Hackers Review – An Unfortunate Lack of Angelina Jolie

If you browse through your mobile device’s app store, you’ll come across many different strategy games like Plague, Inc, Clash of Clans, Plants vs. Zombies, etc. Each one requires players to think, and execute specific strategies in order to succeed. However, one game that stands out from the crowd is a game called, Hackers.

Hackers, developed by Trickster Arts, is a multiplayer strategy game for mobile devices. Players can build their own 3D networks, and hack networks of other players online.

Pros:

Imagination

The goal is to hack into your opponent’s network, and steal all of their resources. However, there isn’t just one way for you to do that. You can use your imagination and place various programs in order to successfully hack the network. Or you can use brute force, or stealth, whichever you prefer to hack targets.

As far as defending goes, whenever another player hacks your network, you can deploy defensive programs to try and stop the attack.

Deploy defensive programs to stop other players from draining your resources! 

Creativity

The game also allows players to compile, as well as develop various hacking programs that might prove to be beneficial when the time is right.

Build programs to further succeed in attacking a network, or defending your own!

On a personal side note, I was completely mislead by the title screen. I thought that this would be a clone of Plague, Inc. However, I was proved wrong since the gameplay greatly differs from that of Plague, Inc.

Cons:

Micromanaging

Money, resources, credits, time. You have to keep all of those things in mind whenever you play this game. Failure to do so might result in unfortunate consequences like; you not having enough resources to purchase a specific program, or getting something else that is necessary. As a result, you’ll most likely come short and will have to either abort an attack, or suffer a loss while defending.

The programs themselves

There are a lot of programs in this game. Each one obviously has a specific purpose. However, when you have a lot of different programs all at once on your screen, you might forget what certain ones do, or overlook them, and simply not know that they are there.

Look at all those things. Unless you have a perfect memory, good luck!

Multitasking

This sort of ties in with the two cons above. If you are not  good at multitasking, managing your resources (money, points, time, etc.), and paying attention to what each program does, then you’ll have a bad time! The key to a successful attack or defense is rationally managing everything at your disposal. You can’t do well if you can’t multitask (in my opinion at least).

Verdict:

Hackers is just another strategy game, but with an interesting twist. It allows players to feel what it’s like to be a hacker, as well as brings new mechanics to the table that greatly differ from other strategy games. Unfortunately, at times, there is a lot of stuff going on in terms of gameplay, and if you’re having a difficult time micromanaging and multitasking, then this game isn’t for you.

Hackers is available for Android and iOS for free, but does include in-app purchases.