The Hidden Masks
1 - Russel the Bull
If you're playing on PC, you're out of luck - Russell is exclusive to console versions of Hotline Miami. After getting a taste of the game's violence in the prelude level, you'll be tasked with putting a briefcase into a dumpster – and directly left of the dumpster, the Russell mask can be found on the ground.
Effect: Gives the game a black and white filter
2 - Earl the Walrus
The Earl mask’s previous owner was a fellow vigilante that clearly met a terrible fate. After reaching the second floor of chapter 2, you'll need to clear out some mobsters on the bottom half of the level to reach and acquire this mask.
Effect: Survive two bullets
3 - Jones the Alligator
Have these "hidden" masks been too easy to find thus far? Don’t worry – this mask is harder to find than a misplaced pen. After clearing chapter 5 of enemies, you’ll need to pick up the crowbar that was next to the entrance. Run outside the building and circle around to the bottom-right area, where you can use the crowbar to displace a manhole cover and climb down into the sewers. This mask is next to its previous owner.
Effect: More blood and gore! Hooray!
4 - Carl the Grasshopper
After clearing Chapter 8’s ground floor of enemies, return to the starting point and take this hidden mask from the corpse on the dance floor. Poor Carl – his funky moves were so terrible that the mobsters made sure he was deader than disco.
Effect: Start with the Drill weapon (a fan favourite thanks to its high number of execution points!)
5 - Jake the Cobra
Fans of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number will recognise Jake from a mile away – thankfully, the controversial character is not going to start speaking in his current state. The mask is found in Chapter 10 - Hot & Heavy, where you'll need to enter the top-left area, clear out the enemies, and enter the small room on the upper half. This mask is worn by the large corpse.
Effect: Throwing anything at enemies kills them!
6 - Richter the Rat
Richter is another character that returns in Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, but his role in the first game is far from insignificant.
After dealing with the ridiculous number of police officers on the third floor of Chapter 13 - Assault, this mask is found on a desk in one of the upper rooms.
Effect: Start with a silenced Uzi
7 - Charlie the Octopus
Hotline Miami pulled the 'protagonist switcheroo' years before The Last Of Us made it cool. Despite players not controlling an animal mask-wearing lunatic in this latter half of the game, picking up masks as this other character will still add them to the main man’s collection.
After clearing the Chinese restaurant in Chapter 16 of all the mobsters, players must speak to the owner. This Cthulhu-looking mask can then be taken from the kitchen counter.
Effect: The game spawns basic melee weapons more often.
8 - Phil the Fish
The fish mask has very little impact on gameplay, but for a full collection of Hotline Miami’s hidden masks and the 'Zoo Keeper' achievement, you'll need to pick it up nonthless. The mask referencing the infamous game developer Phil Fish can be found in the sewers of Chapter 19, seen sitting atop a box in the corner.
Effect – Translates all spoken dialogue in the game to French.
9 - Nigel the Bat
This mask is unlocked upon completing Hotline Miami’s secret ending. This process will see players hunting through every single one of the game’s levels, picking up 19 hidden puzzle pieces and putting them all together in the ‘Puzzle’ menu screen.
Effect – Reverses your controls! Argh!
