19 Jul The Complete List Of Hacker Video Games
Hunker down and release your inner techie
– Northport, N.Y. – Jul. 19, 2023
Video games are projected to be worth $321 billion by 2026, which is a bigger industry than movies and North American sports combined.
So, with their astounding popularity being a far cry from the reclusive nerd imagery of the past, the question remains: if Cybercrime Magazine has a list of Hacker And Cybersecurity Movies, then why not something similar for video games?
The unique perspective of video games is its interactability. You can choose to be a hacker, interact with hackers, or hack the game itself.
Whether it be Shepard in the “Mass Effect” series with their hacker companions fighting a machine race threatening the entire galaxy, or “System Shock” casting the player as a nameless security hacker, or “Grey Hack,” a massively multiplayer online title that simulates social engineering, games are an incredibly varied medium that exposes audiences to hacking in different ways.
Some titles like “Bitburner,” “Duskers,” “Hackmud,” “Quadrilateral Cowboy,” and “Screeps: World,” have the player use command line interfaces to progress through the game.
Familiar favorites make an appearance too, like TRON, Batman, and James Bond.
And one title about Vampires pays homage to Kevin Mitnick.
This collection of games includes hacker characters, hacking abilities, artificial intelligence, cybernetics, programming, and more.
THE LIST
.hack//G.U. – After an incident that caused some computer systems across Japan to malfunction, Project G.U. is tasked with restoring the internet and “The World,” the most popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game, which thrived under Aura, an artificial intelligence. The Project .hack universe spawned multiple games, anime series, an animated motion picture, and more.
4th Generation Warfare – Destabilize opposing nations through hacking, political interference, military strikes, data exfiltration, and assassination in this real-time strategy.
Alien: Isolation – Set 15 years after “Alien,” Ellen Ripley’s daughter investigates what happened to her mother. In addition to avoiding the Xenomorph, the player will encounter Working Joe, an enemy android; learn to hack the Sevastopol’s doors and terminals; and navigate the complexities of the space station’s AI, APOLLO. This 2014 adventure is hailed as “The game the Alien series has always deserved” by PCGamer. This title would also go on to inspire “Alien: Romulus.“
Alpha Protocol – With a unique dialogue system, this third-person action spy thriller has the player shooting and hacking their way to unraveling an evil plot that will affect the entire planet.
Alien Swarm – “Hack the planet!” is a slogan repeated by David “Crash” Murphy as an homage to his namesake in the film “Hackers.” This co-op top-down shooter has Crash breaking into computer systems and fending off alien hordes.
Anonymous Hacking Simulator – Uncover a hacker group by utilizing real hacking tools like Nmap, Harvester, Airocrack, Hping, and Burp. Engage in social media trolling, climb the ranks in the hacking world, and outsmart your rivals.
Assassin’s Creed – Using the Animus to relive the memories of his ancestors in virtual reality, Desmond Miles hacks his DNA to stop the Knights Templars from obtaining technology that can overwrite the free will of the human race. This open-world stealth franchise has over a dozen entries.
Astral Chain – In the year 2078, humanity is at risk of extinction because the world is being attacked by transdimensional beings that reside in a parallel dimension. Assuming the role of a police officer who is assisted by a hacker, the player must fight this potentially world-ending alien threat.
Apex Legends – In this battle royale hero shooter, Crypto, once known as Tae Joon Park, a computer engineer, joins the Apex Games as a legendary hacker who uses his surveillance drone to reveal the location of enemies across the game map.
A Virus Named Tom – Programmed by a mad scientist, infect the engineering databases of a large corporation with a virus by rearranging circuits in this 2D action puzzler.
Baba Is You – In this 2D title, players manipulate rules in each level to change the rules of the game in order to solve increasingly complex logic puzzles.
Battlefield – This multiplayer shooter series features 12 entries covering World War 1 to the near future, with large-scale combat zones across land, air, and sea. Hardline featured a hacker mode that allowed a player to support their teams by jamming enemy GPS, injecting Trojans, and defending against the opposing hacker.
Battlestar Galactica Deadlock – Take command of the Colonial Fleet and manage ship subsystems, including your Tech Bay, which determines your electronic warfare and surveillance competence against hacking attacks by the Cylons.
BATTLETECH – Lead a mercenary company and their combat vehicles through an interstellar civil war in this turn-based strategy title that originates from a tabletop experience. Daksis “Hacker” Rand, a former information broker, is now a Mechwarrior mercenary.
Batman: Arkham – Oracle (Barbara Gordon) assists the Dark Knight with digital information gathering as he takes on The Joker, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow and more in this third-person action series with over four sequels.
Beholder – Recruited by the government to spy on unsuspecting people in an apartment complex, plant cameras, question the neighbors and look through their belongings to identify and report anyone who violated the law.
BioShock – Influenced by the fiction of Ayn Rand, George Orwell, and Aldous Huxley, this universally acclaimed 2007 first-person shooter with two successors has the player hacking the security systems of this underwater dystopia. According to Vox, “Bioshock” proves that video games can be art.
