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
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 an intranet 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.
The game received "generally positive reviews" according to review aggregatorMetacritic.[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.[12] Both The Gamer and Eurogamer mention the sense of nostalgia that the game brings.[16][13]
