Darknet: Remastered

For a long time, I have been waiting for not only a game based around the dark web to come out in VR, but one that takes place in a cyberspace that's literally the internet. This is it.

I still can't believe that this game came out 11 years ago, although the game is simplistic enough for it to justify being a bare bones type of experience... ON THE SURFACE.

First off, I love how even though you play the role of hacking a network, it still feels immersive because you feel like you're inside a giant web that is the internet. I also love how I can tell what everything is easily, such as the viruses being purple, the antiviruses being baby blue, and the core being yellow, oh and let's not forget about the green crystals that represent a massive amount of money.

Since a lot of you already know what this game is like since it's near retro at this point, let me get right into my opinion... The puzzles are simple yet frustrating. They're also not really predictable either, which would be massively frustrating if you're trying to Speedrun these networks. I will say I really don't like how you could completely get rid of the firewalls from a node and you will still have to deal with 3 green antiviruses ANYWAY.

The way the networks are presented in the network select screen also look like little planets or stars in the solar system that you need to fly towards, which is beautiful but eerie at the same time.

Some of the networks have multiple webs you can travel towards within a network, and when you click on the wormhole to find these other webs, you are greeted with going through a tunnel and then going straight into a massive planet like structure that also has a bunch of other planets surrounding it, which again I'd super eerie and dramatic.

As I am writing this, I have JUST unlocked the Backbone Access network, which in simplistic terms is the final boss of the game. My god when I spent all 30,000 of my Bitcoin that I have been grinding FOR DAYS JUST PLAYING THIS GAME, I was greeted with a massive network that was honestly so terrifying to look at! I honestly felt like I was falling into Jupiter's surface it was that massive. Not go mention, the fact that the root node is protected by a big green crystal because literally all of the nodes inside the one web are protected by blue crystals... It's all super eerie and uncomfortable, but in a good way that makes me feel like I taking on the literal final boss of the internet. I'm legit surprised the developer didn't name it The Primarch System instead of just Backbone Access.

Was so excited to hear after sending an email a month or so before it came out asking about it that this was coming! Spent wayy too many hours playing it via PC for the last 10 years and finally can do it without wires or streaming woo!

Thank you so much for porting this legend!! If you're on the fence, don't be! Game is fantastic and has huge replayability!

I played Darknet back in the early Rift days, and its predecessor Ciess, on GearVR before that. It turns out it's every bit as strong of a game now as it was then, with the added bonus of an improved tutorial and graphical upgrades to its gorgeous neon-infused geometry. This is hacking as William Gibson envisioned it in Neuromancer, and the game demands careful strategy executed under increasingly tense time pressure. It's not a huge game, but the core mechanics are solid, and it can be incredible addictive to play. I've logged a decent number of hours on this new version, and I'm looking forward to putting in plenty more. Highly recommended.

I really loved playing Darknet in the past and was really sad it wasn’t available on Quest 2 / 3.

Instant purchase for me (and loving it on the Quest 3) !

Happy times indeed! ❤️

Great puzzle game with great polish. Highly recommend.

You can watch my video review here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EMKB5_M_SE

Addictive Gameplay: Easily lose hours without realizing it.

Simple Controls: Laser pointer aiming and looking around. Not a huge reason for this to be a VR game, but I still found it immersive.

Puzzle Roguelike: Procedurally generated networks. Hacking is a puzzle within a puzzle.
Strategic Hacking: Use viruses, worms, exploits, and hydras to take over nodes and reach the root. Timed challenges add pressure.

Multiple Tools: Viruses, hydras, exploits, and worms offer varied hacking strategies.
Upgrades: Earn bitcoin to upgrade starting cash, access higher difficulties, or get faster viruses. No game-breaking perks.

High Replay Value: Procedural generation and layered difficulty ensure lots to explore.
Affordable: Only $10.

VR Mobile Game Feel: A good mobile game experience translated to VR. Great for short bursts or long sessions.

Hidden Gem: Feels like a must-try for puzzle and strategy fans.