Hypnospace Outlaw
Developer(s)Tendershoot
Publisher(s)No More Robots
Designer(s)Jay Tholen
Programmer(s)
  • Mike Lasch
  • Corey Cochran
Artist(s)Jay Tholen
Writer(s)
  • Jay Tholen
  • Xalavier Nelson Jr.
Composer(s)Jay Tholen
EngineConstruct 2
Platform(s)Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Release
  • Windows, macOS, Linux
  • March 12, 2019
  • Switch, PS4, Xbox One
  • August 27, 2020
Genre(s)Simulation,[1] puzzle[1]
Mode(s)Single-player

Hypnospace Outlaw is a 2019 simulation video game developed by Tendershoot and published by No More Robots.[2] Set in an alternate history 1999, the game takes place inside a parody of the early Internet and its culture that users visit in their sleep called Hypnospace.[3] The player assumes the role of an "Enforcer" for the fictional company Merchantsoft—creator of Hypnospace—and seeks to police illegal content, copyright violations, viruses, and cyberbullying by users on the service. In the process, the player engages in detective work and puzzle-solving.[4] It was released for Windows, macOS, and Linux in March 2019 and for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in August 2020.

Gameplay

Screenshot of the in-game browser.

Hypnospace Outlaw utilizes an interface based on that of a typical graphical interface for a desktop operating system, similar to the likes of Windows 9x, with the player using a fictional in-game "web browser" called Hypnospace Explorer, akin to the massively popular Internet Explorer. The mission is to discover and report objectionable content they have been assigned to investigate by Hypnospace staff. Many aspects of the story can be accessed in a non-linear fashion, and others are completely optional. Investigation of cases requires exploration of web pages and searching, aided by hints given by the content of the pages. HypnoCoin, the game's main currency is earned by reporting and closing assigned cases. This currency is exchanged for various downloadable programs, virtual pets, wallpapers, themes, and content that advance the story. It also features musical pastiches of popular bands of the era, with much of the soundtrack originating from in-game bands such as "Seepage", "Fre3zer", and the "Chowder Man".

Plot

The game takes place in an alternate history version of 1999. Hypnospace is a technology created by the in-universe company Merchantsoft, that allows users to browse the internet while they sleep by using a HypnOS headband. The player is a Hypnospace Enforcer, a moderator of the online community of Hypnospace. The player, as an enforcer, is blocked from directly communicating with other users, and initially only has access to a limited portion of the themed "zones" (much like GeoCities's neighborhoods), though more are accessible later. The user can choose when to take action on some of the game's optional reports, though some are mandatory for the game to progress.

The player must solve a variety of cases, initially given only vague information on what the violation is. Early cases include a copyright violation case over a teacher uploading her students' drawings of an old cartoon, users harassing each other, and reporting pages that were hacked to show disturbing content.

Development

Hypnospace Outlaw was designed by Jay Tholen, creator of the earlier game Dropsy. The new game was funded via a successful Kickstarter campaign,[5] and was a finalist for the Independent Game Festival's 2019 Seumas McNally Grand Prize and "Excellence in Audio".[6] It was released for Windows, macOS, and Linux on March 12, 2019,[7] and for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on August 27, 2020.[8] A free content update was released for the PC versions alongside the console releases.[9]

Reception

The game received "generally positive reviews" according to review aggregator Metacritic.[10][11] It was nominated for the Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game, the Statue of Liberty Award for Best World, and the Herman Melville Award for Best Writing at the New York Game Awards.[23] According to PC Gamer, the game is reminiscent of when the internet was more like a cool underground club than a widespread hell from which there is no escape.[19] Both The Gamer and Eurogamer mention the sense of nostalgia that the game brings.[21][14]

Sequels

A sequel, Dreamsettler, and a spinoff first-person shooter, Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer [sic], were both announced in 2022.[24]

Slayers X was released on June 1, 2023, for Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X and S.[25]

References

  1. 1 2 Dellinger, AJ (February 14, 2019). "'90s internet simulator 'Hypnospace Outlaw' launches on March 12". Engadget. Retrieved August 8, 2020. alternate-reality 1990s internet simulator
  2. 1 2 Wildgoose, David (March 25, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw Review - Weird World Web". GameSpot. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  3. ↑ Douglas, Dante (March 20, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw Revives the Internet of the '90s with the Fears of Today". Paste Magazine. Archived from the original on October 17, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  4. ↑ Kelly, Andy (March 12, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw Review". PC Gamer. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  5. ↑ Tarason, Dominic (April 25, 2018). "Dare to dream of a 1999 internet in Hypnospace Outlaw". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  6. ↑ Tarason, Dominic (January 3, 2019). "Return of The Obra Dinn, Paratopic and Hypnospace Outlaw headline IGF's 2019 finalists". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  7. ↑ Ellwood, Greg (March 7, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw launches on 12th March for PC". Entertainment Focus. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  8. ↑ Shea, Brian (August 18, 2020). "Explore The Early Internet On PS4, Xbox One, And Switch With Hypnospace Outlaw". Game Informer. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  9. ↑ Jones, Laurie (August 19, 2020). "Hypnospace Outlaw comes with Hypnospace Plus Free Update on August 27th". Expansive. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  10. 1 2 "Hypnospace Outlaw for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Hypnospace Outlaw for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  12. ↑ Berens, Nathaniel (May 13, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw review". Adventure Gamers. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  13. ↑ Martin, Lane (April 9, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw Review". Computer Games Magazine. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  14. 1 2 Purchese, Robert (March 25, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw review: resurrecting a forgotten internet, warts and all". Eurogamer. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  15. ↑ Cork, Jeff (April 8, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw - Keeping The Information Superhighway Safe, One Weird Case At A Time". Game Informer. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  16. ↑ Santa Maria, Alex (March 29, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw Review | Eight free hours your first night!". GameRevolution. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  17. ↑ O'Reilly, PJ (August 30, 2020). "Hypnospace Outlaw Review (Switch eShop)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  18. ↑ Rudek, Jordan (August 25, 2020). "Hypnospace Outlaw (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  19. 1 2 Kelly, Andy (March 12, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw review". PC Gamer. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  20. ↑ Jarrard, Chris (March 12, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw review: Site_under_construction.gif". Shacknews. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  21. 1 2 MacDonald, Keza (March 14, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw review: a surreal tribute to the 90s internet". The Guardian. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  22. ↑ Ahern, Colm (March 25, 2019). "Hypnospace Outlaw review". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  23. ↑ Sheehan, Gavin (January 2, 2020). "The New York Game Awards Announces 2020 Nominees". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  24. ↑ Stanton, Rich (April 5, 2022). "The spiritual successor to Hypnospace Outlaw takes you back to the '00s internet". PC Gamer. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  25. ↑ Romano, Sal (May 18, 2023). "Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer launches June 1 for Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC". Gematsu. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
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