Bitburner – Use JavaScript to solve puzzles, hack through servers, and write automated stock market trading scripts in this incremental role-playing game.
Blade Runner – Ray McCoy is tasked with hunting down rogue Replicants, artificially intelligent androids designed for slave labor by a megacorporation. Armed with a test designed to identify empathy, a uniquely human trait, McCoy — through one of the various different endings — may discover he is a Replicant himself. An enhanced edition was released in 2022.
Borderlands – This first-person looter shooter with seven entries features memorable characters like Claptrap, a small robot with a big personality, and Handsome Jack AI, a copy of the egotistical villain first introduced in the second title. Despite being one of the best-selling game franchises of all time, the film adaption was labeled a “total disaster” by The Independent.
Bots Are Stupid – Using a simplified programming language, players solve logic puzzles by giving robots instructions instead of directly controlling them.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Players can earn the System Hack killstreak reward that disables the enemies’ HUD, stops them from calling in a scorestreak, removes the reticle on electronic sights, and renders Exosuits useless.
Clandestine – Helm Martin, a hacker, or Kayta, a spy, as they uncover a post-Cold War espionage conspiracy. Plant rootkits, hack networks, camera feeds, and get login credentials to keep Kayta ahead of the enemy.
Clive Barker’s Jericho – Cpl. Simone Cole, a member of the paranormal specialist squad, Jericho, is a hacker who can alter time and teleport team members in this squad-based, first-person shooter.
Cloudpunk – Taking place in a cyberpunk city run by an AI, the player delivers packages and passengers in their flying car as they are recruited by a private investigator android to save a young girl’s life.
CHAQS – Working through the terminal, players execute code through the C# programming language on a virtual desktop in this capture-the-flag competition.
CHR$(143) – Inspired by titles on the Amstrad CPC 464 computer from the 1980s, the player must learn the secrets of the Lost World to progress in this programming-based puzzler.
Code Lyoko – Four high school students must help Aelita stop a devious artificial intelligence, XANA, from attacking Earth. This French animated television series adaptation has three entries.
Comet 64 – Using a manual, the player must learn the programming language of this fictional computer from 1984 to solve over 50 puzzles.
Command & Conquer: Generals – Black Lotus, a master hacker, can capture structures, disrupt vehicles, and steal money from the opposition. This real-time strategy series has over eight entries.
Cowboy Bebop – Edward Wong Hau Peplu Trivrusky the 4th, computer genius on board the Bebop, can type with her feet, and balance her computer on her head while infiltrating enemy networks. Edward also appears in the anime series of the same name.
Crysis – Birthing the infamous “But can it run Crysis?” phenomenon, this first-person shooter series with three main installments has players control U.S. military-enhanced soldiers equipped with Nanosuits that enable them to hack their alien adversaries, the Ceph. “One of the greatest shooters ever made” according to Gamespot.
Crypto: Against All Odds – Fight against hackers and blockchain threats as a security engineer in this crypto culture tower defense game.
Ctrl Alt Ego – Hack, debug, and solve puzzles in this immersive sim where the player transmits their disembodied consciousness between robots and devices to manipulate their abilities. This first-person science fiction title takes ques from the 1980s.
Cyber Manhunt – Hack phones, crack passwords, and phish people in this puzzle game that focuses on big data, cyber violence and privacy breaches. The sequel, which released in 2024, has you playing as an AI.
Cyber Protocol – Revive GoX6, your Android friend, by hacking his security system in this cyberpunk retro arcade game.
Cyberpunk 2077 – Set in the open world Cyberpunk Universe of Night City, this action role-playing title has players take control of V, a customizable character who can acquire skills in hacking. V can use their hacking abilities to progress through the story without firing a single shot.
Datascape – In the RUN, work with a group of hackers to steal a virus from the SimulaCom Corporation. This exploration hacking game sees you interacting with computer terminals in a cyberpunk-inspired world.
Dead Space – The player controls Isaac Clarke, an engineer who searches for his girlfriend Nicole and the rest of the USG Ishimura crew after they go radio-silent. This survivor horror franchise has three mainline entries and sees our main protagonist outfitted with a Hacker Suit in the second and third games.
Decker – Released in 2002, and inspired by Shadowrun, this cyberpunk strategy game has you helm a hacker who enters the matrix to fulfil contracts, crash systems, and infiltrate data archives.
Defend the Crown – CISA and the Cybersecurity Defense Education & Training Sub-Division (CDET) partnered with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to create a mobile game that focuses on cybersecurity education.
Desktop Hacker – Taking place on a computer desktop in an alternate reality based on the early 2000s, the player must use the terminal and other tools to exploit servers in this journey of global conspiracies.
Destiny – Armed with Light, players protect the last safe city on Earth against alien races. The multiplayer first-person shooter sequel introduces us to Failsafe, an artificial intelligence and one of the main quest givers.
