New release: Nameless: The Hackers

Steve Ip of BoxCat Games writes in to tell me about Nameless: The Hackers, a cyberpunk jRPG where the fights are all simulated hacking battles.

The story follows a group of hackers who try to find a missing researcher who has decided to take action against a major secret government organization.  As the hackers uncover the traces of the researcher, they begin to unravel a conspiracy of epic proportions involving multiple agencies and shadowy corporations.

It’s funny: though he uses the term “cyberpunk” to describe this title, absolutely everything about the premise is contemporary. Even without having played it, I have to imagine that this is largely a commentary on Anonymous, PRISM, and security contractors like HBGary. (Hell, the “researcher” they’re looking for could easily be modeled on Edward Snowden!)

I offer that as a compliment; it’s rare to see an RPG grappling with social issues this close to the fore. Unfortunately, the story is billed as “light and humurous,” so I don’t know that it’s going to be giving these issues the examination that they deserve.

Ip writes that Nameless is 12 hours long and employs visual novel mechanics reminiscent of Phoenix Wright and Tales of Symphonia; you can see some of that in the game’s trailer:

Nameless: The Hackers is exclusive to iOS. You can nab it for $3.99 over on the Apple App Store.  Additionally, they’ve made the soundtrack available for free right here.