Welcome to DROP, a fast-paced action-strategy hacking simulator. Ready to hack your way to fame and fortune while avoiding getting caught? Use stealth and cunning to maneuver between the ongoing power struggle of corporations and factions to control the fragmented networks in the city.
You take on the role of a promising hacker with big ambitions and an empty bank account. Tasked with infiltrating fragmented digital networks, you must navigate through procedurally generated or handcrafted nodes, complete objectives, and avoid detection by various security systems within a strict 5-minute time limit.
The core gameplay loop challenges you to quickly locate and interact with specific targets while simultaneously disabling security measures, repairing your firewall, and siphoning off additional data for financial gain. This time-pressured scenario creates a sense of tension and urgency, forcing you to make split-second decisions and efficiently manage your limited resources.
Navigating the networks requires solving logic-based puzzles and minigames, such as decrypting locked nodes, disabling defense systems, and repairing your firewall. While the initial challenges are relatively straightforward, the game gradually introduces more complex puzzles that test your pattern recognition and problem-solving skills.
As you progress through the campaign, you can earn money from completed missions and use it to upgrade your hacking rig. This includes purchasing stronger firewalls, automated processes, and other programs that can assist in future missions. The upgrades system allows for a sense of progression and customization, enabling you to tailor your playstyle and overcome increasingly challenging security measures.
The procedurally generated levels, randomized objectives, and various security systems create a dynamic and replayable experience. Each mission presents new obstacles and challenges, forcing you to adapt your strategies on the fly. Additionally, the game's roguelike elements, such as permanent progression between runs, encourage experimentation and multiple playthroughs to unlock new upgrades and explore different approaches.
Players have overwhelmingly praised the game's engaging and fast-paced hacking gameplay, noting the satisfying feeling of mastering the mechanics, juggling multiple tasks, and narrowly escaping detection. The game's ability to induce a "flow state" and create a sense of tension and accomplishment has been widely celebrated.