Before Unhack, there was Unhack:Destruction. No Weedy, no Unhacker. Instead, you’ll be dealing with the team of A², her overprotective sister, Proto A, and Mrs. Director, their faceless superior. One thing that hasn’t changed during this trip into the distant past is the 5K Worm threat, as it is very much an issue here too. One you’ll have to deal with in the usual puzzle x visual novel style, by… unhacking!
Needless to say, this being a piece of DLC / expansion, the formula remains largely unchanged from the main game. Some may find the familiarity of this a tad much, but I enjoyed seeing more of the Unhack universe. Even if it was through the eyes of a somewhat different cast and with noticeably easier missions.
The story, which is really the core component, is told both during and in-between missions. Missions which are played on grid-based areas, for the most part, in the classic turn-based form (as in, enemies only move when you do). Now, while you are able to move between any and all colored ‘slots’ on the grid, keep in mind that every last one – save for the blues – will trigger an event of sorts.
Orange (or yellow, according to the game) ones act as teleporters, instantly sending you to another pre-determined orange slot, while flags act as checkpoints, white slots disable nearby lasers (temporarily) and… then there are keys, which – naturally – lets you open unlock doors.
Ms Director battles the 5K Worms alongside her AI companions. Will the community appreciate or ridicule their efforts?
Simple enough, right? Sure, until you get to missions that involve moving parts like lasers which fire every so often; deadly to the touch, in case you were wondering. Then there are worms, which move back and forth in a predictable pattern and of course, armored worms, because why not? All that may sound somewhat confusing, but thanks to a clean visual style, it’s actually quite easy to keep track of the lot.
As you go along, completing mission after mission, the plot progresses at a steady pace. Not at a break-neck pace, but at the same time, not so slow that you’ll end up getting bored either. Always something going on, whether it be witty banter between the sisters or Mrs. Director’s attempts at planning the optimal outcome for each situation. Always something. To say more would run the risk of spoilers, so that’s obviously not gonna happen.
All in all, while the experience is rather brief, clocking in at less than half an hour, I’d still highly recommend purchasing Unhack:Destruction. Oh, and if possible, play it before the main game – it is, after all, a prequel, ya know? Also, for completion sake, here’s my review of the main game.
Unhack is available from Steam for Windows, OS X, Steam OS, and Linux, carrying a $3.99 price tag, while Unhack:Destruction‘s Steam page is located here, and that one will set ya back $0.99.
