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About Cleared Hot

Cleared Hot is a single player tactical shooter game. It was developed by Not Knowing Corporation and was released on November 20, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

CLEARED HOT is a nostalgic helicopter shooter with satisfying physics and light tactical elements. Shoot, dodge, move your squad around the battlefield, and pick up almost anything with your rope and magnet. With fully physics-based action, you can get creative and use the environment to your advantage. Send enemies ragdolling through the air with your rockets, or use your rope to throw rocks a…

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Reviews

97%Audience ScoreBased on 2,712 reviews
story249 positive mentions
optimization22 negative mentions

  • Strong nostalgic appeal reminiscent of classic Strike series games like Desert Strike and Jungle Strike, successfully capturing the spirit and fun of those titles.
  • Smooth, intuitive, and responsive controls with satisfying helicopter flight physics and enjoyable weapon customization and gameplay.
  • Humorous and well-delivered voice acting and dialogue, combined with a fitting 80s/90s style soundtrack, enhance the immersive and lighthearted experience.
  • Content is currently limited, with only one chapter of about 12 missions, leading to a short playtime and limited replayability at launch.
  • Some balancing issues with helicopters and weapon effectiveness, including certain helicopters and weapons overpowering others and reducing strategic variety.
  • Performance issues and lack of optimization on some platforms, notably the Steam Deck, with occasional frame drops and stuttering noted.
  • story

    971 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    26% positive mentions, 72% neutral mentions, 2% negative mentions

    The story in this helicopter shooter features a campy, cheesy 80s/90s action movie vibe with engaging characters, witty dialogue, and solid voice acting that adds charm without overshadowing the gameplay. While the narrative is simple and serves mainly to support the fun, varied missions, it has been well-received for its humor and style. However, the current content is limited to one short chapter with about a dozen missions, leaving players eager for more story expansion and additional campaigns.

    • “The story is simple, but the characters are still engaging, and the story doesn't get in the way of the gameplay.”
    • “Bonus points for great writing and excellent voice acting - the game didn't even really need a story but the snappy dialogue adds a ton of charm to each mission and I want to keep playing just to listen to more of this hilarious banter.”
    • “The game retains the core appeal of its predecessor, high-stakes helicopter combat and tactical missions, but polishes it with contemporary controls, slick visuals, and a story that’s as fun as it is twisted.”
    • “The campaign is a bit short right now (12 missions, 5-20 minutes each), but the mechanics are solid, and the content pipeline seems ready to go.”
    • “My biggest gripe with this game is that it released with just 12 missions.”
    • “The only downside at this time is the very short story and number of missions.”
  • gameplay

    457 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    50% positive mentions, 48% neutral mentions, 2% negative mentions

    The gameplay offers a smooth, intuitive, and satisfying core loop that successfully blends nostalgic arcade-style helicopter combat with modern mechanics and physics-based interactions, such as the grapple hook and vehicle customization. While currently limited in content and mission variety due to early access status, the controls are tight and responsive, providing a fun and engaging experience that appeals to both casual players and fans of classic strike games. Continued updates promise to expand depth, variety, and complexity, making the gameplay foundation strong and promising for the future.

    • “The gameplay is consistently fun, with tight controls and missions that stay fresh, offering enough variety to keep each session engaging.”
    • “Cleared Hot captures that nostalgic gameplay 10000% - bringing it into the new age, and should absolutely be considered the spiritual successor to the 'strike' franchise.”
    • “The gameplay is superb—even at this early stage—and the controls feel instantly intuitive.”
    • “The canyon - with homing missiles spammed at you and enemy jet mechanics that aren't explained.”
    • “Some of the store stats are bugged right now; things that should have armor piercing show that they don't and things that shouldn't show that they do, and I'm honestly not sure if that carries over into actual gameplay, but that and the lack of content are the only real downsides to the game in its current state.”
    • “I hate to say it, but because of this it felt more like a mobile game as it just lacks any depth in terms of gameplay.”
  • graphics

    185 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    50% positive mentions, 48% neutral mentions, 2% negative mentions

    The game's graphics blend nostalgic low-poly and retro aesthetics with modern visual effects, offering smooth, clean, and vibrant visuals that effectively capture the spirit of classic helicopter combat games. While not photorealistic or cutting-edge, the art style is well-suited to the gameplay and atmosphere, though some users note a lack of detailed graphics settings and occasional performance issues, especially on lower-end hardware like the Steam Deck. Overall, the graphics receive praise for balancing old-school charm with contemporary polish, enhancing immersion without sacrificing accessibility.