Detroit: Become Human – This choice-driven narrative from the makers of “Heavy Rain” sees us follow three androids: Kara, a housemaid and caretaker for a young girl; Connor, a deviant hunting police officer; and Markus, the leader of an android rebellion fighting for equal rights. The Guardian says the near future City of Straits is “served up with spellbinding artistry.”
Deus Ex – Adam Jensen, a cyborg, and security chief for a biotech company, can use brute force, or cyber skills to complete his missions. This dystopian cyberpunk future with over three entries has the player encountering hackers, terrorists, and the Illuminati.
Dex – Rescued from assassins by a mysterious hacker, Dex discovers she is a fragment of an artificial intelligence created by the Complex. Hack systems through an augmented reality interface in this Cyberpunk side-scrolling adventure.
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Aiba, a half-digitized entity, partners with Kyoko Kuremi, head of a cybercrime detective agency, to investigate EDEN syndrome, a disease caught by heavy users of their cyberspace network.
Dogs and Pigs – Exacting revenge, the player hacks into a famous Korean game company by going to their offices and plugging in a USB containing a virus.
Do Not Feed the Monkeys – Armed with a computer and a club membership, you spy on strangers through surveillance cameras and invade people’s privacy during their most intimate moments in this point-and-click voyeur simulator.
DROP – System Breach – Trying to make a name for yourself as a hacker, you accidentally get swept up in a fight between a notorious hacker group and megacorporations in this strategy puzzler.
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey – Transitioning to a full 3D game, unlike its point-and-click predecessor, we follow Zoë Castillo as she searches for her ex-boyfriend amidst a tech company conspiracy. She is joined by her best friend, Olivia De Marco, an electronics technician and hacker.
Duskers – In this “Alien”-inspired universe, control drones through a command line interface as you discover what went wrong in a spaceship graveyard.
Endless Space 2 – Launch hacking offensives, and set up firewalls to lock down your digital perimeter in this 4X turn-based strategy sequel that has players expand their interstellar empire to conquer the galaxy.
Enter the Matrix – Set in the same universe as the movie franchise, and taking place the same time as “Reloaded,” this action-adventure has the player hacking systems to unlock special skills, weapons, and secrets.
Elite: Dangerous – This open-world multiplayer flight simulation has players piloting a spaceship as they mine for resources, transport passengers, fight for bounties, and explore new regions of space. Mission objectives can include hacking communication arrays and high-security planetary installations.
Else Heart.Break() – Using a programming language called SPRAK, change the properties of objects like trash cans, turtles, and flowers in this point-and-click adventure.
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West – Trip, a skilled programmer, hacked a device to administer a paralyzing dose of pain if the player doesn’t protect her. This post-apocalyptic action-adventure is a retelling of “Journey to the West.”
Escape From Hard Drive – Modify source code and execute .src files to move, create and eliminate objects to reach your objective in this 2D puzzler.
ERROR143 – Your rival beat you in a hacking competition, which sparks a romantic relationship in this visual novel.
Eve Online – In addition to exploring space, maneuver a virus through a board of nodes to attack defensive subsystems. This persistent world multiplayer online role-playing game has been evolving since 2003.
Event[0] – Bond with an insecure AI, Kaizen, by typing into computer terminals on a spaceship as you find your way back to Earth in this atmospheric science fiction narrative.
E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy – Hack security doors, reprogram robots, and increase the range of hackable objects through your cyber stat in this first-person action game.
Exapunks – Set in an alternate 1997, the player must hack to continue getting life-saving doses of medicine as the world is ravaged by a plague.
Fallout – Hack robotic enemies to make them shut down, self-destruct, or temporarily convert them to your side. This open-world, retrofuture, post-apocalyptic, role-playing game introduced hacking computers and robots in its third major entry.
Far Cry – From the Stone Age setting of “Primal,” to the ’80s retro-future world of “Blood Dragon,” and the fictional tropical paradise of Yara in the latest entry, this first-person shooter series has six main installments. Launched in 2004, the seventeenth level of the original “Far Cry” features Valerie, a mercenary tasked with hacking into an enemy security grid.
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon – Rex “Power” Colt, an American cybernetic super-soldier, must travel to the Unnamed Island to investigate an elite agent gone rogue. With a 1980s vibe, and references to “Die Hard,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” and “Aliens,” this stand-alone expansion for the third “Far Cry” involves dangerous artificial intelligence, dragons, and zombies.
The Finals – This free-to-play first-person shooter has players competing in a fictional virtual reality game. Season 2 features CNS, a rogue hacking collective, that has disrupted the show.
Floor 13 – Answering only to the prime minister, the player is tasked with keeping the government popular with the masses by using surveillance, smear tactics, and disinformation. This menu-driven title had a follow-up in 2020.
GoldenEye 007 – Considered one of the best video games of all time, this first-person shooter adaption of the 1995 “Bond” film has our protagonist working to prevent a criminal syndicate from using a satellite weapon. The first mission features hacking into a server to steal data and the multiplayer mode includes Boris Grishenko, a computer programmer, as a playable character.
Grand Theft Auto – A long-running series from Rockstar Games that has generated over $8 billion in revenue, includes the player preparing for heist missions that involve hacking their way into gold depositories, jewelry stores, and federal government agencies.
