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Second review: Hacknet >>
XCOM 2
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XCOM 2

Genres:
Strategy, Turn-Based, Tactical, Aliens, Sci-fi

Available Platform(s):
Windows, Linux, Mac, PS4, Xbox One Buy Now >>

About the Game

XCOM 2 has to be one of my favourite games of all time. Its predecessor is XCOM: Enemy Unknown, was released back in 2012. Although prior knowledge of the first XCOM game is not needed to enjoy the second one, I recommended it, as some of the plot may be difficult to follow otherwise. XCOM 2 is set in 2035. Its been 20 years since world leaders were forced to surrender to the aliens. Now the aliens are the rulers of earth, and they're putting up a front to hide their true intentions. XCOM's forces are scattered, and the remnants of them are rising up to fight off the aliens once again. You play as the commander of XCOM, controlling the missions, researching technology, engineering items, and much more.
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Pros

This game provides multiple difficulty levels, so its good for returning fans, or newcomers to the franchise. XCOM is a turn-based, tactical game, and my favourite aspect of it is the missions. You control a squad of soldiers, each one is fully customizable from their nickname to their armour colour. The missions use tactical guerilla combat, which allows you to carefully plan and ambush, or do an all-out frontal assault. The maps for missions, soldiers, engineers, and scientists, are randomly generated, which gives the player a unique experience each time. I have gotten about sixty hours out of the game, not including the any of the DLC (downloadable content). I would say the replayability of the game it great, as most things are randomly generated, and there are many achievements to try and earn.

Cons

Although I strongly recommended XCOM 2, there are a few cons to this game. Firstly, during the missions, there can be unfair circumstances, such as a soldier with a very high chance to hit their target, missing. Or, sometimes, I haven't been able to find the last alien I need to kill to end the mission, after scouring the map multiple times. Then they randomly appear at the worst time. However, this issue has mostly been fixed. This game is graphics heavy, and even with a decent graphics card, the game can crash right after ending a mission, or when using a solider to take a shot. Luckily, XCOM 2 occasionally autosaves, so you can usually avoid having to redo big parts of the game. These bugs are pretty small, and for the most part the game runs smoothly.
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Buy DLC bundle now >> Buy War of the Chosen expansion now >>

Downloadable Content

Expansions:
  • War of the Chosen
    • Adds new mission maps, soldier classes, enemies, and many more features
DLC:
  • Alien Hunters
    • Adds new enemies, weapons, armour, and a new mission
  • Shen’s Last Gift
    • Adds a new soldier class and mission
  • Anarchy’s Children
    • Adds new soldier customization options
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Overall

Like I said before, this is one of my favourite games of all time, and I definitely recommended it, especially if you enjoy tactical, strategic, and action games.
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Hacknet
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Hacknet

Genres:
Hacking, Simulation, Indie, Single-player, Typing, Strategy

Available Platform(s):
Windows, Linux, Mac Buy Now >>

About the Game

Hacknet is a unique, terminal-based puzzler. Bit is a deceased hacker, who had created a dangerous security system. But something about his death doesn’t add up. After two weeks, his failsafe starts up, emailing you, the player. Now it is your job to ensure that Hacknet-OS doesn’t slip into the hands of malicious forces. Hack into multiple places, such as PCs, mobile devices, and databases, and delve deeper into Bit’s mysterious death.
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Pros

It presents wonderful problem-solving puzzles, and no prior programming experience is required. This retro, console style game incorporates UNIX commands for the ultimate feeling of realism. The elegant but simple user interface provides a deeply immersive experience without becoming too complicated. Hacknet also lets t he player hack into a variety of devices, some of which I think were quite clever. It also has an XCOM: Enemy Unknown reference, which I appreciated. I would say that you could play Hacknet through at least twice without getting bored, and that’s about all I can say without spoiling anything. There are also many hidden gems in this game, such as readable chat logs lying around on other PCs, usable programs, and UI themes. The soundtrack is also a perfect fit with the theme of the game.

Cons

Hacknet is pretty well made, except for a few strange bugs. For example, I needed to delete a file with a certain name off a PC. But when I hacked in, the file I had to delete just wasn’t there. Most problems , like this one, are fixable with a little logic and the help of the internet. Another option can be to manually edit your save game, but only do that if you’re really desperate. Another thing that is slightly annoying the text-based part. Many of the parts have spelling or grammatical errors. You also need basic typing skills. Hacknet requires a lot of typing, as it is a terminal-based game. The tab key auto completes commands, but there are some time-based hacks, where speed is key.
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Buy Hacknet: Labyrinths now >>

Downloadable Content

DLC:
  • Hacknet: Labyrinths
    • Adds 3-4 hours of gamplay
    • New UI themes
    • New soundtrack
    • Many new and useful tools that
      can also be used in the main game
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Overall

Hacknet is perfect for those who want a realistic hacking game, filled with problem solving. The game won’t frustrate you with its hand holding, but rather amaze you with its accessibility.
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