Hacker Evolution is a game like no other I’ve ever played.
I have to admit going into reviewing the game, I had my doubts about whether I would enjoy it as it was a step out of my comfort zone, but once in a while it seems, it’s okay to take a step out of your comfort zone.
The name of the game gives it away as to what it’s all about, hacking. You play the role of Brian Spencer, a young computer programmer working for a company he started with a couple of friends, which has developed the technology from where it all started. When you are being framed for crime, it’s up to you to prevent computer from becoming the next dominant specie, and clear your name, using your hacker skills There are a total of ten missions and each one has several ways to solve them. To do this you must scan for servers, figure out how to get into them, and obtain the information needed to move on. At times there might be money you can steal (too scarce, but it’s there), which helps you through the game. With the money you can buy better equipment or decrease your global trace level. You have to be careful with your global trace level, (this is where you can be "discovered" and stopped) as this carries over to each mission. Each mission you start out by having to crack and decrypt a new service, which automatically adds a 20% penalty. So you always have to keep an eye on it.
When you first start the game there is a tutorial, normally I hate tutorials and try to avoid them like the plague. In this case, I was glad it was there. It took some time, and at times even the tutorial would lose me, but it really does help once you start playing the game. It leads you through a storyline and shows you what you need to do. Just make sure you pay attention (I’ll admit I didn’t the first time) as you can get really confused within the game if you don’t. The tutorial seemed to be long and tedious at first, but I think it had more to do with me not understanding how it would all work. Once you finish it and actually start playing the game, it really does help you.
