Unhack

About

"Unhack is a single-player visual novel game with an amazing story, stellar gameplay, sensational graphics, and splendid music. As the top unhacker in Smash Security, you must team up with an AI companion to battle hostile AI and conquer digital dungeons to bring peace to the digital realm. The game features a fully voiced cast, including Xanthe Huynh, Aimee Smith, and Skyler Davenport, and comes with a free soundtrack DLC."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 196 reviews

story70 positive mentions

character development2 negative mentions

The game features a charming story with engaging characters and good voice acting, making it an enjoyable experience.
The combination of visual novel and puzzle gameplay is unique and provides a refreshing twist on both genres.
The art style and music contribute positively to the overall atmosphere of the game.

The game is very short, taking only about an hour to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
There are technical issues such as lack of resolution options, no save system, and the inability to take screenshots.
The gameplay can feel simplistic and easy, especially on lower difficulty settings, which may not satisfy players looking for a challenge.

story
223 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The story of the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding it engaging yet predictable, often relying on familiar anime tropes and clichés. While some appreciate the emotional depth and character interactions, others criticize the lack of realism and depth, noting that the narrative can feel rushed and simplistic. Overall, the blend of visual novel storytelling with puzzle mechanics offers a charming experience, though the execution may leave some wanting more in terms of plot complexity and character development.
- “The story is actually quite well done for a game that is so short.”
- “The short running time enables the creators to keep surprising you with changes and with delightful interplay of mechanics, story, art, voice acting and music.”
- “Unhack has a beautiful art style, kawaii AI girls with cute voice acting, and an interesting theme and story.”
- “The story is clichéd, the mechanics simplistic, the art repetitive, and the humor juvenile.”
- “The story lacks worldbuilding and context - there's something to be said about suspension of disbelief, but without proper establishment of setting, you get lost on what is happening.”
- “The entire 'game part' of this game is just a timewaster distraction to pad out an anemic story.”
gameplay
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
66%
4%
The gameplay is generally described as simple and minimalist, often blending basic puzzle mechanics with visual novel elements. While some players appreciate the relaxing and straightforward nature of the gameplay, others find it lacking in depth and challenge, with many mechanics feeling underexplored. Overall, it serves as a light distraction that complements the story, though it may not satisfy those seeking a more complex gaming experience.
- “Nice, simple and relaxing gameplay.”
- “Each level builds upon the previous ones and has a new mechanic added, keeping it fresh.”
- “Navigating mazes as a little cube of code is fun while it lasts, and new mechanics are introduced regularly enough to give you something new to consider with every level, keeping things simple but engaging.”
- “One of the single biggest issues with the story clashing against gameplay is that 'story activation' markers within the puzzles are often placed in such a way as to prevent hearing the fully-voiced dialogue during the process of avoiding obstacles.”
- “The gameplay itself is simplistic, the UI gives little to no indication of progress, the art is amateurish, and the characters are poorly written and one-dimensional.”
- “It's basically a visual novel with some basic gameplay thrown in to appease those people who claim that simply reading text 'isn't a game', but the problem is that all it does is create a minor obstacle course to slow the player down in between text segments.”
music
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
57%
6%
The music in the game is generally praised for its ambient techno and electronica style, effectively complementing the story and atmosphere. While some tracks are described as catchy and enjoyable, others are noted for lacking distinct progression, leading to mixed feelings about their impact. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point of the game, with a free downloadable option that many players appreciate, though some find it forgettable or not particularly standout.
- “Electronic music is one of the strongest points of this game.”
- “I really enjoyed some tracks, and the free soundtrack DLC is a cool bonus.”
- “The music works very well as game music.”
- “I pressed the return key during the end credits, and the music just stopped playing.”
- “The music seems to suddenly shift, and it's kind of off putting.”
- “The soundtrack is nothing to write home about but that's a minor point.”
graphics
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
38%
8%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their clean and simple artwork, effectively conveying the story's themes, with character designs being a standout feature. However, some reviews note that the backgrounds are basic and the overall art style lacks complexity, leading to a mixed reception regarding the visual depth. While the visuals are appealing and fit the game's cyber-aesthetic, they are often described as minimalist, which may not satisfy players looking for more intricate designs.
