Bioshock 2
Upgraded from the original Bioshock’s rudimentary pipe hacking mini-game, Bioshock 2 overhauls the way players hack by introducing a new system. In Bioshock 2, players can still hack all security cameras, turrets, vending machines and several other objects. Players can either approach a hackable item or, once they have the correct equipment, remotely hack a target. This new hacking mini-game is streamlined and asks players to stop a moving needle at the correct position to enable a successful hack. This allows for objects to be hacked significantly quicker, which lets players reap the rewards and continue their journey without the tedium of its predecessors hacking experience.
Mass Effect 2
Throughout the Mass Effect series, players control Commander Shepherd, a veteran soldier with a band of aliens on a quest to save the world. While on your quest to save the world, Commander Shepherd may be required to hack the occasional terminal. This might have had you selecting a matching segment of code from a collage of coding screenshots or connecting a series of circuits to bypass security. Commander Shepherd’s Omni-tool facilitate these intriguing hacking sequences, earning Mass Effect a place on this list.
Alien Isolation
Drawing from the widely popular Alien sci-fi film series, Alien Isolation grants players control of Amanda Ripley, daughter of the renowned Ellen Ripley from the film series. Molding the Alien series into a survival horror video game, players have to use their ingenuity to succeed in this compelling horror game. As players use the tools at their disposal to outsmart the brutal aliens, they are equipped with a security access tuner. This versatile hacking tool is used to override complex systems, open doors and access terminals. This hacking tool is easily Amanda Ripley’s best friend as she flexes her hacking skills to survive each heart pounding situation in this harrowing adventure.
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Sam Fisher, the covert protagonist, is armed with an array of advanced gadgets which aid his stealthy assaults. From an arsenal of offensive and defensive tools, Sam Fisher is also given several pieces of equipment which assist his mission in more subtle ways. A key infiltration gadget is Sam Fisher’s hacking tool, which can be used to gain access to secure areas. Using this hacking tool, Sam Fisher can crack secure databases and infiltrate organisations with ease. While not creeping through shadows, Sam’s affinity for hacking expands his skill set further, making him an even greater threat to any in his path.
Fallout 4
To survive the wastelands of the Fallout series, players will need to harness numerous skills to their advantage. Among them is the skill of hacking, the ability to obtain information or access secure functions from computers scattered around the wasteland. Whether its opening locked doors or clearing sealed safe full of loot, hacking has numerous benefits which can help any survivor thrive. Selecting key words from a string of on-screen symbols, players use the process of elimination to uncover passwords and unlock computers. As the player develops their skills further, they can add points to the hacking ability allowing them to tap into more advanced terminals.
Watch Dogs 2
Introducing Marcus Holloway, a talented hacker players control in Watch Dogs 2, as he freely explores the digital playground of San Francisco. In Watch Dogs 2, hacking isn’t just a matter of accessing a secure computer terminal, as almost anything in Ubisoft’s world can be hacked. Using either his smartphone or laptop, Marcus can hack and control cars, manipulate robots, and even acquire the personal details of any person in this world. The pervasiveness of technology means the concept of hack is placed at the forefront of the Watch Dogs series, making it one of the best uses of hacking in video games.
Eve Online
The massively multiplayer online role playing game, Eve Online, sees players embarking on a galactic adventure. While traversing space, players are free to engage in a wealth of activities and when not trading, exploring or engaging in combat, the game allows players to engage in a hacking mini-game. Once players have acquired the hacking skill, the world of technology opens up and offers further possibilities. Players can use this ability to hack containers and loot the guarded items using a carefully crafted virus to sabotage and destroy system cores. This hacking mechanic is a compelling way to open containers rich with treasure and make a decent profit.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Ex-SWAT specialist Adam Jensen stars in the cyberpunk adventure Deus Ex, set in a world where biometric augmentations are commonplace. As players roam around this dystopian setting, technology is ubiquitous and the Deus Ex series allows players to tap into this through the use of hacking. For stealthy players, or those simply trying to access a secure terminal, Deus Ex lets players hack into terminals to access guarded servers. Player will circumvent firewalls and avoid system alarms to achieve their object in Deus Ex’s adaptation of hacking.
Uplink
As an Uplink Agent working for several major corporations, players are put in a role where they’ll have to master corporate espionage. By hacking into the computer systems of corporate rivals – sabotaging and stealing the data found within – Uplink grants players the tools to evolve as a hacker. The more experience players gain, the better equipment they’ll have access to, reaching a point where they can modify criminal records and even influence stock markets.
Quadrilateral Cowboy
This peculiar indie game takes players on a journey into a 20th century cyberpunk world. Adopting the role of a hacker in the midst of the ’80s, players are tasked with infiltrating secure buildings and stealing private documents. In Quadrilateral Cowboy, players get hands on with hacking and at times are even required to type code into a command line. With an array of gadgets and accessible puzzles, Quadrilateral Cowboy effortlessly emulates what its like to be a hacker.
This post was originally written by Nathanael Roman.
Published: Nov 21, 2016 09:00 am