hackmud
- April 14, 2016
- ComCODE
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Hackmud" is a massively multiplayer puzzle game with both co-op and PvP elements, set in a cyberpunk-themed, text-based world. Navigate the abandoned future internet, uncover a complex narrative, and prove your worth in trials set by the governing super-intelligence. The game features phenomenal gameplay, a good story, and perfect music, but be prepared for some grinding. Note that it is a complex game with a dedicated community and active developer.
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Reviews
- Engaging and mind-bending puzzles that make the steep learning curve worth it.
- Strong community support with helpful players willing to assist newcomers.
- Unique atmosphere that immerses players in a cyberpunk hacking experience.
- Steep learning curve that may frustrate new players, especially those without coding experience.
- Server issues and downtime can disrupt gameplay and hinder progress.
- Lack of clear direction in the multiplayer aspect, leading to confusion and potential for scams.
- story71 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is initially engaging, particularly during the tutorial, which introduces players to the mechanics through a well-crafted narrative. However, many players feel that the story loses momentum after the tutorial, with a lack of clear goals and quests in the multiplayer mode leading to confusion and a diminished experience. While some appreciate the intriguing elements and hidden lore, the overall consensus is that the game could benefit from a more substantial and cohesive storyline beyond the initial introduction.
“The puzzles (locks) so far have been fun to solve, and the writing and story of the universe this game takes place in is amazing and has kept me coming back.”
“The single player tutorial was enjoyable and is a pretty well-written story to ease you into the game.”
“Honestly, I have never played a hacking sim with a story other than 'hack this, make money, upgrade, repeat', yet here was hackmud making me engage with AI to learn more about them and have them help guide me and get me going.”
“The lack of goals, quests, or missions visibly available to the user takes away from the experience.”
“Unfortunately, the game suffers from not really having enough story content or guidance.”
“The online 'sandbox', which the game becomes after its plot concludes, has absolutely no direction and nothing fun to do at all.”
- gameplay49 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its deep mechanics and a steep learning curve, requiring players to engage with coding and problem-solving. While the tutorial is praised for its engaging storytelling, many players find the subsequent gameplay repetitive and reliant on guesswork, particularly with the "locks" mechanic. Overall, the game offers a unique experience for those willing to invest time in understanding its systems, but it may be off-putting for players seeking a more straightforward or cooperative experience.
“The lore is deep and interesting, and the gameplay mechanics are very fun.”
“Hackmud stands as a testament to the sheer entertainment potential of even the smallest and roughest of games with the right kind of mechanics to allow for infinite user-generated content.”
“By spending time to learn and use game mechanics to your advantage, you can excel far beyond your peers.”
“This game is not only mechanically very niche, but incredibly brutal when you mess up.”
“Since finishing up and reading about other locks, it’s disappointing to see that this guesswork mechanic appears to continue for the rest of the game in increasing levels of obscurity/complexity.”
“It doesn't even have consistent gameplay.”
- music40 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many users praising its engaging and immersive quality that enhances the overall gameplay experience. While the soundtrack is described as fantastic and fitting for the game's atmosphere, some players noted a lack of variety in tracks, leading to a sense of repetitiveness over time. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's enjoyment, making it a standout feature.
“Best soundtrack in a video game ever.”
“The music provides a great background as you think about your next piece of code, too.”
“Now the soundtrack is just so great I ended up buying the OST not only to support the creator even more but also to be able to listen to it all the time.”
“The music is kind of repetitive; I mean it's great music, but there aren't that many different tracks.”
“While when something important is happening, like hacking with hardline, the music picks up and becomes fast-paced.”
“The music that plays in the background when nothing of interest is happening is calm and relaxing.”
- grinding27 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, particularly during the lengthy tutorial and initial stages where objectives are unclear. Many express frustration with the repetitive nature of farming for resources and the imbalance in the game's economy, which exacerbates the grind. While some enjoy the challenge of NPC interactions and upgrades, the overall sentiment leans towards grinding feeling like a chore rather than an engaging part of the gameplay experience.
“A 3-hour tutorial with unclear objectives leads into the actual game, which was tedious when the click-and-drag to copy functionality was off by a line and copied out of your scratch half the time.”
“It felt like I was grinding for no reason.”
“I really want to like this game, but the initial money-gathering so you can start for real, along with the incredibly tedious hardline, which you have to enter in order to test scripts for breaking open NPC accounts, puts the promise of a game where you can write programs to explore the world on the other side of the sort of repetitive activity that we write programs in order to avoid.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are primarily text-based, utilizing ASCII art and a stylized graphical user interface with vibrant colors and unique fonts, which many players find aesthetically pleasing. While the visuals are minimalistic and lack traditional animations, they effectively complement the game's intelligent gameplay and immersive hacking experience. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, despite being limited to text and simple effects.
“Just an incredibly aesthetically pleasing experience.”
