In the distant future mankind has no choice but to move beyond our solar system. Every available planet has been fully colonized. With population growth out of control, the only option is to seek new frontiers. This is the world of Space Hack, a new RPG title from Meridian4 and Rebelmind. Taking control of a rough-and-ready hero named Hack, players enter the chaotic environment of mankind’s colonization ship, the Maximus XV. During its travels to a potential home the Maximus encounters a massive nebula, a dark environment that contains more than just gas and random particles. Alien life-forms, native to the nebula, quickly invaded the helpless colony ship. With limited resources and few weapons humanity has been pushed back to its last surviving habitat. Now the only way to survive is to find a way to escape the nebula.

The graphics and sound are a little limited for a modern RPG but the gameplay is very solid. While some gamers might be disappointed with the limited “eye candy” in the game, the story line is intriguing and the game design is remarkably sound. Players of all skill levels will find something to keep them entertained with this title.

The graphics for Space Hack are pretty standard for a point-and-click RPG title. Fans of the Diablo series will be familiar with the layout and the style of the graphics. The game itself is well rendered within the limitations and has a number of features that other RPG’s have lacked in the past. The ability to turn the camera to look around corners, for example, is a good one. While the sprites themselves might be a little small and lack detail, they are easily recognizable and have their own unique animations. The bouncing alien bugs, for example, hop around like giant, carnivorous rabbits. The spindly alien warriors with their large pikes sway from side to side as they march towards you. The main character, Hack, has a number of very fluid animations depending on what he is carrying and how fast he is moving. Players can run, walk, carry bats or swords, equip shields, and even use pistols and energy rifles to attack from range. The equipment being worn is easily recognizable and adds to the animations for your character.

The background music and sound effects for Space Hack are also a little bland. The music is fairly well done and can be engaging. Unfortunately after a while some of the score can become a little annoying. Especially when you are listening for the faint noise of enemy footsteps as they sneak up behind you.

Both the enemies and equipped weapons have their own sounds, including different sounds depending on how they interact. Hitting an enemy with a sword or a bat results in a different impact sound than shooting them with a blaster. There is not a lot of variety in the game’s sounds, and the whistle of a bat will always be the same. It provides some continuity, but the enemies sound very similar. It helps create a certain “theme” for them, but it also makes them sound very much alike. It's difficult to tell which enemies are on the other side of a wall just by listening to them. Considering that jumping out into a band of enemies with ranged attacks can be suicide while jumping a band of hand-to-talon enemies is simply painful, a little more variety would have been nice.

The controls are fluid and responsive - very responsive in fact. All interactions are handled through the mouse with a few hot-keys that enable various effects. Players can use an energy recharge or a health pack with a single keystroke, or enable an effect that makes dropped items easy to spot. Turning on the run function is as simple as holding down the control key. Movement is performed by clicking on the landscape with your mouse. If an alien is present you will shoot them or move closer and engage with a melee weapon depending on your equipment. Otherwise you simply move to the targeted area. Successful use of the interface during combat takes a little skill, but it is easy to learn. Another nice feature is the ability to pause the game and look around when you need to. It allows players to make a better-informed decision, or change their equipment out easier when the enemies get too close for a blaster to be effective. 

Character advancement is taken care of through another tried-and-true method - levels and stat points. Every time a player levels they gain five points to allocate wherever they wish for their character. Players can customize their stats in a variety of ways. Increasing strength can unlock bigger and better weapons and armor. Increasing the character’s knowledge can unlock powerful ranged weapons, blasters and rifles with shocking firepower. With the wide variety of abilities and items to unlock players will need to carefully consider where the put their points. It is best to go with a more balanced approach at first until you decide which career path your character is going to follow. As new items are unlocked players can further customize their character. Adding new armor, for example, can lead to a different play style than equipping an energy rifle.

Space Hack has a number of strong features, but relies on slightly dated graphics and sounds in its interface. The game itself is surprisingly fun to play once you enter the game world and is very easy to use. The smooth, sleek interface gives players an extremely strong grip on their avatar’s actions. The point-and-click interface may take some getting used to, but it is again very easy to learn and use. While this title does not bring any great innovations to the RPG genre, Space Hack contains all the basic components and finishing touches that have made games great in the past. Fans of the Diablo series will definitely enjoy this title along with sci-fi RPG fans. If you want a breathtaking world with excellent graphics, Space Hack might not be the title for you. If you are willing to compromise, just a little, on visual quality it is a very fun game.

Tips:

Many of the aliens you encounter rely on melee attacks. Others use ranged attacks to their advantage. If you run into a mixed group, or a large group of melee types, it’s a good idea to get something between you and the enemy swarm. Even something as simple as running inside a building can give you the cover you need to survive- and limit the number of enemies who can come around the corner and engage you at once.

Blasters and energy rifles are quick, deadly, and extremely easy to use. They are also battery powered. When you run out of charge it can have disastrous consequences. It’s a good idea to carry around a melee weapon of some kind, even if it is just a simple bat. Swords, clubs, and axes don’t require power and are always available.

If you see an alien item, smash it. Even if it isn’t a hostile alien their supply stations and nurseries often have valuable items hidden inside. Considering how expensive supplies can be, always remember the first two rules of adventuring-

1: If its not nailed down, loot it.

2: If its nailed down, loot the nails first.

Gameplay: 7.0
Space Hack brings together a number of solid features from other games in the genre. The controls are very responsive and the storyline is interesting. Players will have fun exploring the world, but shouldn’t expect anything ground-breaking from the interface.

Graphics: 6.8
Between the small sprites and the lack of detail Space Hack doesn’t have stellar graphics. For a 3/4 overhead-view game the graphics are pretty standard. Enemies all look the same and allies tend to be monotonous. Each sprite has its own unique character and animations, but the lack of detail is apparent here and there.

Sound: 6.5
While there are many different sounds to uncover in Space Hack, there are also a lot of repetitions. The background music varies in volume at times, which can make hunting by sound difficult.

Difficulty: Easy
The interface is easy to learn, and so are your options for fighting. Space Hack is a game that players of all skill levels will be able to pick up and dive into without a long adjustment period.

Concept: 6.5
Space Hack has many of the standard features that point-and-click RPGs have needed for years. While it doesn’t bring anything new to the genre, Space Hack is well executed.

Overall: 6.8
In spite of the limited graphics and repetitive sound Space Hack is a surprisingly addictive game. The gameplay itself can be very engaging, with new monsters around every corner and new items to discover or unlock.