Hack n Slash
- May 6, 2014
- Double Fine Productions
- 6h median play time
Hack 'n' Slash starts as a clever game about game design, but ends up feeling like homework.
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Hack n Slash" is a hacking-themed action-adventure game where you play as a character with the ability to manipulate and control electronic devices and systems. The game features puzzle-solving and combat, as you navigate through various levels and encounter different types of security measures and enemies. As you progress, you can upgrade your hacking abilities and customize your character's appearance.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Xbox
Reviews
- Unique concept that allows players to hack and manipulate game code to solve puzzles.
- Clever puzzles that encourage creative problem-solving and experimentation.
- Charming art style and humorous dialogue that adds to the overall experience.
- Steep difficulty spike in later acts, making it frustrating for players without programming knowledge.
- Frequent bugs and crashes that disrupt gameplay and can lead to loss of progress.
- Lack of clear direction and guidance, leading to confusion and aimless wandering.
- gameplay162 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Hack 'n' Slash" is characterized by its unique hacking mechanics that allow players to manipulate game objects and their behaviors, offering a novel twist on traditional puzzle-solving. However, many players find the execution lacking due to unclear mechanics, frustrating puzzles, and game-breaking bugs, leading to a mixed reception where the initial novelty quickly wears off. While some appreciate the innovative concept and potential for creativity, others criticize the repetitive and tedious nature of the gameplay, particularly in the latter stages of the game.
“The gameplay is unique and entertaining.”
“The core mechanic of changing the game engine while it is running is really compelling, and leads to very open-ended puzzle design.”
“It takes programming and cryptography concepts and turns them into interesting game mechanics and some pretty cool puzzles.”
“Great idea, but this game is let down by game-breaking bugs and tedious gameplay.”
“The mechanics for interacting with the world are sometimes not very clear and can lead to the typical puzzle game frustration of solving the puzzle in your head before figuring out how to solve it in the game.”
“The gameplay is very repetitive and it mostly consisted of turning attack to off or things like that.”
- story124 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's story is often described as lighthearted and humorous, but many reviewers find it lacking depth and engagement, with some labeling it as "paper-thin" or "boring." While there are moments of cleverness and amusing dialogue, the overall execution is seen as inconsistent, with a tendency for the narrative to take a backseat to gameplay mechanics. Despite its potential, the story is frequently criticized for being short, predictable, and poorly developed, leaving players wanting more substance and coherence.
“The story follows a player named protagonist and their bff sprite, while the two combat the evil wizard in his quest to corrupt the world around them.”
“It has a great story, and I enjoyed the way the programming aspect fits into the story.”
“The story is strong and amusing (as one would expect from Double Fine) despite the odd subject matter.”
“The story is paper thin and not engaging at all.”
“The flaws aren't gamebreaking, but the game doesn't exactly go in depth into anything, even the story is basic with terrible dialogue.”
“The entire game's story line holds almost no weight, even in its own universe.”
- graphics76 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the charming, retro-inspired art style reminiscent of classic titles like Zelda, while others criticize it for being simplistic, confusing, and lacking polish. Many users note that the visuals can obscure gameplay elements, leading to frustration, and some describe the overall aesthetic as amateurish or reminiscent of early flash games. Despite these criticisms, a few players find the graphics enjoyable and fitting for the game's unique concept.
“Super cute graphics!”
“The graphical style is really nice and refreshing, not to mention the idea behind the game has so much potential!”
“The art style is very attractive but gets ruined by an item picked up later in the game which puts a messy overlay over this.”
“The bland, amateurish art style, the directionless narrative, the janky animations, and the loose, unfinished gameplay makes this a game I won't be returning to.”
“I don't like the overall graphic style; it looks like some old, ugly cartoon to me.”
“I have encountered so many glitches, like walking around out of the map, making a 'quantum leap' forward, objects that can't be picked up, crashing when exiting the game, etc. It can also become quite laggy despite the very simple graphics.”
- humor46 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- -4 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The humor in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it clever and enjoyable, while others criticize it as juvenile or overly forced. Many appreciate the witty dialogue and funny interactions, particularly in the early stages, but feel that the humor can become repetitive or fall flat later on. Overall, the game is seen as having potential for humor, but it may not resonate with all players, especially those outside the intended audience.
“It has cool characters, dialogue, and humor.”
“This game is hilarious, frustrating, fun, and we beat it.”
“The first part of the game is really, really funny and interesting.”
“He supposedly has all the power you have, but, to keep spoilers to a minimum, he either doesn't use them for some reason or uses them in a ridiculously stupid way... stupid enough that it feels like poor writing, not funny stupid.”