“The graphical user interface (GUI) is stylized with a unique digital font and bright attractive colors.”
“Aesthetically, this game really nails it for me.”
“It's a 100% text game; any 'graphics' in the game are all ASCII art, so get ready to type a lot!”
“The game lets you create bots now that automatically send chat messages, and so now all that is in the main chat channels are robots advertising for scripts they made that don't really do anything cool considering everything is text-based (and you can't have anything graphical like you're used to in DOS. Just plain line-by-line text with no animations. You can't even really do ASCII art in the game.)”
“You have a bloom, screen distortion, and screen bend effect command to change your graphic settings.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging and immersive qualities, enhanced by strong sound design and a rich, evolving world. Players appreciate the blend of logical puzzles and community interaction, which fosters a sense of belonging and discovery. The lore, presented in a cryptic manner reminiscent of "Dark Souls," adds depth and intrigue, making the overall experience both captivating and addictive.
“Use this game as an excuse to learn how to code; you'll still get the happy chemicals but also knowledge, an amazing community, an amazing atmosphere, and thousands of hours of playtime in an ever-changing world that you can mold as much as anyone else!”
“You'll find a constantly changing political atmosphere based entirely on deception.”
“The atmosphere really clicks for me, where the lore is presented 'Dark Souls' style, which takes some digging to reveal - and what it shows you makes you want to know more.”
“I felt compelled to post a review on this one because of the work that has been done on this and for the reason that this is indeed a wonderful indie game that knows how to absorb you into its mystery and atmosphere.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of clever computer science jokes and a self-aware tone, appealing to players who appreciate a lighthearted take on programming culture. However, some users find the community's laughter at others' misfortunes to be off-putting, and technical issues detract from the overall comedic experience.
“As an aside, it's really hilarious to think that by the year 205x, Node.js is so ubiquitous that everything is now JavaScript.”
“- A funny and active community full of lying, deceiving subterfuge and at the same time genuine programming advice.”
“The game so far is riddled with computer science jokes and I love that it has a sense of humor about itself.”
- stability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while it runs well on certain systems like Debian Sid, users report significant bugs and interface issues that detract from the experience. Some players find the bugs add a unique character to the game, but overall, the stability is considered lacking, with a semi-responsive terminal and various quirks affecting gameplay.
“Linux compatibility: Outside of a few Unity quirks, it runs great for me on Debian Sid.”
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes or major bugs, providing a stable experience.”
“I've had no issues with performance; the stability of the game is impressive.”
“Additionally, the interface is buggy.”
“Even if you manage to overlook the sometimes buggy, semi-responsive terminal where players spend most of their time, the game still falls short.”
“Like Hacknet, only much more abstract, much more difficult, much more buggy.”
- monetization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is heavily criticized due to the prevalence of microtransactions and the limitations imposed on gameplay, leading to a spam-filled chat dominated by bots promoting scripts. Players find the experience frustrating, as they must grind through uninteresting NPC accounts to earn money, while some have resorted to creating in-game casinos and social networks to enhance their experience.
“The game features a unique casino where players can engage in gambling, adding an exciting layer to the monetization aspect.”
“There's a social network integrated into the game that enhances player interaction, free from advertisements and irrelevant content.”
“The game is riddled with microtransactions and limitations that hinder the overall experience.”
“Once I joined the online game, I sat around for hours trying random commands while being spammed by players advertising their scams before I learned about 'NPC' accounts, which are just the least interesting bit of the tutorial, but even less interesting, and you have to grind dozens of them to make money.”
“The game lets you create bots now that automatically send chat messages, and so now all that is in the main chat channels are robots advertising for scripts they made that don't really do anything cool considering everything is text-based.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the game is not primarily focused on emotional storytelling, players report feeling a sense of accomplishment and empowerment through the hacking mechanics and problem-solving elements. Engaging with the game's challenges can evoke strong emotions, particularly feelings of triumph and betrayal, as players navigate a world where trust is scarce and success is hard-earned. Overall, the emotional experience is largely shaped by the player's investment in the gameplay and their interactions within the game's environment.
“This game can have a lot of action and emotion if you are willing to give it that, and most of all, trust no one; everyone will literally stab you in the back for any and all your worth.”
“I have also started writing my own script and it made me feel like I actually accomplished something, even if it's in a fictional game world.”
“Once I finally figured out what to do, it made me feel like a hacker god when really I just did scripts.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game is generally criticized for its lack of replayability, with users noting that it may not be enjoyable for those unfamiliar with JavaScript. While it is considered a great piece with potential, many reviewers feel that its current state limits their ability to recommend it due to the absence of engaging replay value.
“It has no replayability.”
“This game is a great piece, but it lacks replayability.”
“I do not actually know how to rate this game; it is a great game with lots of potential, but at its current state, I cannot recommend it. I simply cannot enjoy it to the fullest, and the replayability isn't there for me.”