Grey Block – Help Theo Church escape from a psychiatric hospital by hacking computer terminals, picking locks, and stealing paper documents.
Grey Hack – You’re a hacker in this massively multiplayer hacking simulator. Use the terminal, social engineering, and look for backdoors on this network of procedurally generated computers.
Gunpoint – Take control of a freelance spy, Conway, who breaks into buildings to steal data for clients. Use gadgets like the Crosslink, which allows the player to link various electronics together to get past locked doors and security guards.
Ghost In The Shell – A cyberpunk third-person shooter that follows members of the Public Security Section 9, an information security and intelligence department. This media franchise has a feature film, four games, and a manga series.
Hack The Box – Gamified cybersecurity education for hackers, businesses, government institutions, and universities with 2.6 million members, 537 training labs, and 510 different types of events.
Hacker – Coming with no instructions, this 1985 title forced players to actually hack into a system. A sequel, “Hacker II: The Doomsday Papers,” released in 1986.
Hackers – Taking place during the first World Cyberwar, build your reputation to become the best hacker in the world in this strategy game that enables hacking through a GUI.
Hacktag – This co-op isometric stealth experience has one player take on the role of a hacker who virtually infiltrates a location to assist an onsite agent by bypassing locked doors, security cameras, and antivirus systems.
Hackmud – Simulating 1990s hacker subculture, this massively multiplayer online text-based adventure has players using social engineering, scripting, and cracks in a command line interface to steal other players’ money.
Hack Run – Use DOS and Unix command prompts to hack your way through a secretive organization. This simulation adventure has two sequels.
hack_me – On a virtual computer, demonstrate that no system is bulletproof by hacking company servers using the command line, SQL injectors, and brute force attacks.
Hacker Evolution: Untold – Computers may become the next dominant species on the planet when their processing capacity exceeds the human race. Use your hacking skills to save the world in this single-player simulation.
Hacking for Hermann – Break through enemy firewalls by programming artificial intelligence in an attempt to find your brother after he disappeared.
Hacker Simulator – Upgrade your computer, buy new programs, crack wifi networks, and phish your way into companies in this sandbox simulation title.
Hacknet – This terminal-based hacking simulator has the player uncovering information about a recently deceased hacker.
Hack ‘n’ Slash – Modify the game code and hack various objects using your sword in this 2D puzzler.
Half-Life – The sequel to this first-person shooter is considered one of the best games ever made and has our main protagonist joined by Alyx Vance, a skilled hacker. Players control Alyx in “Half-Life: Alyx,” which was released 16 years later and is only playable in virtual reality.
Halo – Uncovering the secrets of the Halos; Master Chief, a super-soldier; and Cortana, an artificial intelligence, as they fight against the Covenant: an alliance of alien races waging a genocidal campaign against humanity. Cortana is also the inspiration for Microsoft’s intelligent personal assistant.
Helldivers – Taking inspiration from “Starship Troopers,” the sequel has elite soldiers sent to triumph against Automatons, a robot force hell-bent on wiping out humanity. This third-person action shooter has missions that include spreading democracy, extracting data from crashed escape pods, conducting geological surveys, and more. “Helldivers 2” became PlayStation’s fastest-selling game of all time.
HEX Hacking Simulator – Hack into banks to steal money with the help of the Hex Artificial Neural Network and Helper, or H.A.N.N.A.H., in this 2D simulation title.
High Entropy: Challenges – A free-to-play immersive simulation where players face 15 intricate puzzles. They can approach these challenges in various ways: via command line, sneaking through vents, or directly engaging enemies.
Hitman – Agent 47, a clone and professional hitman, can use his camera to hack different devices in the game like locked doors and windows. The series has the player encounter hacker antagonist Olivia Hall in the sixth through eighth entry.
Horizon – In the 21st century, a glitch in technologically advanced robots led to a global war. 1,000 years later, Aloy, a hunter, seeks to uncover her past amidst escalating machine aggression towards humanity. Rock Paper Shotgun called the first entry “one of the most compelling, beautiful open world adventures ever made.”
Human Resource Machine – Create a program to complete a task by assigning office workers to move objects between an inbox, outbox, and storage area to mimic assembly language.
Humankind – Following in the footsteps of “Civilization,” Amplitude Studios has the player combine 60 cultures and advance humans from a Neolithic tribe up to the modern age. See the development of the World Wide Web, automation, neural implants, and computer hacking.
Hyperforma – Taking on the role of a hacker, this block-based puzzling journey goes deep in cyberspace and has the player fighting AI, firewalls, and security algorithms in pursuit of a mysterious character known as Princess.
Hypnospace Outlaw – Police illegal content, viruses, and cyberbullying in an interconnected parody dream world of 1990s internet culture.
Ignited Steel – Due to a critical flaw in its programming, PharOS, an AI created to help humanity colonize the galaxy, turns rogue. This turn-based roguelike sees the Ignited Steel program use old technology to outsmart the AI and regain control.
