Uplink: Hacker Elite

Decent game, lets you do what most PC techies wish they did at one time or another. Dislike a company busting hackers in the news? If you find their server and gain access get in and delete the OS files. Bam dead server, and in the news you read how a company had major damage caused to their systems. In short: Minimal UI but decent depth. Once you figure out the ins and outs of the game you see how shallow parts of it really are, but the illusion holds up well for a while and is fun. There is a free stand-alone mod after the source code was released called Onlink, adds many many things to the game like 1.13 adds to JA2.

This is easily one of the most immersive, deep and fun game games since the 90s. Before genres became established by the modern consoles, developers thought in terms of player immersion and asked "What would it be like to be X?" rather than "Let's mix RPG with FPS!". The result was that many games had simulation elements while still being fun and not constricted by realism. Uplink then is a modern game built on the 90s principles of game design and asks "What would it be like to be a hacker?"; it is completely unyielding when it comes to immersion, every element is tied into the game. When you first Login, you are not creating an artificial player profile, you are logging into the game's world! I won't spoil a single gameplay element, the joy of this game is biting deep into all the possibilities, I will say however that it is a completely non-linear experience with many mysteries and secrets; it's an accomplishment of game design even on pure mechanical terms, but artistically you will find an equal effort was put into atmosphere and ambiance, a must-buy for old-school PC players!

this game is like nothing I've played before. you should understnad that the whoke interface is almost textual, which might take some time to get used to. no graphic effects, to explosion, only boxes filled with data that you will click and drag. you play as a hacker who connects from his own (your own) computer to a gateway and works from there. stealing and deleting data while reading and being integrated in global conspericies. this game will make your heart race as you wait for a file to finish copying before the trace on your location is completed. it's a great game, really is, a bit repeatative but engrosing. and if you'r not afraid of new experiences, you should try it

I actually bought this game twice! When it first came out direct from the publishers and was pretty much an unknown, and I have bought it again here to make sure I have a good backup. The concept is extremely simple. You choose, or are given, missions which involve you hacking into computers, stealing, deleting or changing their data, removing all traces that you were ever there and then getting out as fast as you can - for this you get paid. With the proceeds you can upgrade your hardware, get better and faster software, etc. Sounds simple, but it isn't always, sometimes it can be quite a challenge, especially as if you get caught, you could end up having to start from scratch again. You don't get multiple saves, you don't get to go back and try something again, you wouldn't in the real world, so why would you here. If you want to be a hacker, you take those risks. The interface is scarily simple and very easy to master, the tutorial really does teach you everything there is in just a few short minutes - after that it is all up to you, how far do you push it, what risks do you take, do you play safe or edgy. When I bought it, the game bible could only be accessed if you could crack the password - you guys have it easy here. Can't wait to get back into this and seeing if some of the fun easter eggs are still there, such as hacking into the Secret Service database and looking at the files in there. If you've never played this, get it, especially whilst it is so cheap. You won't regret it.