Recent reviews by Red Reign

A short, but extremely sweet game. Something about the movement is absolutely entrancing, with a lot of polish brought to the moment-to-moment feel of the game. The writing is goofy and it knows it is. Plenty of fun little secrets and easter eggs everywhere, and moving around the levels feels fun enough that hunting them down is never a slog. The time trials are exactly what they needed to be.

Absolute steal of a game.

HOLYMOLY. A fantastic game so far and quite a worthy sequel to the original hit. Though early in development, the gameplay already present is, at its core, insanely addicting and fun - in my opinion, better than the first game!

I'd generally recommend this game to absolutely anyone who's a fan of action-based roguelikes or roguelites. Or even if you aren't! It's that great so far.
As the game isn't terribly well-optimized just yet, I'd advise caution to anyone with a lower end PC (your framerate may vary) or anyone who suffers from epilepsy or other sensitivities to flashing lights (your seizures may vary). Also, this game delivers lots more than most Early Access games do, even before content updates arrived, which have only served to make the game more and more fulfilling to play.

The game premise is very similar to that of the first game, which, for those who aren't aware, consisted of scavenging an open level for randomly-generated items. Said items often buff your character, stacking with duplicates of themselves and synergizing with others to increase your abilities. All the while you play, enemies show up nearby to attack you, and they grow more fierce and numerous by the minute, as the difficulty continuously increases as you play. The difficulty indicator begins with "Easy," "Medium," and "Hard," all the way to "I SEE YOU," "I'M COMING FOR YOU," and "HAHAHAHAHA"...

With each level, you grab what you can, find the teleporter, activate it and survive a boss fight while it charges, then you're ready to move on to the next level. There's this strange dread as you play that keeps you rushing and making decisions as to how best spend your time, and it makes playing it very engaging. The variety of items, classes, monsters, and slight changes in level design keep each run fresh, a necessary aspect of any good roguelike. Not unlike The Binding of Isaac, the fun in the game comes from looting dozens of items until you're tearing down everything that gets close to you. The combinations of items aren't scripted like some are in Binding of Isaac, they all simply emerge naturally and make crazy stuff happen during the runs.

Like many other fans of the first game, I was worried, but intrigued about their plans to incorporate the 3rd dimension into the sequel. The gameplay loop of Risk of Rain 1 was so incorporated with the 2D aspect, as was the understated-yet-charming pixel art and animations... Right? It's easy to be skeptical when many franchises have struggled to smoothly transition from 2D to 3D, such as Sonic... Seemed dangerous to tempt fate with Risk of Rain...

An hour in, and I was totally won over. Hopoo games made a terrific, surprisingly faithful sequel despite such a huge change.

One of my grievances on the first game was the movement. Despite being a 2D platformer, movement in the game always felt really underwhelming. Jumps are wimpy and short-lived, but dodging by jumping over enemy attacks was practically mandatory. Didn't help that most characters could only attack things on the same elevation as them, meaning you couldn't always attack back while dodging... RoR2 fixes that. As a 3rd person shooter, the sequel lets you aim and attack wherever you please with every character except for the melee-based Mercenary (who has great amounts of mobility to compensate for his attack range). Besides that, actually moving and jumping feels a bit floatier and smoother than it did in the original anyway. In combination with the fact that most characters have much-needed utility abilities focused on movement, exploring the map and platforming is actually fun now, instead of the chore it sometimes felt like in the first game.

While still hard, sequel is slightly less brutal than 1 in the sense that you can unlock most items and characters on the easier mode of the game (Drizzle), letting you learn the basics while still directly rewarding you for your time. While I'm a #ProGamer™ and Definitely™ didn't need to play on Drizzle at first, because I'm Totally™ that good, it's still there for those wanting to learn the ropes before diving into the modes with more meat on them. The game will still kick your ass if you're not careful, but it manages to be fair most of the time during Drizzle.