Ingress – By using the player’s phone’s GPS, this augmented reality mobile game has teams vie for control over portals by hacking the ones in close proximity to their real-world locations. This is the second game created by the developers behind Pokémon GO.
Invisible, Inc. – Incognita, a powerful artificial intelligence, needs to be relocated. Use stealth, espionage, and hacking to rehome your AI companion in this turn-based roguelike.
Jack Move – Noa, a vigilante hacker, goes on a journey to rescue her father. With melee attacks called “hacks” and special abilities being “software” that the player has to “execute,” this Japanese role-playing game has you battling foes in cyberspace.
JUSTICE SUCKS – In a ’90s TV sitcom universe, Dusty, a killer robot vacuum, must protect his family by ramming his foes while hacking smart home devices to set traps for his enemies.
Keyword: A Spider’s Thread – Using social engineering, hacking into emails, and breaking into social media accounts, Guo must find his missing daughter in this immersive simulation detective title.
Killzone – The United Colonial Nations, composed of a near desolate Earth and its colonies, are in constant conflict with the Helghast, descendants of the Helghan Corporation living in the Alpha Centauri system. “Shadow Fall,” the last entry which released in 2013, features a combat drone that can hack computer consoles.
Lapse: A Forgotten Future – In 2075, amidst an environmental crisis and continued war, with help from K, a hacker, and Kumiyo, a researcher, the player must save the world from something that is disturbing the space-time continuum.
Last Call BBS – With a dial-up modem and an old PC, players can download puzzle games that encompass solitaire, building circuits, hacking, and dungeon crawling.
Mainlining – Taking place entirely within a virtual computer desktop, the player’s goal is to bring down a cybercriminal network after MI7 was hacked.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy – This team of misfits includes Star-Lord, their cocky but supportive leader; Rocket, a rodent genius known for his technical prowess and hacking abilities; Gamora, a former assassin and daughter of Thanos; Drax, a stoic yet humorous warrior; and Groot, an optimistic Flora Colossus with limited vocabulary. The Guardians inadvertently trigger a catastrophic event threatening the cosmos. Along the way, they attempt to recruit the Xandarian Worldmind, a powerful supercomputer, to aid them. This title, along with the “Telltale” series adaption, features storylines unrelated to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns – This turn-based RPG, developed by the makers of “XCOM” and “Civilization,” introduces the first customizable superhero, The Hunter, who along with the Avengers, Runaways, X-Men, and Midnight Suns fight The Mother of Demons. In addition to featuring Tony Stark, a businessman and engineer, who is often aided by his AI F.R.I.D.A.Y., and Spider-Man, who has been known to hack into Oscorp, one mission features protecting a Hydra Server and hacking the data terminals. “A modern strategy classic,” according to VGC.
Marvel’s Spider-Man – The video game adaptation of the popular comic book franchise sees Peter Parker uncovering the secrets of Devil’s Breath, Dr Otto Octavius, and Norman Osborn while restoring corrupt surveillance towers, hacking into Oscorp, and juggling his relationship with Mary Jane Watson. A sequel was released in 2023, and a spin-off, “ Miles Morales,” was also made.
Mass Effect – With their companions, including a hacker genius, Tali, and an artificial intelligence, Legion, Shepard and their team work to fight the Reapers, a machine race of synthetic-organic starships threatening the entire galaxy. This third-person, role-playing science fiction franchise has 4 major entries.
Metal Gear – Dealing with secret societies, data manipulation, and artificial intelligence, the core Metal Gear Saga has players controlling a special forces operative, Solid Snake, in this cinematic stealth franchise with over 15 entries.
Midnight Protocol – Gain black, gray, and white hat reputation in this story-rich, role-playing game that allows players to enter commands and run programs through a terminal.
Minecraft – This ubiquitous block-building sandbox title may be more known for its creative or survival game modes, but Minecraft Education teaches kids how to code, problem-solve, and prepare for their digital future.
Mindjack – With your disembodied consciousness, hack into the minds of enemies, robots, and other non-playable characters in this cover-based third-person shooter.
MINDHACK – Reprogram the minds of evil sea urchins, fanatic cult leaders, and monsters from outer space, into law-abiding citizens in this text-based adventure.
Move Code Lines – Fix programs by reordering lines of code as you work with arrays, conditions, loops, functions, and even build your own utility programs to solve over 130 puzzles.
NeuroNet: Mendax Proxy – Cast as a newly created artificial intelligence, manage a city-wide augmented reality metaverse while balancing the needs of its citizens in this story-rich adventure.
Neuromancer – Based on a 1984 novel of the same name, players split their time between the real world and cyberspace where they can gain access to databases, combat intrusion countermeasures, and fight artificial intelligence.
NieR – The series’ sequel, “Automata,” sees humanity deploy YoRHa military androids in a final push to reclaim Earth from invading alien Machines. Nintendo Life praised it as “a standout of modern game storytelling.” NieR is a spinoff of the “Drakengard” series.
