Hacktag
- February 14, 2018
- Plug In Digital
- 31h median play time
"Hacktag is a 2-player co-op stealth game with asymmetric gameplay, where players can choose to be a stealth Agent infiltrating in corporate buildings or a Hacker, virtually infiltrating the same level through a different view. Set in a parallel world of anthropomorphic animals in 2029, the game requires teamwork and communication to fulfill industrial espionage missions and take down corporations. The game boasts beautiful visuals but may have some bugs."
Reviews
- The co-op gameplay is fun and engaging, requiring good communication and teamwork between players.
- The game features a charming art style and quirky humor that adds personality to the experience.
- It's easy to pick up and play, making it accessible for newcomers to gaming, especially when played with a friend.
- The game suffers from frequent connectivity issues and bugs, making online play frustrating and often unplayable.
- Content is limited and repetitive, with many players feeling that they quickly exhaust the available gameplay options.
- The single-player mode is poorly designed, forcing players to control both characters simultaneously, which can be overwhelming and difficult.
- story96 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 93 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in Hacktag is often described as lacking depth and coherence, with many players finding it difficult to engage with the narrative. While the game features story missions that are generally more enjoyable than procedurally-generated ones, the repetitive nature of missions and tedious mechanics detract from the overall experience. Players appreciate the character-driven stories that can vary with each playthrough, but many feel that the game would benefit from a more meaningful storyline and improved mission variety.
“Hacktag offers adventures through story modes.”
“Each character you create has a story of their own and it’s always generated the moment you create one, so even if you create the exact same character again, the story can be different.”
“This is a polished, full-fledged game with a lot of dialogue, missions, unlockable skills, customization options, and much more.”
“The few missions we’ve done were tedious and uninspired.”
“Unfortunately, there are a lot of rough edges, including odd English translations, the bizarre inclusion of loot boxes, an incomprehensible story that is told mostly in strange IM chats, and achievements that don't unlock.”
“Speaking of the story, I couldn't really find it comprehensible.”
- gameplay78 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for being fun, challenging, and accessible, particularly in its co-op and asymmetrical mechanics that encourage communication between players. However, many reviewers noted a lack of variety in missions and mechanics, leading to a repetitive experience over time. While the core gameplay loop is engaging, some feel that the focus on cosmetics and loot boxes detracts from the overall experience, suggesting that more attention should have been given to enhancing gameplay depth and variety.
“The asymmetric gameplay is well done, the pacing between the two players is perfect.”
“It's fun, fast-paced, the co-op elements are brilliant and the gameplay is simple yet challenging.”
“The entire game is based on the async cooperative system and it works really well: the infiltration theme, the hack and unlock gameplay, etc.”
“The gameplay didn’t have much to offer.”
“I played a couple more missions and there were the same guards, the same mechanics, similar level layouts.”
“But I question the effort spent in developing loot boxes, cosmetics, friend system, etc., when the gameplay loop is just not fun.”
- graphics28 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their charming art style, colorful visuals, and appealing design reminiscent of "The Wolf Among Us." However, technical issues such as performance problems, lack of graphic options, and optimization concerns detract from the overall experience, particularly in multiplayer modes. While the game is accessible on lower-end PCs, these bugs can significantly impact gameplay.
“The visuals are nice, the soft cartoon colors and the 2-color theme for the two players is smart and helps the gameplay too.”
“The artwork and graphics remind me a little of The Wolf Among Us, which is a good thing.”
“This game has great graphics and fun co-op gameplay (from the point of view of being in the same room with someone you know - can't comment on playing with randoms).”
“Sadly, Hacktag has some technical issues, from performance problems and lack of graphic options to lag/desynchronization in multiplayer.”
“Due to lack of graphic optimization and no second player AI, the game is basically unplayable.”
“It seems to use a lot of system resources for a game that is not that graphics intensive.”
- stability20 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs that significantly hinder gameplay, including issues with controls, party invites, and multiplayer desynchronization. While some players acknowledge improvements since the beta phase, many still find the game close to unplayable due to persistent glitches and a frustrating experience when trying to connect with others. Overall, the stability remains a major concern that detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
“The game is a buggy mess.”
“Getting into a multiplayer game is a slow and buggy process.”
“Because the fundamental aspects of this game make it rather fun, however, due to the massive multiplayer desync and glitches, this game is close to unplayable as of the time of writing.”
- humor14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a quirky and silly sense of humor, filled with animal puns and amusing skills like "stubborn," which adds to its unique personality. While not every joke lands perfectly, players find the humor engaging, especially in cooperative play, making for a fun and laughter-filled experience. Overall, it successfully combines humor with gameplay, keeping players entertained both online and in split-screen mode.
“The game has plenty of animal puns and silly humor for those who enjoy it.”
“The most hilarious skill was one entitled 'stubborn,' that made the agent resist arrest when captured by a guard.”
“I've not played a co-op game like this that has had me on the edge of my seat while simultaneously laughing so hard that it hurts.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Hacktag suffers from significant optimization issues, including performance problems, limited graphic options, and severe lag in multiplayer modes. Many users report that the game is nearly unplayable, particularly in split-screen mode, due to stuttering and desynchronization. Overall, the lack of optimization is a major drawback that detracts from the gaming experience.
“Before I say anything else, the main point is, do not buy this because the game is broken and not optimized at all!”
“The problem at this point is the game optimization, or lack of it.”
“Due to lack of graphic optimization and no second player AI, the game is basically unplayable.”
- music8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its ability to enhance the heist atmosphere, with many users highlighting the fantastic work of the composer. The soundtrack is described as beautiful and pleasing, contributing significantly to the overall experience.
“Special mention to the music composer who did a fantastic job.”
“Music is great to set the heist mood.”
“The soundtrack is pleasing to listen to.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming and tedious, often requiring dozens of hours to unlock specific skins. Many missions are described as uninspired and involve repetitive tasks, such as aimlessly searching for symbols, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
“If you want a specific skin, that is dozens and dozens of hours of grinding.”
“One of the mission types had us wandering around the level until we found the correct symbol on the computers, which was super tedious.”
“The few missions we’ve done were tedious and uninspired.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability due to its variety of corporations, skills, and mission types, along with ongoing content updates from the developers, including seasonal events and easter eggs. While it faced initial bugs during its beta phase, most issues have been resolved, enhancing the overall playability. Players express hope for additional levels to further increase replay value.
“The different corporations, skills, and mission types allow for a lot of replayability, and the dev team still adds content for events and Easter eggs.”
“The different corporations, skills, and mission types allow for a lot of replayability, and the dev team still adds content for events and Easter eggs.”
“Hopefully, more levels will be added; the replayability is moderate.”
“Hopefully more levels will be added; the replayability is moderate.”
“The different corporations, skills, and mission types allow for a lot of replayability, but the overall experience feels limited.”
“While the game has potential for replayability, it ultimately falls short due to a lack of diverse content.”