Data Hacker Initiation
- July 21, 2014
- New Reality Games
- 2h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Data Hacker Initiation" , play as Jay, a banned hacker seeking revenge on Online World's administrators. Uncover the game's hidden purpose and secrets, engaging in monster and player hacking with around 25 hours of core gameplay. With over 50 class archetypes and real choices, plunge into this immersive narrative-driven RPG. Note: No information available about the release date or developer/publisher.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique concept of a singleplayer experience within an MMORPG setting, providing an engaging storyline and interesting mechanics.
- Players appreciate the depth of the story and character customization, with multiple endings that enhance replayability.
- The music and atmosphere are well-developed, contributing to an immersive experience reminiscent of classic RPGs.
- The game suffers from repetitive combat and grinding, which can detract from the overall enjoyment and pacing.
- Technical issues such as performance problems, bugs, and a lack of clear instructions for certain mechanics hinder the gameplay experience.
- Many players feel that the potential of the online world simulation is underutilized, with minimal interaction with other players and shallow character development.
- story70 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story revolves around a hacker named Jay, who, after being banned from an online game, creates a new identity to uncover the mystery behind player disappearances. While the narrative draws comparisons to popular series like .hack and Sword Art Online, it features unique elements and moral lessons about perseverance. Overall, players appreciate the engaging plot and character development, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and grinding.
“Your hero, a hacker named Jay, was just banned by the admins of the 'online world' game (there’s a moral lesson in this – hacking online games will get you banned!), but of course that’s not going to stop him from creating a new identity and diving into the game again – and on his quest to gain more power, he soon gets involved in a mystery of players vanishing from the online world, and the real one too.”
“The story is coherent, there are multiple endings that affect the story of the sequel, there is quite a bit of customization in party composition, and there are a fair number of side quests.”
“The scenario of 'online world' is great, with an engrossing plot and an enormous amount of areas to explore and do battle in.”
“Although after playing a significant amount of hours, I didn't see much story.”
“Around halfway through, the story can turn into a grind-fest for items needed to unlock essential dungeons, if you haven't been hacking and stockpiling these items beforehand.”
“Although it took me most of the game to figure out growth ribbons, and the storyline was a bit hard to follow sometimes, I'm still going to buy the next one immediately.”
- grinding30 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and time-consuming, particularly due to the need to farm data cores and level up characters for challenging environments. While some appreciate the MMORPG-style grinding, others criticize the pacing and the randomness of rewards, leading to frustration and a loss of interest. Overall, the game appeals primarily to those who enjoy extensive grinding, while others may find it a significant drawback.
“You have lots of grinding and annoying fetch quests.”
“For a JRPG based on grinding, this game has awful pacing.”
“- endless grinding and poorly documented mechanics in a ramshackle world that thinks it's an MMO is your personal notion of one of the circles of hell.”
- music16 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its memorable and delightful quality, contributing significantly to the overall experience. Many players appreciate the custom soundtrack and have expressed a desire to add several tracks to their personal music libraries. Overall, the game's music enhances the storytelling and atmosphere, making it a standout feature.
“The music does seem very memorable to me, but it is there; the game isn't silent.”
“The custom soundtrack is especially enjoyable.”
“I paid backer rewards for reboot to get the soundtrack, but even the version in the game files themselves are quite nice, and a number of tracks are going right on my music player.”
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“I paid backer rewards for the reboot to get the soundtrack, but even the version in the game files themselves is quite nice, and a number of tracks are going right on my music player.”
“I paid backer rewards for the reboot to get the soundtrack, but even the version in the game files themselves is quite nice, and a number of tracks are going right on my music player.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as an above-average JRPG featuring a typical combat system and a unique mechanic where players can "hack" opponents for experience instead of defeating them. However, the implementation of this mechanic is criticized as poorly executed, compounded by endless grinding, lack of clear tutorials, and balancing issues, leading to a generally negative reception. Overall, while the concept has potential, the execution leaves much to be desired, with many reviewers rating it poorly.
