Because that's what this game is. Controls are tight, all enemies attacks have a pre-attack animation and a defined pattern, heals are scarce, and boss fights are fair but punitive. The art and music go very well together, and while not release-it-on-cd worthy, goes nicely in gameplay and improve the atmosphere. Remember to beat all bosses in perfect to get their unique items, make the game more interesting and easier.
Pro: - Unusual type of game, and one I would love to see more of - Tactics are easy to set up, and as complex as you want them to be - Going for 3 stars for every mission will keep you thinking Con: - Interface is visibly thought for a touch screen, I had a better time playing from my phone - Campaign mode can and will kill your character, while it is said when you start a campaign, it doesn't look like it fit with the game type.
I tried Uplink before. The control are all mouse, and when things goes wrong, you can easily get crushed by a misplaced click. In Hacknet, everything can be done with only the command line, which have auto completion, so quickly jumping from one server to another, breach, steal what you need, clean up and get out is so much easier, everything is a few key away, not hidden away in a maze of menu. The experience is really more straightforward, the Labyrinth add on is really worth the price, the Hollywood Hacking is believable enough to not break immersion.
