ...
Ash: Fuck you, Mark. Anyway, his sister's been hanging out with these assholes. Hasn't been home for weeks, he figured we'd get her home... And teach her friends a lesson. ...
Tony: Wait, we're doing house calls for your friends now, are we?
Ash: Isn't that pretty much what we did last time? I didn't hear any complaints back then. ... We can't patrol the streets looking for scumbags. We'd be in jail in no time.
Tony: Yeah, but I didn't sign up to be no hero, rescuing women and shit... That's not my thing. I just want some action.
Ash: So, you got any better ideas? ... Or should we just stay here and argue all night?
Alex: I sure as hell ain't staying here! I'm ready to roll.
Tony: Fine! I'll come along too. But if anything happens to the girl it's not my problem, got it?
[Corey reads the newspaper and starts the van]
Level[]
[Jack's Sister has a gun trained on the player Fan and is crying in one of the storage rooms. By the hooka party]
Sister: Stay back! ...
Fan: Whoa, take it easy there! I'm just here to get you. Your brother sent us, we're not going to harm you.
Sister: My brother? ... You just killed all my friends! ...
Fan: Look, we've got a car waiting outside, so drop the gun. It's time to go. We'll drop you off at your brother's. ...
Sister: You expect me to go with you? Are you insane? You murdered my friends! You're not taking me anywhere! Now leave me the fuck alone! Or I swear...
Fan: Fine, you have it your way. We're out of here.
[The Fan is given a backing away cutscene where they knock over the hooka bong if it hasn't been knocked over already]
Outro[]
[The van is parked on the side of a beach road at night, Tony is trying to start it from the driver's seat and talks through the driver's side window to Ash, who is working on the engine.]
Tony: You done anytime soon? This isn't a good time to be messing around... If a cop came by... saw us like this...
Ash: It ain't gonna go faster with you bitching, OK? Besides, I've been telling you to get the van fixed for weeks now.
Tony: Right... I still don't see why that'd be my job. It's not my van.
Ash: Just fucking do it. You're the only one of us who ain't busy with work all day. Take it down to Andy by the chop shop, he owes me one.
Tony: Fine. Just get the car running and I'll do it tomorrow, OK?
Ash: There! That should do it. ... Try starting her up and let's get the hell out of here.
[Ash closes the hood, Tony rolls up the window, and Ash enters the van as it starts up]
Music[]
- "Blizzard" by Light Club plays in the intro at the Fans' hideout.
- "In The Face of Evil" by Magic Sword plays during the main level.
- "She Meditates" by Light Club plays in the outro.
Trivia[]
- This level is a difficulty fake out for the most part: the second floor is extremely easy as all characters on both difficulties due to the abundance of ammo and tight spaces, but the top floor features several "blind runs" for Tony players, culminating in Jack's Sister threatening the player with a gun. Tony is first unlocked on this level, meaning most players will be playing as him and experience this drastic shift in difficulty.
- This is the main level that demonstrates Ash and Tony's differing perspectives. It's also the first level where Alex talks.
- The level gives no dialogue to Corey, but the fact that she reads about San Francisco instead of contributing to the job discussion whatsoever characterizes her as looking for deeper meaning in the group's actions while failing to direct what they're actually doing. The newspaper is possibly why she doesn't see an issue with taking the call from a Russian mobster in Death Wish, as the attack could be interpreted as a political / nationalist statement.
- Jack's Sister ducks out of riding with the Fans just as Evan ducks out of riding with Manny Pardo in the previous scene, First Trial. Andy owes Ash a vague favor just as Manny Pardo owes Evan a vague favor.
- If Jack's Sister went with the Fans their van likely would've broken down with her still in it.
- Ambush also mentions "sharing the ride back" as a euphemism for allied US soldiers returning to camp.
- The animation for Tony looking out of the van window is reused for the 50 Blessings Manager in Withdrawal's successful outro.
- The prompt to get Jack's Sister (GET HER) is the same as the prompt to rape Rachael Ward.
- This job apparently garners the Fans their first TV news story (referred to the next week), probably because they left a living witness in Jack's Sister. This possibly explains why Manny Pardo knows Ash's name and listed address in the intro to Dead Ahead (also hinting that the Dead Ahead Miami Mutilator wallet-less "kid" victim is Jack).
- This level might have originally been designed with the Swans in mind, as the VHS cover depicts two silhouettes of what appears to be Ash and Alex, and during the conversation with Jack's Sister, Alex says "we've got a car waiting outside" and "we're out of here", which would make the most sense while playing as them, as there are two of them. This would also explain the difficulty spike on the third floor, as it is much easier to go down the long corridor since you can shoot down it while Tony has to lure them out slowly.
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Exposed (bonus) · Highball (bonus) |
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