Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 300 sampled Steam reviews (275 positive / 25 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Story & writing22% mention it
- Multiplayer & servers11% mention it
- Music & audio10% mention it
- World & exploration7% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Bugs & crashes28% mention it
- Story & writing12% mention it
- Multiplayer & servers12% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
74%
68 reviews
5-15h
97%
144 reviews
15-40h
100%
72 reviews
40-100h
80%
10 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 82 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 94% | 88 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 84 | 5 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 94% | 88 | 40 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 114 reviews sampled · 97 total reviews in window · weighted 71.4 up / 4.8 down · computed 7h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (7)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 75
“Probably the closest you'll ever get to be a hacker. A truly unique and fun game.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The best hacking simulation videogame to date, Hacknet leaves us wanting more of its honest and detailed portrayal of the hacking underworld. Without a doubt, is the greatest (legal) hacking experience available.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Simple and complex, HackNet is a thrilling and eye opening look into the world that keeps making headlines in the news. Kudos to Team Fractal Alligator for making something so complex feel accessible to everyone. ”
read full review ↗ - 88
“The premise of Hacknet and my preexisting interest in the idea of a UNIX-based hacking sim had me going into this excited and hopeful. The quality gameplay and sense of reward from figuring things out kept me playing hours on end, and excited to tell others how cool of a game this was. ”
read full review ↗ - 72
“Play it because it’s different, play it because it’s a far cry from anything you’re likely to in the coming months.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Hacknet is a beautiful example of compelling non-linear storytelling. While it is still a game about hacking, it is far more about solving the mystery around Bit's death using the tools he (she?) has given you. Combining an enthralling story with a truly impressive learning curve and a stellar soundtrack, Hacknet is definitely something special.”
read full review ↗ - 81
“Hacknet lacks the depth and freedom of the close relative TIS-100. But it gives you a sense of what goes on in the real hacking world, an interesting experience.”
read full review ↗
PLAY Zine
LevelUp
Darkstation
Digital Chumps
NZGamer
Digitally DownloadedPatch history
- HackerJam Winners + v5.069 Patch NotesJun 26, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- HackerJam Winners + v5.069 Patch NotesJun 26, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Hacknet Extensions v5.067 PatchJun 4, 2017
- Hacknet Extensions v5.067 PatchJun 4, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Hacknet Extensions + Steam Workshop support released!May 23, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Hacknet Labyrinths Development UpdateDec 6, 2016
- Hacknet Labyrinths Development UpdateDec 6, 2016
- Hacknet v4.054 UpdateJun 14, 2016
- Hacknet v4.054 UpdateJun 14, 2016
- Hacknet v4.034 UpdateApr 14, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Hacknet v4.034 UpdateApr 14, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Hacknet FNA Update & DiscountJan 27, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Hacknet FNA Update & DiscountJan 27, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Mac & Linux Versions Out Now!Dec 18, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Mac & Linux Versions Out Now!Dec 18, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Vote for Hacknet as Game of the Year!Dec 7, 2015
- Save Game Bug Testing - Let's Test This Fix!Sep 11, 2015
- Save Game Bug Testing - Let's Test This Fix!Sep 11, 2015
- Developer Update and Hacknet Patch 3 (v3.011)Aug 21, 2015
- Developer Update and Hacknet Patch 3 (v3.011)Aug 21, 2015
- Hacknet Patch 2 (v3.009)Aug 15, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Hacknet Patch 2 (v3.009)Aug 15, 2015