Review - Hypnospace Outlaw

A game about the past that says a lot about today

The page of Zane, one of the game's best characters

Hypnospace Outlaw is a surreal trek through a fictionalized Y2K era internet, and is unlike anything I have ever played before. In this alternate reality, the titular Hypnospace internet service is accessed through a headband that you wear while sleeping. You take on the role of an unnamed enforcer, a sort of content cop who is tasked with moderating the web for its parent company, Merchantsoft. This could include anything from copyright infringements, online harassment, illegal material, to even viruses and malicious software.

What drew me in right out of the gate is how utterly faithful their recreation of this period of the internet is. Every pixel of the GeoCities inspired aesthetic looks correct, down to the fonts, cheesy clip art, and the inexperienced design of everyone's unique pages. The Hypnospace is divided into various zones that each have their own themes and styles: Teentopia, a hang out spot for teenagers, Coolpunk Paradise, an edgier forum for the punks who worship one of the fictional music genres, and so many more that I don't want to spoil.

SquisherZ, a Pokemon knock off that the teens love

Not only did they nail the visual style, but they built a captivatingly authentic online community. There is a deep sense of interconnectedness woven into the fabric of the Hypnospace, as you come to learn who these people are and then see them comment on each other's pages and get involved in drama. There are fictionalized bands, products, and cultural tropes that you find all over the place, and seeing names you recognize engaging with it makes it feel so real. That's not even mentioning the small details like the bands actually having fully recorded music.

One of my favorites is a Pokemon knock off called "SquisherZ" which you can find people talking about all over the place. "ZANE_ROCKS_14", a frequently recurring user, has a fan page devoted to them that you can browse, but there are also some religious groups that find them "marks of the devil". Investigating this further leads you to uncovering an underground occult network that can only be accessed by password, which you can actually piece together to get into if you go looking for it. All of this is completely optional, but the further you dig in the more there is to find.

A site dedicated to the horrifying Y2K

At its core, it really is a detective game. Cases come across your desk in the form of emails that start off pretty simple, with tasks like stopping a copy-written character from being used on specific pages, but it serves mostly to familiarize you with getting around. The zones have homepages to start on, but you can also search keywords and click web tags to find hidden sites, as well as hyperlinks to take you around.

You quickly learn how many secrets there are, which get progressively more involved the further you go. The story is mostly centered around the two barons of Merchantsoft, Dylan and Adrian Merchant, who are preparing their product for the impending Y2K panic. I don't want to get into spoilers because the story goes to places that genuinely surprised me, and the puzzles increase in intensity as well. I actually got stuck at a few points that I needed to find some help with, but I learned there is an in-game hint system you can access by searching "tips", which was completely unbeknownst to me.

The Hypnospace PD training video

HypnOS is the Windows 95 styled operating system that you access the web through, and it is just as much a character as those you interact with. You are given complete control of the desktop, its customization, and the applications downloaded on it. What I didn't mention yet is that when browsing the Hypnospace, you can download wallpapers, music, programs, and all the fixings you can think of. This even includes different desktop pets and a BonziBuddy alternative called "Professor Helper".

There are music players that can play mp3s, text files you can open, and little games you can play. You even need to keep an eye out for viruses and malicious software that can cause problems on your machine, requiring you to go on the hunt for an antivirus program while fending off glitches and popups. This gets put to excellent use for clever puzzle solutions and just provides plenty of fun interaction to discover.

Professor Helper popping up to annoy the user on their desktop

I may not have been around for the time period they meticulously recreated, but what struck me is how topical it still is. Many people reminisce about the time when the internet was small, like an exclusive club where everyone knew each other by name and formed tight knit communities. But so many of the things you have to moderate involve harassment through direct messaging, hate pages, underground piracy, and things that, despite the time gap, are honestly just as prevalent now.

This extends to the overarching plot as well, dealing with themes of censorship and executives who value their own ambitions over the welfare of their customers. The old adage rings true: the more things change, the more they stay the same. I wasn't a hundred percent satisfied with the ending itself, as it felt a bit abrupt, but apparently certain choices can alter the outcome somewhat. Regardless, the way things unfold is fantastic and the journey was a memorable one.

A look at some of the many apps and toys you can get on your desktop

I knew nothing about this game going in, and it was a remarkably enjoyable experience. There is so much to find and see, that despite completing it, there is plenty more for me to go back and dig into. The overarching plot is fun, and there are so many small stories and threads to follow the deeper you search. You are also given a remarkable amount of freedom to accomplish your tasks, and if you talked about it with others, I bet you would each have approached them in different ways. The world they crafted here is sublime, one lush with details, especially when you consider the perspective in which you engage with it through. It is weird, strange, and totally new feeling, which is why I highly recommend giving it a shot. Especially with it being featured on Game Pass, you have no excuse not to.