Hacknet, we said ahead of its release a few years ago, is a game with "real hacking," a phrase surrounded by quotes because of course it does not actually contain any real hacking going on. But it's a reasonable facsimile in the context of a videogame, complete with a text-based terminal interface, a UNIX-based command set, and lots of reading. It's also quite good—and, until 10 am PT/1 pm ET on May 26, it's free on the Humble Store (opens in new tab).
Hacknet is also a maybe-murder mystery that begins with the death of a famed hacker, whose failsafe system sends instructions for unraveling the truth behind his passing to one single person on the internet. That, obviously, is you. And ready or not that means you're headed face-first into a tale of "personal privacy, the prevalence of corporate greed, and the hidden powers of hackers on the internet."
It's actually Hacknet Deluxe that's up for grabs, which includes the base game and the soundtrack, but not the Labyrinths expansion (opens in new tab), although it's currently on sale for a fiver. The Humble Store Spring Sale (opens in new tab) is also still ongoing, with deals and virtual stamps to collect for "encore rewards." It runs until May 28.
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