Hacker Evolution
- September 14, 2010
- exosyphen studios
Get on Steam"Hacker Evolution" is a single-player cyberpunk simulation game where you play as a hacker seeking to build a global empire. You'll need to breach systems, escalate privileges, and manage resources to outwit competitors and government agencies. The game features a detailed terminal interface and a variety of challenges to test your hacking skills. However, it may not appeal to those seeking fast-paced action, as success depends on careful planning and strategy.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game provides a unique and immersive experience that simulates the feeling of being a hacker, with a focus on command-line inputs and problem-solving.
- Many players find the game challenging yet rewarding, as it encourages strategic thinking and resource management.
- The soundtrack and art direction create a memorable atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- The tutorial is poorly designed and often leads to confusion, making it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics.
- The game can be extremely punishing, with mistakes carrying over between levels, leading to frustrating restart scenarios.
- The interface and graphics are considered outdated and unappealing, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- story114 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its engaging and imaginative elements, while others criticize it for being simplistic, convoluted, or even nonsensical. Many reviews highlight the lack of character development and repetitive plot points, but some also note that the storyline is a step up from previous entries and offers enjoyable hacking missions. Overall, while the narrative can be entertaining, it may not satisfy those seeking a coherent or believable plot.
“The story is a step up from previous entries and it also comes with some nice DLC for those wanting to have some more missions after completing the main story.”
“Being able to sit down with nothing but text descriptions and a little blinking cursor, you find you have to use your imagination to tell half the story, while the game does a very thorough job of guiding your imagination through a rather ingenious story, and makes the CSI-level 'hacking' both enjoyable and engaging, if not addicting.”
“An interesting take on video games, combining Hollywood-style 'hacking' with a unique story allows this game to be a pretty good run.”
“The story was bland and it was very repetitive.”
“The story is quite idiotic, and does have bad elements to it.”
“I'm not going to create any spoilers, but let's just say that if you like a story which is believable, don't buy this game.”
- gameplay54 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily centered around command-line inputs, resembling a typing simulator rather than traditional gaming mechanics, which some players find frustrating and dull. While the game offers a challenging experience that requires logical thinking and resource management, it can be punishing and lacks intuitive guidance, leading to a steep learning curve. Despite its limitations, the storyline and the satisfaction of gradually overcoming challenges provide some redeeming qualities.
“The whole gameplay is built on finding logical chains and entering commands.”
“I like that you have to put extra thought into your actions and that the gameplay is clear and challenging.”
“You'll probably fail multiple times trying to solve a puzzle, but every time you retry you'll get just a bit further than you did before, and that to me is the most rewarding form of gameplay, slowly figuring the game out and finally beating it.”
“The gameplay is horribly dull, with no real explanation or justification for its mechanics.”
“This is more of a typing simulator with no open-ended or open-world mechanics.”
“This results in both repetitive gameplay and difficulty, as you will be forced to remember many different inputs from the tutorial stage, without much help afterwards.”
- music44 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it catchy and fitting for the hacking theme, while others describe it as stereotypical and forgettable "hacker techno" that pales in comparison to other titles like Uplink. Despite some praising the chill electronic soundtrack, others opted to mute it in favor of their own music. Overall, while the soundtrack has its fans, it seems to lack the depth and memorability that some players were hoping for.
“It's very well done and the music is lit.”
“This game is a hacking simulator which has a good storyline and also a great soundtrack.”
“The best point for this game is the soundtrack, very electro/dance but very fitting.”
“The music is stereotypical, forgettable 'hacker techno'.”
“Again, compared with Uplink, the music quality pales in comparison.”
“What I mind is an awful looking screen, terrible music, and incorrect tutorials.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally described as decent and fitting for its hacking theme, featuring a simple interface that includes a map and console. However, some users find the visuals static and repetitive, leading to a perception of boredom, while others appreciate the graphical interface despite its oversimplified command execution. Overall, the graphics contribute to the game's concept but may not be engaging for all players.
“I did like the graphical interface, although the actual command execution was a bit oversimplified.”
“For the graphics, they're simple: a map, a console, your config and messages.”
“The graphics are decent and also rather fitting for a hacking type game.”
“Static and quite boring graphics (I'm sure it's intended, but still...)”
“For the graphics, they're simple: a map, a console, your config, and messages.”
- stability10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with reports of complete system freezes when loading levels, requiring hard restarts. Users have also noted frequent glitches, particularly in the tutorial and quest progression, leading to frustration and uncertainty about the overall reliability of the game. While it performs well on tablets, the desktop experience is marred by these issues.
“Runs great on my tablet, and nothing is more fun than playing Super Hacker out in the park with the kids.”
“The game freezes the whole computer upon loading the first non-tutorial level, which is hard to do (not even cmd-q or cmd-tabbing out will work; I have to use the power button to restart).”
“The whole interface is rubbish as well, and if you do something sooner than it tells you to do, quests completely glitch out.”
“It only led me to wonder how buggy the rest of the game was, as I could not proceed past the 12th message of the tutorial.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as quirky and niche, often stemming from the absurdity of its premise and the nonsensical tasks players are required to perform. While it may not accurately represent hacking, players find enjoyment in the comedic elements, especially if they are willing to invest time in typing commands.
“Of course it has nothing to do with hacking and stuff that you're supposed to do barely makes any sense, but in the end it's quite a funny game if you're not afraid of hours and hours of typing down commands!”
“The funny thing is I really love simulator and decision-based games as well, so I think this title is a really niche genre.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, encouraging players to revisit levels with the added challenge of completing them faster and with higher scores. This aspect enhances the overall experience, making it enjoyable for those seeking to improve their performance.
“Great replay value too.”
“There's also some replayability value if you challenge yourself to finish the levels quicker and with more funds.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game features a compelling atmosphere that enhances its puzzle concept, but the lack of tutorials and player guidance leads to a steep difficulty curve, resulting in frustration rather than enjoyment.
“It's a great concept for a puzzle game and carries a neat sense of atmosphere, but its refusal to tutorialize itself and coax in the player results in an experience with a vertical difficulty curve and frustration rather than fun.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is not explicitly discussed in the reviews, but players generally find the game enjoyable and engaging, emphasizing the fun of the virtual hacking experience.