“The jokes fall flat and often feel forced, making the humor feel more like a chore than an enjoyable aspect of the game.”
“I expected clever wit, but instead, I was met with tired clichés and predictable punchlines that left me cringing rather than laughing.”
- stability45 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting severe bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Many describe it as feeling unfinished and unpolished, with issues ranging from freezing during critical moments to janky controls and inconsistent mechanics. While some appreciate the concept and potential, the overwhelming consensus is that the game's instability makes it frustrating and not worth purchasing.
“The overall experience was just too buggy and frustrating to recommend buying the game at any price.”
“I found this game absurdly buggy.”
“Unfortunately, the first 2 hours of the game were a chore, and the last 2 hours were crazy buggy.”
- grinding29 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews consistently highlight that the game's grinding aspect is marked by tedious gameplay and frustrating mechanics, with many players finding the puzzles overly complex and the need to repeat actions monotonous. The respawning enemies and convoluted coding tasks contribute to a sense of boredom, making the experience feel more like a chore than an engaging challenge. Overall, while the game has a promising concept, it ultimately suffers from a lack of enjoyable gameplay due to its tedious nature.
“It is extremely tedious, made much worse by the fact that all enemies respawn when you change screens.”
“This game is not fun, it's tedious... much like real programming.”
“The coding is still painfully inaccessible and unserviceable—if you're a programmer, it's boring and tedious for no apparent reason, and if you're not a programmer, there's no chance you'll really even understand the puzzle as it's presented.”
- music29 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it pleasant and fitting, while others describe it as repetitive and forgettable. Although a few reviewers appreciate the soundtrack as a highlight, many feel it lacks the quality to elevate the overall experience, often noting that it can become annoying due to its short loops. Overall, the music is seen as decent but not exceptional, failing to leave a lasting impression.
“Music sounds original, and fits well with the theme.”
“The music is great.”
“At the very least, you'll enjoy the amazing soundtrack.”
“The art, music, and story are all cute, but not really good enough to carry the game.”
“Music is the same 5 to 15 second music loop per area and will slowly drive you insane.”
“The world itself isn't anything out of the ordinary either; generic 'retro-styled' backgrounds and levels coupled with a boring soundtrack are largely ignorable.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is polarizing, with some players appreciating its programmer/hacker vibe and nostalgic elements, while others find it slow, clunky, and frustrating. The atmosphere can initially engage players, but it often becomes tedious due to cumbersome menus and controls, detracting from the overall experience.
“This game is perfect for those who love the programmer/hacker atmosphere.”
“I enjoyed a lot the game, its atmosphere, story (mainly the final talk), and winks to old games.”
“It's definitely atmospheric and kept my attention well enough to keep me playing until I completed it in my first and only session.”
“An interesting concept for a puzzle game, but it's slow and the atmosphere is sleepy. I really can't be bothered slowly navigating completely boring, soulless menus and waiting for things to move and do what I asked.”
“Frustrating atmosphere in general, coupled with clunky controls.”
“The entire atmosphere of this game is basically designed to be annoying.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The reviews on replayability are mixed; while some users highlight "almost infinite replayability" and the enjoyment of exploring the game further, others express disappointment with low replay value, particularly for those who prefer to conquer and move on quickly. Overall, the game's replayability seems to depend on individual player preferences and play styles.
“Replayability: there is almost infinite replayability.”
“Lots of replayability the more you know about the game.”
“Overall, I found the game highly enjoyable; while it has low replay value, that's not usually important to me in games - I conquer and move on.”
“And I don't feel like starting from scratch as I don't see much replay value in it.”
“Pretty much no replayability.”
“A bit on the short side, with low replay value unless you just want to test how far you can go with the hacking.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by unique and appealing character designs, though opinions on individual characters vary significantly. While the dialogue is described as somewhat lacking, the overall character design contributes positively to the game's vibrant atmosphere and comedic elements.
“Also surprising, the character design is really, really good.”
“Just keep in mind that the price is legitimized more by the unique hacking concept, graphics, and character development than by game length.”
“Hack 'n' slash brings some comedy to the gameplay with quirky character design and somewhat witty dialogue.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely viewed as lacking, with some players expressing disappointment in the story's dullness, while others felt a strong emotional reaction to the absence of mod support.
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the optimization of the code is highly technical, as it involves bytecode and assembly that are not intended for human readability, focusing instead on efficiency and performance closer to machine language.
“The problem is, bytecode/assembly is not supposed to be read by a human; it's optimized code much closer to the machine than to what a human would write.”
