Catherine HuSummary: This guide explains how long Cleared Hot takes to complete, covering average playtime for the campaign, quick-play missions, and the elements that influence total gameplay length.
Cleared Hot is a nostalgic helicopter shooter blending physics-based combat with light tactical elements—players pilot customizable helicopters using rope and magnet mechanics to complete objectives across diverse biomes. With its satisfying physics systems and emergent gameplay possibilities, playtime varies from focused mission completion to experimental mastery.
In this guide, we’ll break down estimated completion times, detail the chapter-based campaign structure, and explain how different playstyles affect session length. You’ll also discover how XMOD can enhance your experience through performance optimization and quality-of-life improvements.
Table of contents
- What is Cleared Hot?
- How long is Cleared Hot?
- Cleared Hot Chapter List
- All Objectives in Cleared Hot
- How Can You Enhance Cleared Hot Gaming?
- Conclusion
What is Cleared Hot?
Cleared Hot is a single-player helicopter shooter developed by Not Knowing Corporation and published by MicroProse, released into Early Access on November 20, 2025 for PC via Steam. The game is a spiritual successor to the classic Desert Strike series.
You pilot customizable helicopters across military operations spanning desert, jungle, and arctic biomes. Core gameplay features fully physics-based action, rope and magnet mechanics to pick up objects and redirect missiles, squad transportation and deployment, and isometric top-down perspective inspired by 1980s arcade shooters.
Early Access offers the first chapter (Texas region) with approximately 10 missions, with planned expansions over 6-12 months.
How long is Cleared Hot?
Since Cleared Hot launched into Early Access on November 20, 2025, here are estimated completion times based on game structure and player reports:
Single mission: 7–12 minutes per mission for standard completion.
First chapter completion: 2–4 hours to complete all 10 missions in the Texas region.
Main campaign + experimentation: 5–8 hours exploring different helicopters, weapons, and physics interactions.
Quickplay and mastery: 8–15+ hours perfecting missions and discovering creative solutions.
Full Early Access engagement: 15–25+ hours as new content releases throughout development.
The mission-based structure emphasizes replayability through emergent physics-based gameplay, rope mechanics, and planned content expansions.
In short: Cleared Hot offers flexible session lengths from quick 7-12 minute missions to extended experimentation, with substantial replay value through physics-based gameplay.
Cleared Hot Chapter List
Cleared Hot structures progression through a chapter-based campaign. Below is the breakdown of available and planned content.
Phase 1 – Tutorial & Texas Introduction
Learn core flight mechanics and physics-based interactions. Master basic controls and the rope/magnet system. Complete introductory missions in the Texas region.
Phase 2 – Early Mission Operations
Execute combat operations across the Texas campaign. Practice squad transportation and weapon loadouts including rockets, machine guns, and Hellfire missiles. Face diverse enemies like tanks, anti-air turrets, and fighter jets.
Phase 3 – Advanced Physics Mastery
Discover emergent gameplay like redirecting missiles, throwing rocks, or carrying vehicles. Master how weight affects helicopter handling during combat.
Phase 4 – Night Operations & Environmental Variation
Experience day and night missions requiring different tactics. Complete objectives using precise rope mechanics under varied conditions.
Phase 5 – Helicopter Customization
Unlock and test all eight helicopters with unique characteristics. Customize loadouts balancing firepower and mobility.
Phase 6 – Chapter Completion & Future Content
Complete Texas region missions and prepare for upcoming biomes, helicopters, and campaign chapters planned throughout Early Access.
All Objectives in Cleared Hot
Cleared Hot challenges players to master physics-based helicopter combat. Here’s a breakdown of objectives guiding your operations.
Main Objectives
Complete campaign missions across the Texas region, master flight physics with eight helicopters, utilize rope and magnet mechanics creatively, and deploy squads strategically.
Combat & Tactical Objectives
Discover emergent gameplay through physics, defeat diverse enemy types, manage heat-seeking missiles, and use environmental interaction tactically.
Progression & Customization Objectives
Unlock all eight helicopters, upgrade weapons and systems, optimize loadouts for different missions, and perfect flight efficiency.
Exploration & Variation Objectives
Adapt to different biomes, complete day/night mission variations, experiment in quickplay mode, and discover creative physics-based solutions.
Meta & Community Objectives
Perfect mission efficiency, master physics systems, attempt challenge runs, and engage with Early Access content updates throughout development.
How Can You Enhance Cleared Hot Gaming?
The platform XMOD offers enhancements to optimize your Cleared Hot experience beyond standard gameplay.
Performance Optimization: XMOD provides frame rate stabilization for smooth physics rendering, essential for maintaining immersion during intense combat with multiple physics objects.
Trainers / Combat Assistance: Adjust gameplay variables for learning rope mechanics, modify ammunition for practice, control helicopter damage while mastering evasion, and enable invulnerability for studying enemy patterns.
Progression Enhancement: Accelerate helicopter and weapon unlocks to experience the full roster efficiently, adjust mission requirements for experimentation, and speed up upgrades.
Quality-of-Life Tools: Use save management for mission replay experiments, access gameplay analyzers tracking efficiency, and employ performance monitoring for complex physics interactions.
Physics Experimentation: Enable sandbox testing for discovering creative applications, adjust physics parameters for understanding mechanics, and control enemy spawns for focused practice.
By integrating XMOD tools, you can customize difficulty, accelerate unlocks, practice mechanics without pressure, reduce performance issues, and focus on aspects you enjoy most.
Always ensure compatibility with Early Access updates and back up saves before modifications.
Conclusion
Cleared Hot delivers a nostalgic helicopter shooter where playtime depends on physics-based experimentation and mission mastery. With 2-4 hours for the current chapter and up to 25+ hours across planned additions, the game offers substantial replayability.
The mission-based structure provides 7-12 minute operations perfect for quick sessions, while physics-based action encourages extended experimentation. Early Access promises additional biomes, helicopters, and campaign chapters throughout 6-12 months.
XMOD provides tools to customize physics variables, accelerate unlocks, practice mechanics, and optimize performance for your helicopter combat journey.
Whether you’re drawn to physics-based gameplay, tactical deployment, Desert Strike-inspired action, or creative rope mechanics, Cleared Hot offers a unique helicopter shooter experience worth exploring.