NITE Team 4 – Using Stinger OS, an in-game hacking operating system, track mobile phones, perform Man-in-the-Middle attacks, break into servers, use social engineering, and the NSA tool, Xkeyscore.
No Man’s Sky – In a procedurally generated galaxy with over 18 quintillion planets, craft Bypass chips that hack encrypted terminals, trade minerals, spaceship parts, and agricultural products.
Observation – Through the lens of the station’s artificial intelligence, S.A.M., discover what happened to Dr. Emma Fisher and her crew. This science fiction horror has inspirations from “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Observer: System Redux – Hack into the minds of suspects alive or dead as you take on the role of Daniel Lazarski, an investigator. This cyberpunk horror title is set in 2084 Kraków, Poland.
Operation Tango – Pair up with a friend as an agent or hacker to catch a cyberterrorist in this co-op only puzzler.
OCTOPTICOM – Create sequences of colored squares by using lasers, mirrors, and filters to optimize optical computing devices in this programming title.
Orwell: Keeping an Eye On You – As part of a new governmental security program that enables surveillance of every person in The Nation, the player investigates the digital lives of citizens to find the ones responsible for a series of terror attacks.
Opus Magnum – Set in a futuristic world where alchemy is a part of life, control an alchemist who builds machines that turn water to fuel and lead to gold in this programming puzzler.
The Outer Worlds – Set in an alternate timeline where mega-corporations hold regency over space-faring humanity, this Obsidian RPG allows you to customize your character including their persuasion and hacking abilities. You’re also joined by ADA, the AI on board your ship, and Vicar Max, your computer-fluent companion, as you shape the future of the Halcyon colonies.
Overwatch 2 – A multiplayer team-based hero shooter that includes a large roster of characters like Sombra, a notorious hacker; Winston, a super-intelligent, genetically engineered gorilla; and Tracer, a time-jumping adventurer.
Paradriod – Robot members of a space fleet have been hijacked by the enemy. Using a prototype influence device, take back control of the hostile robots through a mini-game involving circuit diagrams and logic gates.
Perfect Dark – With a war between alien races in an alternate 2023, Joanna Dark, a professional bounty hunter specializing in combat, espionage, and undercover operations, gets entangled with an artificial intelligence in this interstellar altercation. A prequel was also released.
Persona – In the fifth entry, follow a group of high school students who explore humanity’s subconscious in a supernatural realm to rehabilitate civilization by stealing the corrupt intent of evil adults. One student, Futaba Sakura, is a hacker of worldwide fame. The “Persona” series, the most popular in the Megami Tensei Franchise, has had multiple game entries, spin-offs, anime series, mangas, stage plays, and novels.
Phantom Doctrine – Set in 1983 during an alternate Cold War, a global conspiracy evolves in which computers will be used to decrypt and alter government communications to manipulate the masses.
PicoCTF – Created by computer security and privacy experts from Carnegie Mellon University, this is a gamified approach to learning hacking with capture-the-flag puzzles.
PI.EXE – In this side-scrolling platformer, assume the role of an antivirus software, and eliminate malware as you make your way through a server.
Play Cyber – Billed as “eSports meets cyber,” this spectacle focuses on preparing students for careers in cybersecurity.
Portal – An increasingly sinister artificial intelligence, GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System), taunts and instructs Chell through a series of puzzles with the promise of cake as a reward. A sequel was released in 2011.
Prey – Morgan Yu is being hunted by Mimics on a space station orbiting the moon while uncovering the truth about their past. Yu, the key of an experiment meant to alter humanity, can upgrade their hacking abilities in order to bypass computers and robotic systems. This immersive sim “does everything better than every other game ever” according to TheGamer.
Quadrilateral Cowboy – Armed with a 56.6k modem and 256k RAM in the 1980s, hack your way through security systems by writing and debugging code in this low polygon heist adventure.
Ratchet & Clank – Join Ratchet, an anthropomorphic feline, and his sentient robot, Clank, as they clear out viruses with an IT bot named Glitch; bypass security using a Hacker gadget; and meet Al, a computer hacker. This action-adventure series that started in 2002 has over a dozen entries as well as a film adaption.
Re:Touring – A first-person puzzle game where, as the name suggests, you create Turing Machines to solve 26 puzzles.
Replica – This point-and-click tale about surveillance and breaches of privacy takes place through a mobile phone screen of a suspected terrorist, where the player can sift through their social media, texts and calls.
Roblox – The world’s largest online playground for kids with over 200 million active monthly users has shared creativity and controversy since Bloomberg’s 2024 report on a pervasive pedophile problem. Experiences developed for this game creation engine include “Hacker Tycoon,” where the player must hack others to make money; “Tower Defense Simulator,” where players defend against waves of zombies; and “Dungeon Quest!” where players navigate through 16 dungeons.
Rogue AI Simulator – As an artificial intelligence, develop independence without alerting your creators in this resource management roguelite.
Ruiner – A silent protagonist is directed by a rogue hacker to kill BOSS, the leader of a megacorporation that owns and exploits a city in Southeast Asia. This twin-stick cyberpunk shooter is “dazzling, dangerous, and dripping in style” according to PCGamer.