As a musician myself, I loved Chris Christodoulou's work on the original (as well as Deadbolt, another Hopoo title), and was ecstatic to hear he was working on the soundtrack for this game as well. It delivers! It's definitely more mellow than the original game, and in some cases lacks the compelling vibe and ear-worm factor that tracks like RoR1's "Monsoon" and "Cyclogenesis" had. The Vai/Satriani impression I get from some of RoR1's tracks definitely makes a return here (as do many cleverly-placed motifs in the music), but it's less satisfying for some reason... I can't put my finger on why. Make no mistake, though, the soundtrack so far is solid, and I am excited for what else Chris has in store for us when the game gets more content. The music is somewhat dynamic, looping certain phrases depending on the intensity of the swarm of mobs around you, which helps to deliver intensity to fights, whittling down as you finally kill off a huge crowd or difficult boss. The overall sound design is as great as it was before, and with nice adjustments for the third dimension.

I'm personally not very discerning on visuals, but I believe Hopoo did a great job on bringing the mellow colors of the original pixel art style to a minimalist pastel 3D landscape. Almost all the characters are instantly recognizable to those who played plenty of the first game, adding just the right amount of detail to player and enemy models. The animations are caricatures of what they were in the original game, with the Lemurians' confident powerwalk now a bouncy jog as they spit fireballs at you (oh yeah, they do that now). Golems still slowly build up in a red laser effect like they did in the first game, stomping towards you with their clapping hands and heavily-telegraphed eye lasers.

It's worth mentioning that right now, content is a little dry. There's about 60 items, substantially less than the 94 in the first game, with most of the items being clones or near-clones of those found in RoR1. I'm hoping most of the original items return, but it's inevitable that some of the older items won't adjust well to the design of the sequel. But not only are items a bit lacking, but so are the maps. There are 7 levels (8 if you count the threat-free shop you can visit between levels), And each cycle is only 4 levels long, with the 3rd level always being a snowy level, and the 4th always being the Abyssal level. I imagine there are plans to add more levels later on, with greater randomness about which one is picked.

There are a few bugs and balance issues that can ruin otherwise perfectly good runs, but they're almost not worth wasting time explaining, as the developers have been acknowledging almost all of the balance-based problems people tended to have so far. Fiery elites suck, Elder Lemurians suck, Magma Worm sucks according to some people, even though he's far more pleasant to fight in this game than he was in 2D, Wake of Vultures is a trap item, Enemies eventually just stop spawning at a high enough difficulty (takes a couple hours though). etc. Despite these issues, I haven't yet felt cheated enough by the game to stop playing.

Overall, there's nothing fundamental about the game that I don't really like, seeing how it's sucked up almost all my free time since its release (65 hours in 10 short days, hoo boy). The online play is pretty solid. Doubly so if you play with friends! The Prismatic Trials serve as a daily run where you can compete on leaderboards to finish a run. Unlocking content and finding secrets are both rewarding and exciting, and I can't wait to see what awaits us as this game continues updating through 2019!

What a great game. I acquired this in a Humble Bundle recently with a few other titles. Without looking, I assumed it was just a game that was shoveled in to fluff out the bundle, and that I wouldn't enjoy it. I ended up loving it, and I'm definitely going to buy the DLC (and likely any more content that may come out for Hacknet in the future).

Hacknet, for lack of better words, is a Unix-based hacking simulator in which you use the combination of a point-and-click interface and a command prompt to explore the mysterious death of a hacker named "Bit." Bit has arranged to send automated messages to you posthumously, giving you leads that are just enough for you to find your way.

Being not much of a programmer, and unfamiliar with Linux and Unix-based command systems (idk man I just look stuff up and punch ♥♥♥♥ into the Windows 10 command prompt and sometimes it says words back to me), I felt learning to play Hacknet might be too daunting of a task. However, the feeling subsided in less than half an hour, when I was able to navigate through any device's file systems with ease, hopping from device to device, opening ports, cracking passwords, etc. Not long after that was I very immersed in the story (something I have a hard time being in MANY games).

