Mainlining

Its fantastic art and concept cannot help Mainlining on Switch from being an absolute chore to play.

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Mainlining is a single-player Mystery Simulation game with an interesting plot, good gameplay, outstanding visuals, and a stunning soundtrack. As a hacking adventure, it explores techno-ethics and privacy concerns through its gripping narrative, following the government's implementation of the BLU Pill Act, which grants access to all online personal data. The Deluxe Edition includes the full game, digital soundtrack, and art book.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 225 reviews

story51 positive mentions

stability19 negative mentions

Engaging story with interesting characters and a unique premise that keeps players invested.
Fun and relaxing gameplay with enjoyable puzzles that provide a sense of accomplishment.
Charming pixel art style and good music that enhance the overall experience.

Frequent bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including freezing and input issues.
Poor user interface design, making it difficult to navigate and edit text, leading to frustration.
Lack of clarity in some objectives and evidence requirements, resulting in trial-and-error gameplay.

story
162 mentions
31 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered enjoyable and engaging, with themes related to government surveillance and real-life events, though it often follows predictable tropes and lacks depth in character development. Many players noted significant bugs and a clunky user interface that detracted from the experience, making it difficult to fully immerse in the narrative. While the story has its merits, including clever writing and humor, it suffers from pacing issues and a lack of meaningful choices, leaving some players wanting more depth and polish.
- “The story is heavily inspired by real-life events and is very easy to navigate through.”
- “Things I did like: the story was engaging, and the writers did a good job in making their points about government surveillance.”
- “The story was interesting and when it progressed it was always the highlight of the experience, but the base gameplay just got to me in the end.”
- “The storyline also didn't really have me hooked.”
- “Nothing noteworthy is said or implied, the story beats are somewhat predictable, and the aesthetics would better suit a game set in the '90s.”
- “The story is lacking and radiates a fair bit of privilege while trying to broach a complex rights issue.”
gameplay
59 mentions
27 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its unique desktop interface and engaging puzzle-solving elements, while others criticize it for being overly simplistic and repetitive. Many noted that the mechanics, although user-friendly, can feel clunky and unintuitive at times, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, the game offers a decent storyline and a fun, casual gameplay experience, making it appealing for those interested in a less intense hacking simulation.
- “The gameplay has you using a faux desktop complete with web browser, downloading files, and using the police instant messenger to coordinate with the other agents (all scripted, of course).”
- “Mainlining is very conducive to breakthrough-after-breakthrough gameplay where you get stuck for just a minute and then spot or try something that moves you along in the game, and it's very satisfying, especially when you find just the right evidence and arrest the suspect successfully.”
- “Overall, the game is challenging, unique, and very entertaining (it’s got a good self-aware/internet-aware sense of humor) while still retaining the hallmarks of good adventure games: good story, good gameplay mechanics, and good pacing.”
- “Meh out of 10, a hacking game that's lacking in mechanics and is oversimplified.”
- “The gameplay is a bit buggy and sometimes it's not clear at all what to do (case 9, IIRC).”
- “The gameplay is pretty repetitive once you've been introduced on how to hack once.”
graphics
32 mentions
41 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a minimalist retro style with crisp pixel art that evokes a nostalgic feel reminiscent of the '90s. While some users noted graphical issues such as clipping and a lack of tuning options, many appreciated the charming aesthetics and colorful design, which complement the engaging gameplay and story. Overall, the visuals are seen as serviceable and fitting for the game's theme, appealing to fans of retro-inspired art styles.
- “The pixel graphics mixed with a cool concept and atmospheric music drew me in instantly.”
- “I loved the pixel art graphics and the story kept me engaged throughout the game.”
- “The graphics are nice, with a particularly colorful and pixelated style that's easy on the eyes.”
- “Mostly some graphical issues with clipping.”
- “Not counting the graphical bugs, which there are plenty of, the game just wasn't that fun.”
- “There are no actual graphics options for tuning the look of the game.”
stability
19 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its stability issues, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that disrupt gameplay. Many players experienced significant technical problems, such as unresponsive controls and autosave failures, which detracted from the overall experience. While some found the game enjoyable despite these issues, the consensus leans towards it being poorly optimized and in need of substantial technical refinement.
- “I do have to point out that this game is very buggy - for example, I've played it on an ultrawide display, and you can click elements off screen to advance key plot points (had to load up a save to play the game properly) - but even then, it is a very neat experience.”
- “Unfortunately, the countless technical issues and glitches I've encountered (issues with things not taking input/dropping keys/having to reload the level) are annoying, and it seems like there may be some slight hiccups in some in-game text grammatically/some placeholders that slightly ruin the immersion.”
- “Firstly, the game is a little buggy and sometimes crashes; I think it crashed 4 times during my playthrough, so I had to start a case from scratch while almost at the point of moving to the next one, because the game autosaves only at the start of a new case.”
music
17 mentions
