Mu Complex
- October 23, 2015
- studiocime
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Mu Complex" is a single-player hacking simulation game that teaches Linux terminal commands as you infiltrate a corporate complex to save Lya. Experience a fulfilling storyline, solve challenging puzzles and riddles, and uncover the complex's secrets across two episodes. With hundreds of emails to read and an immersive background, test your problem-solving skills and become a skilled hacker.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game features clever puzzles that require critical thinking and real-world knowledge, making it engaging for players who enjoy problem-solving.
- The atmosphere and story are intriguing, with a unique premise that immerses players in a hacking adventure.
- The game encourages the use of external resources, such as Google, to solve puzzles, adding an interactive and modern twist to the gameplay.
- Many puzzles rely on outdated or inaccessible external resources, making some parts of the game unplayable without guides or workarounds.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including crashes and a lack of resolution options, which can hinder the overall experience.
- The command line interface is limited and lacks basic functionalities like copy/paste, making some puzzles tedious and frustrating to solve.
- story46 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it captivating and creative, while others consider it predictable and lacking depth. Many noted that the narrative is intertwined with puzzle-solving mechanics, which can detract from the overall experience, and some expressed disappointment over the short playtime and unresolved plot points. Overall, while the story has its intriguing elements and hidden details, it may not satisfy those seeking a more substantial narrative.
“The mechanics are solid and easy to learn, and the story is highly captivating and creative.”
“There is a 'good' story for what it is, and the cliffhangers after each episode have me yearning for more.”
“Great storyline, some interesting hidden details or clues give the game a very interesting atmosphere.”
“But don't bother to purchase if you want to know more about the story.”
“The story continues on through more nonsense puzzles like the first one: open a file, find the word you need to enter for the next puzzle, continue.”
“If you are mildly curious about the story, go look up a speed run for each episode and you'll get to see the entire 10 minutes of game content and the slightly interesting (and easily predictable) ending.”
- gameplay23 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay centers around a command line interface that simulates hacking by requiring players to sift through in-game computer files for clues and solutions, often leading to puzzles reminiscent of sudoku and anagrams. While the mechanics are easy to learn and the story engaging, the linear nature of the gameplay limits replayability, with an estimated playtime of 4-5 hours. Players may find the experience frustrating due to the occasional need to backtrack for hidden files and the overall simplification of the hacking concept.
“The mechanics are solid and easy to learn, and the story is highly captivating and creative.”
“The whole gameplay is about reading through files, finding hints, and solving puzzles.”
“However, I consider this a cross between the gameplay from Hacknet, the ideas of Her Story, with the tone similar to that of Portal and some ARG stuffed in there too.”
“When all you wanted was a better understanding of how, say, the bot puzzles worked in episode 2 and nothing was leaping out, that's when I was forced to go watch a gameplay walkthrough to see the commands in action.”
“The 'hacking' usually boils down to obscuring the game's mechanics behind a severely dumbed down, limited and frustrating command line interface, then forcing you to solve what boils down to sudoku puzzles and anagrams as the meat of the game.”
“With that said, it does suck that it is mostly linear gameplay, so not much room for replayability once you've gone through it.”
- music22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the ambient soundtrack that complements the visuals, while others find it unremarkable or even unpleasant. Many suggest that the music is unobtrusive and fits the game's atmosphere, but some recommend muting it due to its repetitive nature. Overall, it seems to serve its purpose without standing out significantly.
“The music was one thing I started to appreciate as I got older; it's nice ambient music in the background that quite fits the tech startup company graphics, which I also liked.”
“Overall, using only minimal interface and unobtrusive music, the game creates an appropriately tense atmosphere as you dig through the sins of the past.”
“All while you have really sweet electronic music playing as part of the game's soundtrack.”
“To make it worse, that background noise (I think they want to call it music/ambience) is awful.”
“The soundtrack basically consists of long tones followed by more long tones, so I recommend muting it.”
“I don't really like the soundtrack, but it can be muted.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of Mu Complex is highly praised for its richness and tension, enhanced by a minimal interface and subtle music. Players appreciate the engaging storyline and the inclusion of hidden details, such as emails, which contribute to the immersive experience and deepen the narrative context. Overall, the game successfully creates a compelling environment that complements its challenging puzzles.
“Overall, using only minimal interface and unobtrusive music, Mu Complex creates an appropriately tense atmosphere as you dig through the sins of the past.”
“Great storyline, some interesting hidden details or clues (I probably have missed a lot of them, but then again, they are hidden) give the game a very interesting atmosphere.”
“There are a lot of emails that are not necessary for puzzle solving; they add a nice atmosphere to the game and let you look into the workings of the Mu Complex.”
“Overall, using only minimal interface and unobtrusive music, mu complex creates an appropriately tense atmosphere as you dig through the sins of the past.”
“Everything from the story/atmosphere perspective was very solid.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is perceived to have low replayability due to its mostly linear gameplay, which limits opportunities for varied experiences after the initial playthrough. Many users express disappointment in the lack of replay value.
“It does suck that it is mostly linear gameplay, so not much room for replayability once you've gone through it.”
“Not sure that this game has any replayability value.”
“I'd consider the replayability rather low.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be mediocre and often tedious, especially when it becomes the primary interaction. While the solutions to challenges are straightforward, the repetitive nature of the commands can detract from the overall experience, though some still consider it worth purchasing if found on sale.
“It's mediocre once, and it's tedious if this is the main interaction with the game repeatedly.”
“The solution was easy, but extremely tedious to enter.”
“The story is not super involved and some of the commands get tedious.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics are described as clean, minimalist, and sharp, effectively complementing the ambient music and the tech startup theme of the game. Overall, the visual style is appreciated for its simplicity and clarity.
“The graphics are clean, minimalist, and sharp.”
“Graphics are minimal.”
“The graphics are clean, minimalist and sharp.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, providing a lighthearted experience; however, some players find the puzzles to be challenging, which may detract from the overall enjoyment.
“It's funny, but the puzzles are a little bit hard to resolve.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users praising its smooth performance while others report issues such as frame drops and stuttering. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary significantly across different hardware configurations.