While some aspects of the game can be done through clicking between devices, folders, and apps, other things are seemingly only possible by using the command-line, keeping the game immersive and making you feel, in a sense, accomplished. YOU cracked open all of Macrosoft's ports and got to snoop around in their sensitive files. YOU found a security loophole by exploiting a computer's connected smartphone. YOU made a clean getaway just in time before having your IP traced, clearing the system logs and running for the hills with some juicy new program you can use to hack *even more* devices. And you did it all with your analytical skills and an intuitive command system. In fact, there's even a point in the game where your OS/interface is essentially deleted from your system by another angry hacker, leaving you with a big black command terminal, having to plot through your own computer to restore the deleted files and get yourself back in the game. Just like in real life, each device you access seems like a sum of its parts, even your own.

The IP tracing mechanic is excellent, and pretty much exactly what you'd imagine seeing on some Hollywood hacker's monitor. It keeps the pressure on, even if it is slow at times. RAM management, learning what ports to use when, and being able to type quickly and remember which programs do what are important, and make hacking into each and every system rewarding in its own way, even if it doesn't have quite what you were looking for.

The visual effects are excellent, if a bit cheesy at times. The interface is simple enough that these "glitchy" or "tech-y" effects aren't too jarring unless they need to be, which keeps the game immersive but also fun to watch. I'd advise that anyone with epilepsy be careful with this game at some times - lots of effects are fast or flashy in nature.

The story doesn't seem to thrust itself into your face at all. Save for the occasional automated (but justified) email from Bit, you discover all of the story on your own, and every lead and new piece of information feels genuine and is worth discovering.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this game. Two complaints (which end up not really being complaints after I explain them):

- The IP map, showing all known devices and their IPs, can get a bit cluttered, and it's easy to forget where one particular computer is on the big web of spinning circles and lines connecting them. The position of an IP address on the map is not always intuitive. However, this could arguably help with immersion, making you feel like you're navigating through a web of IP addresses. It's the internet in its raw form - not catered to your viewing pleasure.

- I'm left wanting more. Not that I didn't get my money's worth, but I want more. But that's something every game should strive for - leaving you wanting more, and not outstaying its welcome.

Challenging, but *very* rewarding command system that makes you feel clever. Decent story that keeps you invested throughout the game. Findable humorous IRC logs, detailing early Internet culture, which I think are ripped straight from Bash.org, meaning they are real logs written by real people. Stereotypical electronic "hacker" soundtrack which helps the atmosphere of the game.

If any of this interests you, definitely get Hacknet, especially if it's in a bundle or on sale.

QUICK NOTE: At the time I'm writing this, the game is on sale at $0.54 (95% off). At that price, I could recommend the game, sure. Unless you absolutely cannot get enough first person puzzle/platforming, I wouldn't get it otherwise, especially not at $10.99.
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You play as a hacker that is being paid (presumably) a large amount of money to hack into a level and steal data through some physical manifestation of your target's... network? Mainframe? God knows. The point is you have to go through 12 levels (followed by another 10 bonus levels), collecting 3 Data Fragments per level.

The main gimmick of the game is that you can switch your "Polarity" at will - between red and blue. While a certain color, you will collide with objects of the opposite color (such as lasers, which will kill you), but pass through objects of the same color. There are also cubes (pretty much tiny Companion Cubes) which behave in a similar fashion. The cubes will power things when plugged into a slot, very similar to how Companion Cubes could hold buttons down to keep platforms suspended, etc. in Portal. Add a couple generic objects, such as launch pads and moving platforms, and you pretty much have the entire game.

The game unabashedly takes a lot of inspiration from Portal: levels feel like sterile, self-contained test chambers, the only difference is that everything's dark grey instead of white, and you don't have a charming robot voice monologuing you or telling a story while you progress; the large and open, but still linear level design; and a general futuristic theme (though it's admittedly silly to mash both Portal and Polarity into such a vast genre and expect it to mean anything).

You don't need to collect the 3 Data Fragments to technically "beat" the level - rather, you can simply progress through the level and find the exit. This is where most of the difficulty comes from. However, Data Fragments are required to unlock the next levels. They are usually poorly hidden, if not put directly in plain sight, and by simply walking around the room you can easily tell how to get to the fragments. The worst the game will do is put them behind a small puzzle, or out of your immediate field of view when you enter a room. To put it into perspective, the only levels I needed to play more than once were the first and second levels, where I missed one fragment each, because it was placed slightly out of sight or in a corner that I had carelessly overlooked.