“Gameplay-wise, it could be considered an above-average JRPG with a typical combat system, a multitude of skills, and one non-typical mechanic: instead of defeating your opponents for experience, you can try to 'hack' them and convert them to data to sell for good money. Not to mention that you can add more characters to your team this way.”
“Decent RPG mechanics.”
“The random item mechanic can be both a positive and a negative, but it is listed as a negative here because most people are not obsessive save-scummers - that is to say, people that save and reload until they get the outcome they want.”
“Tldr: poorly implemented mechanic obfuscated by decent concept.”
“- endless grinding and poorly documented mechanics in a ramshackle world that thinks it's an MMO is your personal notion of one of the circles of hell.”
“I thought the tutorials came out of place; if you managed to skip that part, it was gone. You should do it automatically when a new mechanic, feature, or option is introduced.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are a mix of custom and standard assets, with notable attention to detail that enhances the atmosphere and mapping. While some users noted stuttering during movement and described certain areas as chaotic, the overall visual presentation is considered appealing, earning a score of 7/10. The developer's effort to create distinct biomes and a unique art style has been positively acknowledged, contributing to an engaging experience.
“The graphics look very nice, and it's obviously not stock assets.”
“I've had a blast playing this in the past and I'm looking forward to a replay once the reboot initiative is ready to go. The new art style and enhanced atmosphere and mapping look great, and I know Ross - the main developer - has been working hard on the trilogy so far.”
“Audio and visual-wise, it's mostly standard RPG Maker, but NRG has put great attention to detail and the use of both custom and standard visuals in order to create the online world.”
“The graphics look stuttering while moving around.”
“The creator tried their hardest to make the glitch areas look like a mess of graphics that are out of place.”
“Audio and visual-wise, it's mostly standard RPG Maker, but the graphics lack the polish needed to stand out.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting severe stuttering during movement, particularly in major cities, and poor default performance, including a broken fullscreen mode. Many players have experienced frustrating frame rate issues, with maximum performance often capped at 40 fps, leading to a disappointing overall experience. Overall, the performance has been rated poorly, with many calling for significant rework to address these issues.
“Extremely poor default performance, with a flat-out broken fullscreen mode.”
“Stuttering in the major cities, even after my fix.”
“Performance: 4/10 (now really that game needs to be reworked 28 fps max 40 fps in hometown? wtf! lock it @ 30 fps if it won't run 60, it hurts the eyes of players like mine with drop-downs/ups and lags!)”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its well-developed online environment, enhanced by a new art style and effective mapping. Players appreciate the immersive experience created through thoughtful design elements, such as terminology that reflects an online setting. Overall, the atmosphere contributes significantly to the enjoyment of the game, with many looking forward to future updates.
“The atmosphere is well-developed.”
“I've had a blast playing this in the past and I'm looking forward to a replay once the reboot initiative is ready to go. The new art style and enhanced atmosphere and mapping look great, and I know Ross - the main developer - has been working hard on the trilogy so far.”
“I have to say though, not once did I feel like the visuals were a detriment to the game, RTP or not, and the atmosphere itself was brilliant.”
“Data hacker tries to create an atmosphere of an online environment using terms like logging in, for when certain players come into different areas.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is somewhat limited, primarily appealing to players interested in obtaining specific items in New Game Plus (NG+). However, it offers some replay value through its two endings and the ability to save/load for re-looting chests, as well as unique items and companions that can only be accessed in subsequent playthroughs. Overall, while not extensive, there are elements that encourage players to revisit the game.
“With two endings, and a number of items and companions that cross over between playthroughs - and some that are only available in the second playthrough - it has a bit of replay value.”
“It's pretty simple, but fun - adds some extra replay value as you can just save/load and reloot the chests for a while to try to get the rare good stuff.”
“So its replay value is lacking, unless you want certain items in New Game Plus.”
“With two endings and a number of items and companions that cross over between playthroughs - and some that are only available in the second playthrough - it has a bit of replay value.”