- “For visuals, the clean and simple artwork does a great job of conveying the themes of the story.”
- “The artwork is excellent and the music fits the game well.”
- “Unhack has a beautiful art style, kawaii AI girls with cute voice acting, and an interesting theme and story.”
- “The puzzle gameplay is flash/browser tier, very low quality/minimalist art style.”
- “Characters are expressive and the art style is consistent, maintaining the mood throughout, but backgrounds are exceedingly basic, while CGs are few, rather poor compared to the regular graphics, and only thinly connected to the plot.”
- “Everything is just the same character portraits in front of purple hexagons with flatly delivered 'I will destroy you all,' 'oh noes!'-type dialogue, and at least showing some variation in artwork would have done something.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it funny and endearing, particularly in the dialogue and character interactions, while others criticize it for relying on outdated and questionable jokes, particularly regarding the protagonist's behavior towards female AI. The comedic elements range from light-hearted banter to absurd scenarios, with some moments eliciting genuine laughter, though not all players resonate with the humor style. Overall, the game's humor is entertaining for those who appreciate its unique approach, but it may not appeal to everyone.
- “Funny and endearing dialogue.”
- “Simple fun puzzles with funny and endearing dialogue while you do them.”
- “I can’t remember actually bursting out laughing at any particular line, but I was definitely smiling the whole way through as the cute AI bantered back and forth with the oxymoronic lovable asshole protagonist.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is described as a mixed experience; while some players found the story and character arcs to evoke genuine feelings, particularly during poignant moments, others felt the emotional impact was limited due to short backstories and inconsistent character development. Despite its flaws, including gameplay issues and a simplistic plot, many reviewers appreciated the touching narrative and emotional connections formed throughout the game, highlighting its potential to resonate with players. Overall, it offers a blend of heartfelt moments and light-hearted tones, though it may not reach the emotional depth of other titles in the genre.
- “Nevertheless, the story is quite nice and did get me a little emotional over the AI characters at the end.”
- “Despite that, it still respects the story of the original and provides time to feel closure and an emotional punch to the story from the first.”
- “It shows a sad story of Acme Security's history and actually made me feel a little bit emotional for the characters.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
Overall, the game's replayability is largely criticized, with many reviewers noting its short playtime of around an hour and a lack of meaningful incentives to replay. While some players appreciate the potential for trying harder difficulties, the absence of achievements or stat tracking diminishes the overall replay value, making it feel more like a one-time experience.
- “This game has a lot of replay value and it would be really awesome to try this on harder difficulties.”
- “The only other thing I wish was included was a CG viewer if you beat the game; however, that is what makes this game replayable.”
- “There is some replayability, but it is more of a one-time experience.”
- “The game is really short, only around an hour long and there's next to no replay value in this title.”
- “The biggest issue is its playtime (just under an hour, 3 hours for 5 card drops) and replay value (not really).”
- “At the end of the day, the game felt like a poor time filler and I expected more replayability, but I knew what I was buying into.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
Character development in the game is generally criticized for being shallow and clichéd, with many reviewers noting that the limited length of the game hampers deeper exploration of the characters. While the character designs, music, and voice acting receive praise, the overall depth of character development is lacking.
- “I love the character designs, the music, and the voice acting.”
- “The characters are cliché and have shallow, if not non-existent, character development.”
- “Not much character development because of its length.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a fitting ambient techno/electronica soundtrack, which effectively complements the overall immersive experience.
- “The music is primarily ambient techno/electronica style, perfectly complementing the game's atmosphere.”
- “The game truly immerses you in its atmospheric world.”
- “The overall ambiance creates a captivating and engaging experience.”
- “The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, lacking any real sense of immersion.”
- “Despite the ambient music, the overall environment feels empty and devoid of character.”
- “The game's atmosphere is overshadowed by repetitive soundscapes that fail to engage the player.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the fair balance between free and paid content, while others criticize the presence of aggressive microtransactions that can hinder gameplay. Overall, the approach to monetization appears to impact player experience significantly, leading to divided opinions.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is praised, particularly highlighting that players who appreciate the performance will find it satisfying and not disappointing.