Hack RUN
- June 17, 2015
- i273 LLC
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Apple StoreIn Hack Run, players assume the role of a hacker attempting to infiltrate a mysterious organization's systems to uncover their secrets. Using command prompts reminiscent of DOS or UNIX, players navigate through the game by learning and utilizing various commands to access files and emails, revealing clues and riddles to progress. As players hack into new accounts and gather key information, they increase their skill level, with the ultimate goal of reaching over 50 levels deep.
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Reviews
- The game features an engaging and imaginative storyline that draws players into a world of conspiracy and mystery.
- Puzzles are varied in difficulty, providing a mix of easy and challenging tasks that require critical thinking.
- The game is immersive and allows players to explore real-world websites for clues, enhancing the overall experience.
- Many puzzles rely on trial and error, with some solutions being illogical or requiring external guides to progress.
- The game can feel repetitive, as it often involves reading emails and guessing passwords without much variation.
- Some players found the story's twists to be confusing or unrealistic, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- story49 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally praised for its engaging premise and intriguing twists, drawing players into a conspiracy-laden narrative. However, many reviews note that the plot becomes convoluted and unrealistic towards the end, leading to a mixed reception regarding its execution and world-building. While some players enjoyed the initial setup and humor, others found the later developments disappointing or confusing, suggesting that the story's potential is undermined by its abrupt shifts and lack of depth.
“The game had an amazing storyline that almost felt like going down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories.”
“I love how it really drags you into its own world, with a great story and funny twists.”
“Really cool game, and an amazing story to complete the whole thing!”
“The lack of plot up front requires a massive multi-paragraph plot dump at the end that feels pretty wtf, which is a mark of poor storytelling.”
“The later part of the story starts going off the rails as far as believability, and I lost immersion due to the ridiculousness of it.”
“There's a plot twist that isn't alluded to earlier in the game, so it kind of feels like it's dumped on you with no prior warning.”
- music11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with players criticizing the reliance on an external website to listen to a single song necessary for progression, which feels more like an advertisement than an integral part of the game. Additionally, the audio puzzles lack captions and clarity, leading to frustration among players who found the music and audio elements inadequate compared to other games. Overall, the game's music is seen as minimal and poorly integrated, detracting from the overall experience.
“Very very good music.”
“Good music.”
“And the principle to open notes in the basic notepad and your browser to check websites specific to the game... and even listen to a song - yay, the only track of the game - is awesome.”
“Also, a part of the game requires you to visit a website and listen to a song to progress, like a ridiculous ad.”
“The game has two puzzles that are audio-only, with no captions, with one requiring listening to a song and the other being somewhat distorted spoken audio.”
“Gameplay open menu -> read emails -> read more emails -> read even more emails -> get outside of the game website and listen to a song to find the password to advance -> more emails to read... passwords are so obvious that they don't even need to exist in the game.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Hack Run is characterized by its simplicity and repetitiveness, primarily involving reading emails and solving straightforward puzzles to progress. While some players appreciate the quirky elements and the ability to quickly earn achievements, many find the mechanics unremarkable and the overall experience lacking depth, making it more of a casual, short-term engagement rather than a substantial gaming experience.
“While mechanically, Hack Run is very simplistic, it still tells an interesting enough story that I can generally recommend it if you're looking for a game that you can just blaze through and rack up ~50 achievements in within 2-3 hours, as long as you're willing to use a bit of brains to figure out who uses which password, given the provided hints.”
“The game mechanics are very simple, and the little puzzles are straightforward, but at least it's hard to get really stuck or lost, so there's a good sense of progress.”
“There were a lot of quirky gameplay elements that made me realize I was playing a very original game.”
“But from a gameplay perspective, there is nothing remarkable to find here.”
“Gameplay: open menu -> read emails -> read more emails -> read even more emails -> get outside of game website and listen to a song to find the password to advance -> more emails to read... passwords are so obvious that they don't even need to exist in the game.”
“So, the story's confusing, backstory's lacking, gameplay lacking, $5 USD...”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its engaging story and unexpected twists, with players enjoying the comedic elements found in character interactions and emails. Overall, the game successfully immerses players in a fun and amusing experience.
“I love how it really drags you into its own world, with a great story and funny twists.”
“The emails are very funny, and while you don't get to see any character, you always get some kind of info about the person you just hacked or are about to hack.”
“Such a fun game, it has some really funny moments.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics are minimalistic and lack the aesthetic appeal typically found in more engaging hacker or programmer games, focusing instead on a simple hacker interface that players learn to navigate. Overall, the visuals are described as basic and not particularly impressive, emphasizing functionality over style.
“The graphics are minimalistic, which adds to the overall atmosphere of the game.”
“The aesthetic is simple yet effective, allowing players to focus on the puzzles rather than flashy visuals.”
“It's not a hacking game; it's a puzzle-ish game with the most minimalistic graphics I've seen in any video game ever.”
“It isn't a bunch of fancy graphics, just a hacker screen you learn to navigate over the course of the game.”
“It's missing the aesthetic of surprise that is common in better hacker/programmer games, where you solve puzzles by using old tools in novel combinations.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect tedious, as many usernames and passwords rely on common regional references, making the process of cracking them feel repetitive and frustrating.
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players feel a sense of intellectual empowerment and satisfaction, as the game challenges them in a way that boosts their confidence and self-perception.
“Made me feel a lot smarter than I actually am.”
