This is a pretty good game. I'm a programmer, though, and the shell is downright painful to use because of its limitations. I get it, it's a game, but I definitely would have preferred something a little nicer. The story is mostly linear, which is a shame. There are some neat little Easter eggs and paths that you can find in subsequent runs, but once you find those, the game is basically done. And after the story ends, there's almost nothing to do except explore stuff you've already found a little more thoroughly. I highly recommend the DLC - it's a great addition. I wish this game had a way to code exploits and defences yourself. A multiplayer version would have been really cool for that, but that hasn't gone anywhere. Some more content other than the story and a less linear plot would have been nice, too. But it is a very good game that I would highly recommend, especially if it's on sale.
I bought this when it was on sale for C$1.59. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend purchasing this game for the $8 they usually ask. There just isn't enough content. Uplink is basically THE original hacking sim. It was released in 2001, so don't expect stellar graphics. If the text shows up too small for you to read, lower the resolution of the game. You really don't need a lot of screen real estate for this game anyway. If you don't like the dated UI, check out UplinkOS, a mod that redoes the entire interface (the difference is night and day). If you want more of a challenge, Onlink is a mod that completely changes the game, but it has a steep learning curve, so I'd recommend playing this first. This game is very unforgiving. Some people like that; some people don't. If you are caught, in most cases, your run is over and you will have to start anew. You are also given very little information on what you did wrong. This adds a lot to the atmosphere, but it is frustrating if you're stuck. The in-game tutorial and information centre are also pretty bare-bones, but if you pay attention, it isn't too much of an issue. And there are lots of guides available online, my personal favourite being guide.modlink.net. The soundtrack is great. Keep an eye on the news. There's often interesting stuff in there. And it feels great to see your actions broadcast there :-)
