Hacker (video game)

Hacker is a computer game by Activision, which was published from 1985 for several platforms. Designer was Steve Cartwright.

A successor is 1986 Hacker II: The Doomsday Papers published.

Gameplay

The game is to put the player in the situation of a hacker. To achieve this, the game contained a very concise guide that just described how the game has started. After starting the game offers the player with the message " Logon Please". The password and the use of the protected by this password system, players must, as a real hacker, find out for yourself.

However, " crash " the system after a few attempts from and gives access to a free espionage system. In this system, the player can control a little robot through a labyrinthine tunnel system. With the robot, the player can control globally distributed eleven cities and speak with each of an agent. Starting with $ 5,000 start-up capital, the player must gather together by bartering with these agents all parts of a document. Are the players too much money for not exchangeable objects, the money can go to him. The game becomes intractable and must be restarted.

The operator of the system detect the intrusion into the system and launch two satellites, which must not collide, the robot on the game map. When this happens, the player must enter a security password. The player does not know this password or if it has already been asked four times to the game is ended. Since the game does not have a memory function has, the player must start the game from the beginning.

Production details

Steve Cartwright is the first idea of ​​a "background -Post Simulation ", which has been developed over time to an espionage theme. For the choice of the title or the reason why the additional motif hacker was brought into the game, he gives two reasons. Activision wanted to go to the financial success of the film WarGames - War Games, who also is a hacker, put on this topic. Furthermore, was the year the " computer hacking " is generally a topic in the news. Originally also a memory function was provided, but this was dropped due to financial problems at Activision to bring the game quickly as possible to the market.

Reviews

The magazine praises the crash fundamentally new game idea and the theme and atmosphere of the game. The game also has a certain addictive. The graph is rather mediocre and sound is not practically available.

The British magazine ZZAP! 64 denotes the game unusual, original and atmospheric succeeded. Even if the sound is minimalist, the magazine comes to a good overall rating of 87%.

However, other critics are more sober in its assessment. So notes computer gamers that the game had to do with " hacking" little since the startup problem (the input of the password ) dissolves by itself. The following main game is very good and very captivating. The magazine Sinclair User agrees that the initial idea will leave quickly.

Heinrich Lenhardt comes at happy computer to the conclusion that hackers " amusing thought food and one of the most original new releases of recent months " was.