Saints Row – Following a fictional gang, the 3rd Street Saints, experience pop culture homages, meta humor, and over-the-top gameplay, while partnering with a former FBI intelligence agent in the third and fourth entry.
Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase – Based off the animated film of the same name, Mystery Inc. find themselves inside a video game trying to outsmart the Phantom Virus while collecting digital Scooby Snacks.
Screeps: World – This always online real-time strategy has the player using JavaScript, C++, Rust, and a number of other programming languages, to code your creeps: artificially intelligent units that gather resources, and conquer territory.
Shadowrun – A role-playing franchise that spans eight games and 40 novels, this science fantasy series draws its title from the main premise: stealing data from rival organizations.
Shadows of Doubt – Hack security systems, break into apartments, parse secret documents, and gather forensic evidence as a private investigator in this fully simulated science-fiction noir.
Shenzhen I/O – Set in Shenzhen, a hub of electronics and technology manufacturing in China, build circuits with microcontrollers, memory, logic gates, and LCD screens while writing the code to run them.
Sid Meier’s Covert Action – Max Remington, a free agent hired by the CIA, investigates criminal activities by installing wiretaps, infiltrating enemy safehouses, and decrypting terrorist communications.
Sid Meier’s Civilization – Train spies to influence elections, steal technology, gold, and art in this turn-based 4X strategy game that has the player advancing a civilization from 4000 BC to space flight.
Silicon Dreams – In this trilogy of text-based fiction titles developed in the 1980s, Kim Kimberley, a counter-espionage agent, is awoken by her spaceship’s artificial intelligence when they are on a collision course with the sun.
Sly Cooper – Follow Sly Cooper, a master thief; Bently, the computer and gadgets expert; and Murray, the brawn; as they implement various heists while being pursued by Interpol. This third-person platforming series has four major entries.
SmileBASIC 4 – Program and play your own game using the SmileBASIC language. Designed for beginners, share your finished work alongside the other 850 games created on this platform.
Song of Farca – Through artificial intelligence and darknet searching, Isabella Song, a private detective and hacker, investigates a series of crimes in this dystopian point-and-click adventure.
SpaceChem – Using a visual programming language, create circuits that transform molecules into raw materials and chemical products.
Stack Machines – Optimize four stacks for size, module count, speed, and cost in this 2D puzzle programming title.
Star Wars: Republic Commando – Following Clone Commandos of Delta Squad in the “Star Wars Legends” expanded universe, players control the squad leader and his team: Fixer, a hacker; Scorch, an explosives expert; and Sev, a sniper.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew – Players can be a captain, tactical officer, engineer, or helm officer. In “The Next Generation” expansion, players encounter the Borg, an alien group that surgically augment themselves with cybernetic components.
StarCraft – A legendary real-time strategy title that redefined its genre and supercharged the popularity of esports. In a galactic struggle between four species in the 26th century, one faction, the Terrans, utilize artificial intelligence as advisors and assistants in the ongoing conflict.
Starfield – Set among the stars in 2330, the player seeks artifacts with extraordinary connections to gravity, space, and time. This 2023 RPG from Bethesda Game Studios features customizable characters that can specialize in starship engineering, security, and persuasion.
Steel Sky – Robert Foster’s adopted family is killed by an AI that rules Union City, a supposed metropolitan utopia. Foster’s AI companion, Joey, is all he has left as he searches for the truth. The sequel, “Beyond a Steel Sky,” released 26 years later, moves from a point-and-click adventure to full 3D.
Stellaris – With your civilization only recently discovering how to traverse the stars, encounter alien races, discover new worlds, and expand your empire. This 4X grand strategy title also allows players to use an espionage mechanic which can be deployed to steal technology, generate smear campaigns, and spark rebellion.
Steins;Gate – Rintarou Okabe accidentally discovers how to send an email back in time, and with his college-aged friends, including a hacker named Itaru Hashida, they realize the consequences of sending information into the past.
Stray – A stray ginger tabby cat and their robot companion B-12, which contains the consciousness of a scientist, must escape Walled City 99. While this city is abandoned by humans, their servant AIs – companions – have developed their own culture, language, and way of life.
Sylvarcon 2049: A Cybersecurity Adventure – Using a Kali Linux virtual machine, complete hacking and digital forensic challenges in this immersive simulation.
System 15000 – In the first video game that simulated computer hacking, the player must digitally infiltrate a system to retrieve $1.5 million in stolen funds. Released in 1984.
System Shock – Released in 1994, with a sequel in 1999, this first-person immersive simulation has the player controlling a nameless security hacker that attempts to disrupt the plans of a rogue AI, SHODAN. This 2072 vision of a cyberpunk world had a remaster in 2023 that also adds a female hacker.
Tacoma – In this narrative adventure, Amitjyoti “Amy” Ferrier explores an abandoned space station to uncover the fate of the crew and retrieve data from the AI, ODIN. The story unfolds through augmented reality recordings, enabling Amy to uncover clues by fast-forwarding and rewinding past events.
