| Hacknet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Team Fractal Alligator |
| Publisher(s) | Fellow Traveller |
| Engine | |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Release | Microsoft Windows
|
| Genre(s) | Simulation |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Hacknet is a 2015 puzzle video game that allows the player to perform simulated computer hacking. It is developed by Team Fractal Alligator and published by Fellow Traveller.
The game simulates a Unix-like operating system, with every main element of the game's interface having its own window. Windows are tiled in a fashion highly reminiscent of the i3 window manager. The windows have multiple tiling configurations with their own wallpapers and color schemes, which can be found as files as the game progresses. The main gameplay is done through two large interfaces, a graphical display, and a Unix terminal. Both interfaces are essential for gameplay, though the player can use either as their "main" interface. Along with the terminal, the computers in the game simulate a Unix-like file system, through which the player can explore the computer, and even destroy them by deleting critical system files. The core of the gameplay is to connect to other computers and run dedicated programs to break the security and acquire superuser privileges on the computer. The general procedure is to first run a scan to see what protections the computer has and then run programs matching what the scan revealed. Each program takes up a certain amount of memory, which the player has to manage, as there is only a limited amount of memory to share.
The game notably averts the common trope of bouncing a connection between several intermediary computers before reaching the target computer. Instead, a simplified system of a variable speed countdown is used to force the player to act quickly. If this countdown reaches zero, the player is given one last chance to avoid a game over by hacking their ISP and changing their IP address.
Once superuser privileges have been obtained, the file system of the computer is investigated. The exact task on each computer varies for each mission, but can, in general, be performed by running a specific command to access one or more files on the system.
A few systems have specialized interfaces, such as email systems and databases.
Most computer systems contain text files that can be read. A large majority of the files are quotes from the website bash.org. [1]
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Hacknet was developed by Matt Trobbiani, the sole developer of Team Fractal Alligator, based in Australia. [2] [3] [4]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 82/100 [5] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| GameSpot | 8/10 [6] |
Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the game a score of 82 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". [5]
GameSpot gave the game an 8/10, praising the game for its unique presentation puzzle design. [6]
A DLC expansion for "Hacknet", titled "Hacknet Labyrinths" was announced on August 30, 2016. [7] The expansion was set to come out December 2016; however, development issues delayed release to March 31, 2017. [8] [9]
The expansion features new hacking tools and security systems, as well as a 3- to 4-hour chapter to the game, where the player is recruited by a hacker that goes by the alias "Kaguya" into a small elite hacking team. It includes more secrets, more UI themes and a full new soundtrack, from artists such as synthwave artist OGRE and Rémi Gallego, creator of metal/electronic act "The Algorithm".
In May 2017, official mod support for Hacknet titled Hacknet Extensions was released worldwide, in which players can create their own custom stories and campaigns for the game. These extensions can be shared and downloaded from the Steam Workshop. Extensions are separate from the main game, and are accessed from a separate menu from the title screen. [10] [11]
Hacknet Extensions also features extension-exclusive tools and the ability to implement custom music and themes. [10]
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