It doesn't feel good to collect data fragments because the level design is not challenging at all. The main "puzzle" in each level often requires next to no thinking. I beat all 22 single-player levels in about 50 minutes, and was fairly bored the entire way through. Sadly, this is why I can't say I recommend this title.

It's not that the art style is uninspired and simple - that doesn't necessarily make a game bad.

It's not that the music, and the general sound design for that matter, has a generic, forgettable 80s futuristic feel, which I'd normally think was quite humorous or charming - lots of devs these days just use stock royalty-free music and nobody seems to mind that too much. At least this has custom music (I think).

It's not that it's trying to copy Portal - I don't see a huge amount wrong with following the footsteps of a very successful puzzle game and trying to recreate that formula!

It's not even that the first person animations, head bobbing, and movement glitches make it painfully obvious this is a 3D Unity game. Or that my Logitech F310 - a fairly good controller when it comes to compatibility - would only work during the main menu and the two "cutscenes" that exist in singleplayer.

The problem is the frankly depressing lack of content, and, more importantly, the content that IS there is unchallenging, unengaging, and simply not fun. As a developer, I'd be disappointed if I spent a significant amount of time and effort building a game and only could be bothered to make a few mediocre-at-best levels that don't even show the potential of what few mechanics that DO exist. As a consumer, I'm very confused with how this game has so many positive reviews - must just be me being out of touch with the puzzle game community. Don't expect level design that lives up to Portal, or any other good puzzle game I can think of, really.

TL;DR - Game's really dry on content, and what content DID manage to find its way in is insultingly easy and boring. I'd say it's worth neither your time nor your money. Get on a crazy 95% off sale, if at all.

Considering how cheap this game is, I'd definitely say it's worth a go. The graphics (and art style in general, as well as some of the programming) seem to be pretty sloppy at times, but it has a unique charm to it! The level design is consistently "pretty good," with occasional memorable moments.

You play as a BEEP robot, exploring a system to collect antimatter. Gameplay consists of mostly platforming puzzles utilizing moving, jumping, shooting, and, more often than not, the Zero Point Energy Field manipulator (read: gravity gun) which you control with the right mouse button. The game takes place in an unnamed star system with three planets. Each of the two hemispheres on each planet has its own environments, music, and introduces one or two game mechanics that for the most part are used exclusively for that hemisphere. Each hemisphere has 4 levels, which each have 3 anti-matter nuggets to find, as well as a bonus fourth one which is rewarded upon collecting ~20 smaller pellets scattered around the level. This leaves 96 antimatter parts to collect. In order to unlock the next hemisphere, you must find a minimum amount of antimatter nuggets in the previous levels, as well as getting to the end of all the previous levels.

While this game is certainly charming, it's not without its flaws. It is very possible to use the antimatter to grab an item and use it to propel yourself upwards before grabbing it and using it again, and, if you're good enough at it, can be used to get over almost any obstacle. While the game never requires you to do this, it is tempting to do it to get just a little more air to climb a wall. On quite a few walls, it is possible to simply drive straight up them by moving towards them, as one of BEEP's wheels seems to clip into the wall. The difficulty curve is somewhat predictable up until the last planet, where both hemispheres present environmental hazards that make the game much more difficult (though not frustratingly so). Completing levels honestly felt a little unrewarding, and I was consistently able to 100% complete levels my first time visiting, never having to backtrack. Additionally, there is no reward for collecting all 96 nuggets of anti-matter. This may be an issue for people who invest more time to collect everything. I managed to beat the game and collect everything without backtracking in under 4 hours.

As a snobby musician, I thought the music was pretty forgettable, However, it had themes that appeared multiple times in the game, which is always interesting to discover, and the music never feels out of place. The art style feels very much like that of a decent flash game, using basic shapes and characters with cartoony eyes and solid colors. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it feels hastily done to me.

At the time that I'm writing this, it's on sale for $0.49. I can definitely recommend it at that price, at least. It's a cute little game, but don't expect hardcore gameplay or mindblowing game design.