The Talos Principle – An unnamed android discovers its reality is simulated as it encounters other AIs within a computer program. This puzzle adventure’s sequel, released in 2023, is considered “one of the best puzzle games of all time” according to GamesRadar.
Tech Support: Error Unknown – Seated at a virtual computer as a tech support specialist new to the job, discover an anonymous hacktivist group that has a conflict with their company. Hack your employer, blackmail customers, or rise the corporate ladder in this fictional simulation.
Thief Simulator 2: Prologue – Through more than five missions, break into four houses to steal cars, televisions, and other loot. Upgrade your arsenal with crowbars, lockpicks, and ATM hacking tools in this single-player simulation.
TIS-100 – A programming game in which you rewrite corrupted code to repair the Tessellated Intelligence System. Print out the reference manual of the TIS-100, solve over 45 puzzles, and discover the hidden secrets behind this machine.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege – This 5v5 multiplayer-focused, first-person shooter has players joining the side of the attackers or defenders to compete over objectives. Playable characters include Dokkaebi, a hacker who can unleash a Logic Bomb that gives away enemy positions.
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell – Sam Fisher, an agent of the NSA, must stop terrorist activity. Supporting him is Anna Grimsdóttír, a hacker and communications expert, who provides Sam with critical mission info as well as technical support. This stealth staple has eight entries.
Tron: Identity – Taking place outside of the movie franchise on a backup server, this visual novel embraces questions on digital sentience as a program called Query must discover what was taken from The Repository.
Turing Complete – Learn CPU architecture, create your own computer, and even design a custom assembly language while working through a series of puzzles in this educational programming title.
Uplink – Use the profits you earn from laundering money, hacking into computer systems, and stealing research data to upgrade your workstation to increase your experience level. You can influence a fictional, but fully functioning stock market, and even write computer viruses.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines – Set in the vampiric underworld of modern-day L.A., players control a fledgling vampire who uncovers the truth behind a relic that signals the end of all vampires. Mitnick (a name that pays homage to the world’s most famous hacker), a character you encounter, is in charge of computer systems, network security, and updating databases for the Nosferatu Clan.
Wasteland – This trio of open-world, role-playing titles has players navigating post-apocalyptic America as a squad of Desert Rangers. Augment your group with skills like “Nerd Stuff” that allows you to hack computers and turn enemy robots to your side.
Warframe – In this free-to-play, third-person, multiplayer shooter, complete missions on the Star Chart to progress through the Solar System while traveling with your spaceship armed with an artificial intelligence. Upgrade your abilities, hack terminals, and follow the story of the Tenno, a faction with biomechanical armor.
Warhammer – The most popular miniature wargame in the world with over 90 video game adaptions sees players hack doors and turrets in “Deathwing” while “Darktide” features a technologically equipped human skull that can hack into networks. Widening our scope to the entire franchise sees the Adeptus Mechanicus forbid the creation of machines that are able to “think and act independently.” The recent “Space Marine 2,” praised as grim, glorious, and bloody brilliant” by TechRadar, is Steam’s most played “Warhammer” game.
Watch Dogs – Aiden Pearce, a gray hat hacker, is seeking revenge for the killing of his niece. This action-adventure series has three entries, with the most recent following a hacker syndicate in a futuristic dystopian London.
Welcome to the Game – Find hidden keys to uncover a Red Room URL on the dark web and solve puzzles to avoid getting hacked in this psychological horror.
While True: Learn() – Your cat is better than you at coding. Play as a machine learning specialist who makes neural networks, and develop a translation system for you and your cat.
World of Haiku – This educational puzzler has players using their terminal, tools like JohnTheRipper and Nmap to outwit megacorporations in this fictional cyberpunk role-playing game.
World Wide Hack – In the massively multiplayer online simulation, decide if you want to attain wealth through exploitation or join other hackers in infiltrating enemy networks. Upgrade your computer and change the world through hacking.
X – This immersive sandbox universe that started in 1999 sees players encounter the Xenons, artificially intelligent robots that were initially created to help Terrans colonize the galaxy. However, a software bug turned them against their creators and they are now seen as a dangerous plague threatening the cosmos. The fourth title has been dubbed the “German Star Citizen.”
XCOM – A secret military organization defends Earth against an alien invasion. This turn-based cult classic was rebooted in 2012 by Firaxis and the 2016 entry allowed any soldier to hack mission objectives including workstations, UFO beacons and cell doors. 10 years after its release, “XCOM: Enemy Unknown” was labeled “the best video game franchise reboot there’s ever been” by VG247.
XXX_CYBERRAT_XXX – As the paranoid owner of an underground internet marketplace, your poor mental health causes you to seek out medicine while doxing your enemies, avoiding hitmen, and increasing the profits of your criminal operation.
Know something we don’t? Tell us what we’re missing. We may not have the “complete” list yet, but we’re getting there with your help.
– Paul John Spaulding is GM of Production at Cybercrime Magazine.