47 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and relaxing qualities, enhancing the overall experience with a chill, spy-like undertone. Many reviewers appreciate the soundtrack's fitting style, noting it complements the game's art and mechanics well, although some feel it lacks the impact of more prominent titles in the genre. Overall, the music is considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's ambiance.
- “The game features good art, great music, and I really enjoyed the pixelated re-imagination of multiple operating systems, albeit the pixel fonts are a little hard to read at times.”
- “The pixel graphics mixed with a cool concept and atmospheric music drew me in instantly.”
- “Perfectly fitting soundtrack by Jared Emerson (Wolf Among Us) makes the experience complete.”
- “It feels so much like a bootleg version of Hacknet, except without the badass soundtracks and cool hacking features.”
- “It's nothing to shake a stick at, but was mostly just chill music to give a spy-ish undertone to the game.”
- “Even discounted, the soundtrack feels more captivating than the game itself.”
humor
10 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending engaging and self-aware comedy with clever parodies of real life, often found in amusing file texts and situations. While some players find the humor hit or miss, many appreciate the comic relief it provides amidst the gameplay, contributing to an entertaining and unique experience. Overall, the humor enhances the narrative and gameplay, making it a memorable aspect of the game.
- “But the plot is interesting enough, there's a few cool twists and the fluff text files found in random people's PCs are hilarious.”
- “This leads to hilarious situations, when you can choose to get a drug dealer for a few years, or hand 25 to someone for the most heinous crime in the game's dystopia: unlicensed software development.”
- “Amongst other things, the other great positives to this game, in my opinion, is the humor centered around parodying real life, which is not only present in the main storyline, but also in areas 'around' it (by which I mean in the file systems of people unrelated to your mission, etc).”
replayability
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its low replayability, with many users noting that it is enjoyable but short-lived, leading to little incentive to play again. While some find minimal replay value, the consensus leans towards a lack of content that would encourage repeated playthroughs. Players recommend purchasing it on sale due to its limited longevity.
- “The one downside for this game is the replay value, which sits at little to none, but for me, that is not too bad.”
- “I would recommend buying it on sale because there is little to no replay value.”
- “However, the replay value isn't there, and the pixelated text is hard to read.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The game's pixel graphics, engaging storyline, and atmospheric music create an immersive experience that effectively captures the essence of working as a government agent. Players appreciate how the atmosphere feels authentic without being overly realistic, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- “The pixel graphics mixed with a cool concept and atmospheric music drew me in instantly.”
- “Nice game with a great storyline and atmosphere :)”
- “Mainlining perfectly captures the atmosphere of working as a government agent without appearing too cheesy or unrealistic, making you truly feel like a real-life NSA-like worker sitting in your HQ, along with all of the advantages, disadvantages, and consequences of your actions.”
- “The digital atmosphere feels lifeless and lacks any real immersion.”
- “I expected a rich atmosphere, but it ended up feeling flat and uninspired.”
- “The overall atmosphere is dull, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally engaging, as it immerses them in the role of a hacker, creating a sense of familiarity and excitement. While some puzzles can be challenging and lead to feelings of frustration, the compelling story ultimately motivates players to persevere and reach the thrilling conclusion.
- “Kudos to the developers for making a fun enough game that made me feel quite at home sometimes.”
- “Some of the cases took some time to figure out, and made me feel stuck - but the story was overall really interesting and luckily motivated me to get to the last cases, which was really exciting!”
optimization
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-150 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for being buggy and poorly optimized, with limited opportunities for exploration, customization, and control adjustments.
- “The game offers a variety of options for control optimization, allowing players to tailor their experience to their preferences.”
- “I appreciate the attention to detail in the optimization features, which enhance both performance and gameplay.”
- “The customization options available for optimizing controls make the game feel more personal and engaging.”
- “The game is buggy and not optimized.”
- “There are few opportunities for exploration, customization, and control optimization.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect tedious due to the lack of essential keyboard features like copy/paste and highlighting, which complicates tasks such as typing out IP addresses and increases the likelihood of errors.
character development
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is minimal, with only a few characters exhibiting distinct traits, such as Agent Sharp's intelligence, Osvalt's seriousness, Cooper's preference for outdated technology, Ashley's flirtatiousness, and Mr. Blue's overt villainy. Overall, the characters lack depth and complexity, making them feel more like archetypes than fully realized individuals.
- “The character development is quite engaging, especially with Agent Sharp, who stands out as the 'smart girl of the team.'”
- “Osvalt, the 'bossy boss who takes his job way too seriously,' adds a unique dynamic to the team with his serious demeanor.”
- “I love how each character has their own quirks, like Cooper, the 'I prefer old TTS software' agent, and Ashley, the 'flirty secretary' who brightens up the emails with winky emojis.”
- “The characters lack meaningful development, with only a few stereotypes like the 'smart girl of the team' and the 'bossy boss' standing out.”
- “Character development is almost non-existent, relying heavily on clichéd archetypes rather than offering depth or growth.”
- “The game features a cast of one-dimensional characters, such as the 'flirty secretary' and the 'evil hacker,' which detracts from the overall experience.”