TV and movies have done a fantastic job of romanticizing how cool it is to be a hacker. If you believe the mainstream then hacking is all about having a wall of monitors and being able to type 374 words per minutes – any faster and the keyboard melts. And don’t get me started on all the flashy visuals and 3D graphics associated with hacking – please reference Weird Science for classic example. Well, Darknet is certainly not going to change that perception with its stylish hacking strategy/puzzle game that puts you inside the computer. Did somebody call the Lawnmower Man?
Previously released on PSVR and Oculus, Darknet is now available on Steam for the HTC Vive, and for the time being the Steam version does NOT support both headsets, so Oculus owners will want to grab their copy from the Oculus store. For this review we are focusing on the Vive version.
The term “darknet” is becoming a more frequent reference in TV/movies, often uttered in hushed tones when somebody needs to access information or purchase illegal items from the seedier side of the Internet. It’s the home of criminals and hackers and anyone else who wants to surf the less-traveled roads of the information superhighway; however Darknet the game is just that; a game, and frankly a game that doesn’t even need to be in VR; although I do have to admit it is pretty cool in VR. But if you want to play this game without investing $800 in VR you’ll be happy to know this purchase comes with a NON-VR version as well.
Darknet is a puzzle/strategy game that puts a high-tech spin on the classic Minesweeper. An engaging tutorial walks you through the basics of hacking using a simple interface that allows you to purchase tools like viruses, hydras, exploits and worms to take over an entire web of interconnected data nodes. The premise is simple. You start in a giant sphere of nodes of various sizes and protected with various levels of security like shields and firewalls. You strategically attack nodes with viruses to take them over, turning them to your side and earning cash rewards that you can then use to purchase more viruses and advanced hacking tools.
There are two levels of gameplay; the first being the acquisition of all the nodes inside the sphere as well as the 2D hacking game that takes place when you inject a node with a virus. This secondary game has you trying to take over a central data core while trying to avoid the node’s antivirus protocols. There is some surprisingly deep strategy in this part of the game in knowing when to use a brute force attack with multiple attacking viruses, or injecting them one after another in a carefully planned assault on the core.
As each virus is unleashed it slowly spreads out in all directions with the goal being to reach the core before the virus hits another anti-virus program and gets wiped out. It’s a simple concept that is challenging to master and actually requires some substantial thought and tactics. However, once you get to a certain part of the game where you have ample cash, it becomes all too easy to skip the base-level hacking and simply spam exploits to remove external security and then install a hydra to sweep through large portions of unshielded nodes. Of course this takes a lot of cash and the money you spend is tracked as part of your level completion stats along with hacking time and resources used. Better scores mean doing more with less but still doing it fast.
Darknet is surprisingly deep with interesting news stories embedded in the menus and cool futuristic visuals you’d expect when hacking into the MCU in TRON. While the VR definitely helps with the “cool factor” it is totally unnecessary. Your main view is inside a sphere that you are still going to use the stick to spin around, and when you start a hacking grid it’s in 2D. The only benefit of VR is the initial WOW factor and a cool 3D tunneling effect when you attack a node. There are some cool sound effects and techno/sci-fi music, and there is great narration for the tutorials.
As far as variances from console to PC, the Vive does offer slightly better resolution and sharper visuals, but the source material isn’t very demanding, so it’s basically just easier on the eyes for extended play times. The tutorial voice is much better on PC – the PS4 had it coming from the DualShock 4 speaker making it hard to hear when wearing headphones. Playing with the motion controllers is definitely different than playing with a controller, but I wouldn’t say it’s better or even more immersive…just different.
Darknet ramps up the challenge with each new procedurally generated level, which means no two games are alike, giving this unprecedented replay potential. Plus, with all the news stories and other non-game immersion elements buried in the experience, Darknet provides an interesting world that you can’t help want to explore and dig deeper into with each new hack. And now that I can play in non-VR I find myself spending more time with the game digging deeper into its lore in higher resolution on my big screen.
Darknet is a cool, futuristic hacking puzzle game with endless replay potential, and for only $15 you are easily going to find plenty of hours of thoughtful strategy waiting for you inside this visionary and virtual new take on the dark side of the Internet. 
