A paranoid cybercriminal tries to regain control over an underground marketplace stolen by his former coworkers. You must utilize your hacking and intelligence gathering skills to get rid of hitmen sent by your enemies in a race with worsening mental state and terrifying hallucinations.
The core gameplay loop challenges players to juggle a variety of competing tasks. To succeed, players must expertly manage their time and resources to earn money, upgrade their hacking tools, and gather intelligence on the hitmen hunting them. This delicate balance creates a tense and anxiety-inducing experience, as players must constantly prioritize their actions to stay one step ahead of their enemies.
The game effectively immerses players in a tense and unsettling atmosphere. As players dive deeper into the simulated dark web, their on-screen character's mental state gradually deteriorates, resulting in increasingly severe hallucinations and episodes of paranoia. The game's sound design, visual effects, and narrative elements work in tandem to heighten the overall sense of unease and psychological horror.
The game features a roguelike structure, where player death triggers a full reset of progress. While this design choice creates a high-stakes environment, it also encourages players to learn from their mistakes and apply their newfound knowledge to subsequent attempts. Each run provides valuable insights and experience that can be leveraged to improve their chances of success in future playthroughs.
Players must overcome a variety of minigames and challenges to progress through the game. These include hacking-focused tasks that test their typing speed, problem-solving abilities, and reflexes. Successful completion of these minigames can reward players with crucial resources and upgrades, further contributing to the overall gameplay loop.
Delving deeper into the simulated dark web allows players to uncover new websites, gather intelligence on their enemies, and piece together the game's narrative elements. This sense of discovery and accomplishment provides a rewarding and engaging experience, as players are continuously motivated to explore and learn more about the game's world.
The game's developers have demonstrated a commitment to player feedback and ongoing improvements. Many reviewers have praised the team's responsiveness and the game's evolution based on community input. While some players have expressed a desire for additional customization options, such as difficulty settings and control scheme customization, the overall reception to the development process has been positive.