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Five Hacking Games Worth Playing on Steam in 2023

From realistic simulators that teach you the ins and outs of PC building to puzzle games that familiarise you with programming languages and logic, videogames are always finding new fun ways to help players understand the complex worlds of their computers. Modern-day hacking games in particular let you explore the realities of network infiltration while also indulging in the thrill and mystery of hacking that you’re used to seeing in Hollywood movies. Even NPCs don’t like their privacy invaded, and as you sift through countless private emails and files, you’ll definitely be reminded about all the reasons you should have a dependable VPN app that will prioritise security on your PC and even your mobile devices. If you’re looking for the best hacking games to try out in 2023, here are some great titles you’ll find on Steam.

Midnight Protocol

Midnight Protocol is a sci-fi story-driven RPG with various tools and keyboard commands that let you hack into servers and demolish security protocols. Set in a world of digital warfare, you’ll take on the role of a hacktivist known as Data, trying to uncover how and why you got doxxed by a shadowy government entity. It’s a cool premise that is executed well with interesting gameplay. You get to determine your hacker reputation by making moral choices — will you respect peoples’ data and help police forces or will you blackmail your way into getting what you want? Your playthrough can swim in shades of grey as much as you like.

Hacknet

This award-winning title is one of the most immersive and realistic hacking sims in the genre, featuring great aesthetics and an enjoyable soundtrack. With a toolkit of command prompts based on real UNIX commands, you’ll play as a hacker following the instructions of a recently deceased hacker named Bit whose death is shrouded in mystery, so there’s also some fun detective work mixed in. You’ll use real-life hacking processes to connect to other computers, break security, and acquire user privileges. If it sounds difficult, don’t worry! You don’t need any prior knowledge of coding or hacking to have fun playing Hacknet, but you’ll definitely want to keep a notebook nearby to write down notes if you have trouble remembering commands and shortcuts.

Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You

Do you ever feel like someone is watching you? Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You is a dystopian story-driven game that explores the implications of living in an age where so much of our personal information and private communications are available on the Internet. As the Orwell security program’s first human researcher, you’ll be in charge of scouring news articles, social media posts, text messages, emails, dating site profiles, medical files, and much more to provide the government with relevant information about citizens. But what if your interpretation is wrong and you report an innocent individual? Well, you’ll have to live with the consequences of your choices.

Grey Hack

Grey Hack is a realistic, open-ended MMO where you can hone your coding skills in an always-online universe with procedurally generated computers. With a variety of networks to explore, you can strategise your attacks by studying your target and testing different exploits while using UNIX-like commands. It’s an easy programming language to learn by reading the documentation, and while you can use existing scripts, it’s much more fun to make your own. The best part is engaging with the community as you share your creations, create guilds, and commission missions. And if that doesn’t sound like your style, there’s a single-player mode that lets you play in a world created on your own computer.

Hypnospace Outlaw

Become an enforcer in Hypnospace Outlaw, a hilarious 90s alternate-reality internet simulator that lets you patrol the virtual streets for web outlaws. From managing copyright infringement to internet bullying, you’ll have your hands full all while simultaneously avoiding viruses and adware. The world of Hypnospace captures the weirdness and nostalgia of early internet days with ugly websites and low-quality animations as well as iterations of social media that look a lot different than what we have today. Though you don’t learn a programming language like some other hacking games, the puzzles you encounter are well-designed and challenging. Finding solutions takes a lot of trial and error, a fundamental aspect of programming and hacking in videogames and real life.