Uplink (Uplink (PC))

Member Name: butters

Product:	Uplink (PC)
Date:	15/06/09 (39 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A large amount of depth

Disadvantages: Steep difficulty curve

If you've ever watched a movie with some hacking in and thought "that looks fun" then this is the game for you. Uplink is a hacking game, and is based on the cinematic experience of hacking. Though I have to say, that is putting it a little simply, and gives off the image that this isn't a hard game, but instead some glamourised hacking game. As soon as you turn on the game, you see very few signs you are actually playing a game. The options are minimal, but what isn't minimal is the log in screen that you use to access your computer in the game. What I am getting at is that it is very immersive and realistic, so despite the fact that it is based on Hollywood hacking, you should still take it seriously. What you get is a simple looking game that has an amazing amount of depth to it, a game that will draw you in.
Because it is a hacking game this means it is text based. Text based games sound a little boring though, since games now allow you to do so much, though it is not the case. You won't be running around the world using different computers and trying to escape from the authorities, but will instead be sitting at a computer screen having to hack certain computers and cover your tracks. You are the hacker, you don't play as one, and it is an important point because due to this, you will no doubt take the game extremely seriously and the game is really immersive.
The graphics are simple considering it is largely text based, portraying a hackers computer screen. However a game shouldn't be judged by how good the graphics are, but by how effective they are, and for Uplink, the graphics match the gameplay. They are perfect for what the game is about.

Welcome to the Uplink Corporation, you've been hired as a hacker. After a brief tutorial you are let out into the world of hacking, allowing you to do whatever jobs you want, or can do in order to acquire money to buy software, biding your time until the story mode starts. Text based game to a free roaming game may seem daft, but it's an apt comparison because, like a free roamer, you are really left to do what you want and can largely ignore the story, which takes up only a small amount of your game time.
You log on to Uplinks server and look through the missions, taking whatever you fancy. Early on you will be doing basic things like hacking computers in order to delete or copy software, though later on things get a little more complicated. I am not saying the early stages are easy of course, because they can be brutal. This is really a game where you need to learn, and learn fast. Slip up the first time and get caught hacking and you'll get a warning, if your lucky. If you're not lucky they you're done, your gateway is closed and you have to start a new account (which is your save file). How difficult the game is really depends on you, as before you jump into the game you really have to fish around for general information. Although the actual missions get more complicated as time goes on, the basics of what you are doing remains the same. You hack into a computer using software you buy (such as a password breaker or decipher) and then do your job, log out and cover your tracks by deleting your logs. First though, you must bounce a connection off as many other computers as you can, to avoid getting traced. You can get traced actively, by spending too long in a hacked computer, or passively, by not covering your tracks. If you fish around you will learn the basic of what you have to do though with no second chances, the game has quite a harsh start. It's extremely fun, even more so when you get into it, though it's one of the few games that could maybe guide you a little longer, especially considering the autosave feature means you can't just cheat and re-load.
It is a slight negative of the game, being completely chucked into the deep end with very little knowledge and I certainly wouldn't lament people who may want to read some FAQs on the internet first. However, at the same time, the realism of the game due to the autosave feature and the lack of second chances really draws you in. If it weren't for these negatives, you just wouldn't take the game as seriously and that would take away a large part of what this game is. Finishing a job with seconds to spare really gets your heart rate going.
One other negative though is the pacing issue. First, I must mention the story. The story revolves around two rival companies, with one wanting to make the virus "Revelation" to release on the internet, and the other "Faith", the anti-virus. You can play as either side in the short story mode. It starts really well, as you just get an e-mail randomly in the game to notify you what is happening in the story, prompting you to take action. It means the story takes a side role, and you are predominantly an uplink hacker. However, the entire story goes by the date you are on in the game, meaning if you don't reply to emails fast enough or do certain missions fast enough, the story can just drift by you. The last mission also automatically starts, which to me is bad programming because, without spoiling much, the last mission does have a bit of a time limit. Whilst the freedom of not wanting to do the story mode for a while is a great thing, it would have been a smart choice to allow people to pick up the story when they wish. It means the pacing can change from extremely slow to fast within minutes. Pacing issues continue to the side missions. As you hack you level up, granting access to harder missions. It seems like the level of the missions that are mostly shown are also based on time, not your level, meaning you can get left behind even in the side missions. It is only a small complaint since the easier missions still do appear (just rarer), but it's a complaint non-the-less. It means that for the first part of the game you are grinding a little, spending ages levelling up your character, and then suddenly at a higher level you advance at an amazing speed. It could maybe have been levelled out a little more.

~System Requirements~
The game is from 2001 though since the game is text based every computer should be able to run this game.

OS: 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista
32MB RAM
300MHz CPU
Open GL capable Graphics Card

The game can be bought from many places online including Steam. It can also be bought with the developers (Introversion Software) next game, Defcon. Currently that is £18 (New) on Amazon, or £8 (Pre owned).

~Overall~

You get a brilliant game though, though old, is somewhat unique. Regardless of the age of the game it is incredibly addictive and unique, meaning if the concept of the game sounds intriguing, it's worth a go.
It's challenging, and you will no doubt have to restart a couple of times before you get the hang of it, and because of this can be seen as a little unfair and that may be a little true. However, once you have got your head round it everything you do will become automatic. For every hack you know you must bypass proxies and firewalls, break passwords and even get past voice analysers by prank calling the right people. The game starts out hard, though doesn't necessarily get harder, but maybe a little more challenging and complex, and certainly more interesting. Whilst you are playing you will be immersed in the world of Uplink, taking everything seriously and really getting the adrenaline pumping. Sure, the game has its flaws-the story is quite short and maybe a little weak, I personally didn't like the end, and a couple of things such as the e-mail page could be cleaned up, but they're small complaints when you consider what you are getting. It's a game like no other, and one that will no doubt grab you again and again, since it's not something you'll just want to play once. For a text based adventure, there's so much you can do, from wrecking computers to hacking banks. You can even clean your criminal record. Nobody tells you to do it, but as soon as you log in to the world of Uplink, you're free. And you no doubt won't want to log out.

Summary: Unique, and brilliant game