    • “It's everything you loved with more customizations, better graphics, and a few upgrades that make this the best hind shooter I've played in 30 years!”
    • “The graphics are surprisingly good too, with great effects and a nice nostalgic atmosphere.”
    • “Very clean and smooth visuals and animation.”
    • “Graphics are poo, but it also means a lot of different PC configs can probably run it.”
    • “Also, hopefully lots of optimization coming - I get a lot of lag with my i7 GTX 1060 and there are currently a total of three graphics settings (screen size, full/windowed, and vsync) and so no way to alleviate the FPS issues.”
    • “I bought this in order to play it on the Steam Deck and there it is an unplayable 20-30fps stutter fest with no graphics options to adjust.”
  • music

    176 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    49% positive mentions, 47% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its authentic 80s/90s synth-heavy, action-movie style soundtrack that perfectly complements the retro-themed gameplay and atmosphere. While many players find it uplifting, nostalgic, and integral to the game's charm, a few note its repetitiveness and desire for more variety or classic track covers. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that enhances the game's arcade-style fun and nostalgic appeal.

    • “This game understands boys that grew up with Airwolf, A-Team and Desert Strike in the 80s and 90s, and has the music to match. Fun instant action without wasting hundreds of hours leveling up and collecting random loot boxes.”
    • “That glorious '90s synth-heavy riff-rock action game soundtrack is back, and it's the perfect backdrop for the missions.”
    • “The soundtrack is insanely good, the mechanics of lifting and throwing things are satisfying, and the storytelling is engaging.”
    • “Also music was repetitive, I wish they could make song covers of old Strike games to make it more nostalgic.”
    • “Music is annoying, turned it off instantly, bummer.”
    • “The music is a five second loop on repeat.”
  • optimization

    101 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    21% positive mentions, 57% neutral mentions, 22% negative mentions

    The game's optimization is mixed, with many players reporting solid performance and smooth gameplay on mid-to-high-end PCs, especially after recent patches, while others experience stuttering and frame pacing issues even on powerful hardware. Performance on the Steam Deck is a frequent concern, initially poor but improving with updates, though it still requires further optimization for consistent playability. Overall, the game benefits from a relatively light resource usage and good scalability but would greatly improve with additional graphical settings and continued performance tuning.

    • “And whatever they did in that last update for performance - huge props, it made a difference.”
    • “Runs fantastic on Steam Deck since the latest update (their reported performance stats are true).”
    • “Performance wise the game runs very well and uses far less resources than I expected, although there is a pretty sharp drop in frame rate when loading into each mission.”
    • “My PC is a lot stronger than the minimum specs, and the stuttering is unbelievable.”
    • “Steam deck OLED performance is utter garbage.”
    • “Terrible performance, with the worst FPS jitter I've ever seen.”
  • humor

    93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game's humor is widely praised for its clever, irreverent, and often goofy dialogue, paired with excellent voice acting that brings the characters' witty banter and quirky personalities to life. Players enjoy the playful, over-the-top comedic elements, including inventive physics-driven antics, which add charm without becoming obnoxious. Overall, the humor strikes a perfect balance between nostalgic retro vibes and fresh, enjoyable writing that enhances the fast-paced, arcade-style gameplay.

    • “The humor and dialogue is outstanding, plenty of smart-ass jokes, and a variety of ways to blow stuff up and cause general mayhem.”
    • “It's well-written, funny without being obnoxious, direct without being bland... it's really outstanding work.”
    • “Bonus points for great writing and excellent voice acting - the game didn't even really need a story but the snappy dialogue adds a ton of charm to each mission and I want to keep playing just to listen to more of this hilarious banter.”
  • replayability

    63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    14% positive mentions, 81% neutral mentions, 5% negative mentions

    The game currently offers moderate replayability through helicopter and weapon customization, multiple playstyles, and mission replay with varied loadouts, but is limited by its short campaign and lack of diverse or procedurally generated content. Players hope for future updates adding modes like survival, arcade, or mission generators, as well as community-driven content, to significantly enhance replay value. Overall, while early access provides some enjoyable replay elements, the game's longevity relies on forthcoming expansions and additional features.

    • “Great gameplay, I liked how you can customize your helicopter, and the missions are all good and very replayable.”
    • “Now the downside - it's EA, so you aren't getting the full product just yet, but this does provide enough taste to get your craving handled for a while, and it's fully replayable so you can do the same missions over and over with different loadouts and airframes, which keeps it pretty fresh (make sure you have passenger capacity on the mission where you need to rescue people - I learned that the hard way when I unlocked the Apache and had to make several trips).”
    • “What an absolute joy this is to play, takes me back to my youth and has endless replayability; I can recommend you get this now!!”
    • “I was able to complete the first ten available missions in approximately two hours, which limits its replay value at this stage.”
    • “Not a lot of content or replayability as of right now.”
    • “Extremely short and no replay value.”
  • stability

    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    66% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 34% negative mentions

    The game demonstrates strong stability with minimal bugs or glitches, providing smooth, crash-free gameplay across various platforms including Steam Deck and Linux. While a few minor visual glitches and early access quirks are present, they do not impact overall playability or enjoyment. Overall, it runs well even on older hardware, offering a polished and reliable experience.

