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, PlayStation VR is certainly not going to change that perception with their stylish new hacking strategy/puzzle game that puts you inside the computer. Did somebody call the Lawnmower Man?
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.
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 so 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. I was disappointed they simply rendered a DualShock 4 in VR rather than some sort of cool hacking tool.
There are some cool sound effects and techno/sci-fi music, and there is great narration for the tutorials, but I found it highly questionable that the spoken parts were all coming from the DualShock 4 speaker. This is an issue for gamers wearing headphones or those trying to live-stream the game, as the instructions are going to go unheard unless you dig into your system settings and redirect controller audio. At least give me the option to change this within the game options.
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 wanting to explore and dig deeper into with each new hack. While the VR is nice it would have been nicer if it were an option rather than a requirement. It’s totally unnecessary to the gameplay, and I would probably play Darknet longer if I could enjoy in higher resolution on my big screen.
Despite its minor shortcomings, Darknet is a cool, futuristic hacking puzzle game with endless 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.