    • “An amazing game that is well built with nearly no glitches and I enjoy this throwback to old school vehicle shooters.”
    • “My playthrough was largely bug free; honestly, I can't recall anything major.”
    • “The controls are smooth and intuitive, keybinds fully remappable, and the gameplay is smooth and bug free.”
    • “There's your typical day one glitches, level events that fail to initiate, random bugs, etc., but for the most part it runs really well even on an older rig.”
    • “That and I noticed some of the shadows on the helicopter were a bit buggy after taking damage, and the bullet holes and scuff marks didn't go away when you healed, but that didn't technically affect gameplay.”
    • “Highly recommend even as an early access title, so far only come across a few glitches such as enemy combatants stuck inside buildings.”
  • grinding

    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    9% positive mentions, 14% neutral mentions, 77% negative mentions

    Grinding is a notable part of the gameplay, mainly involving replaying missions in arcade mode to earn money for unlocking new helicopters and weapons. While some find the grind enjoyable and not overly burdensome, others feel it becomes repetitive, especially given the limited mission variety and content at present. Overall, grinding extends playtime but can feel necessary and occasionally tedious to access all available options.

    • “The physics-based interactions are great, the chopper handling is great, upgrades are simple and not grindy, the controls are tight and straightforward.”
    • “The enemies and objectives are engaging and the missions themselves are repeatable but not grindy at all.”
    • “Extended gameplay time is grinding in arcade mode to unlock different helicopters and loadouts. The Mi-24V is the only unlock you really need; don't bother with the most expensive Comanche RAH-66, as it is somewhat quicker but has less payload, less damage, and weaker armor.”
    • “You will probably (and maybe more than once) buy something that looked good on paper but underperforms in the air, costing you time and more grinding.”
    • “I hope there is more content incoming since the game is genuinely fun to play but story content runs out after a couple hours, and what remains is basically grinding missions to unlock other helicopters and guns.”
  • atmosphere

    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    50% positive mentions, 50% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The atmosphere is widely praised for its nostalgic, 90s over-the-top action movie vibe, complemented by strong graphics, engaging music, and immersive effects. Players find it charming, fun, and well-crafted, with the intense gameplay and destruction enhancing the overall experience. While some suggest minor improvements, the atmosphere remains a standout feature that enriches the enjoyment and replayability.

    • “Not a long game atm but the character dialogue is great, the atmosphere is phenomenal, and the music really hits the sweet spot between retro action movies and Command & Conquer.”
    • “Overall, I'm recommending it, while short unfortunately, the gameplay is fun and polished, the 90s over-the-top action movie atmosphere and silliness is on point.”
    • “A fast-paced, arcadey shoot-em-up full of charm and atmosphere that is well worth the price of admission.”
  • emotional

    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game evokes strong nostalgic and heartwarming emotions, reminding players of classic childhood gaming experiences with its charming small-town story and detailed gameplay. Many users felt a touching sense of innocence and joy, with some even shedding tears recalling past memories. Its emotional impact is heartfelt despite not being a high-budget or deeply complex title.

    • “This game recaptures the magic of it all; I actually shed a tear when I remembered what it was like playing that game. Now I am 40 years old and everything hurts lol.”
    • “It made me feel like a kid again, even in my thirties.”
    • “I loved every moment of the game and it made me feel like I was back in my childhood living room, playing Jungle Strike on my Sega Genesis again.”
  • character development

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game features intuitive controls and engaging action alongside snappy dialogue, supported by a straightforward plot that surprisingly incorporates meaningful character development and emotional depth.

    • “Intuitive controls and fast action combine with snappy dialogue, a simple yet effective plot with a surprising injection of character development and heart.”
  • monetization

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game offers customizable helicopters and weaponry without requiring DLC or in-game purchases, providing a fully accessible experience without additional costs.

    • “You can obtain new helicopters and guns/missiles to make your ride customizable, all with no DLC or in-game purchases needed!”
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Play Times

4h Median play time
4h Average play time
3-5h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 16 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Cleared Hot is a tactical shooter game. Common tags for Cleared Hot include indie, nostalgia, war, isometric, early access and others.

Cleared Hot is available on PC, Steam Deck, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Cleared Hot.

Cleared Hot was released on November 20, 2025.

Cleared Hot was developed by Not Knowing Corporation.

Cleared Hot has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked Cleared Hot for its story but disliked it for its optimization.

Cleared Hot is a single player game.

Similar games include Tiny Combat Arena, Zombieville USA 3D, Dagger Directive, Overload, Megacopter: Blades of the Goddess and others.