Datascape

Datascape (2022)

Aava Fertsman · October 10, 2022 · Cyberpunk, Exploration, Hacking, Interactive Fiction, Capitalism

Datascape is free to play — no purchase needed. We track it so you know if that ever changes.

PC
Positive92% · 12
This game is free to play. Get it on Steam →

Screenshots

Datascape price

Datascape is free to play — there is no purchase price, on Steam or anywhere else we track. We keep watching it, so if it ever stops being free the price history on this page will show when that happened and what it changed to.

About Datascape

Enter the Datascape through two game modes: RUN or EXPLORE.

In the RUN, play as Cord, a hacker for hire. With your flatline construct AI Zen, assist the runners outside in stealing from the SimulaCom Corporation.
During the downtime explore a section of the Datascape, entering programs that can be similar to personal websites or could house an AI that controls corporate androids. The RUN will put you under pressure. The runners' lives are on the line and situations may get tense!

If you just want a chill exploratory experience, this game is still for you.
In EXPLORE mode, you are free to take your time exploring programs and hacking ICE. Relax and take in the views, find all the pieces of the message or discover what lies inside the Black ICE.

ICE surrounds some programs on the Grid. Use your hacking interface to execute functions to tunnel through. ICEpicks can be strategically placed as the ICE’s defender attempts to destroy them. Use ability functions to manipulate the ICE’s variables and protect the picks. Additional functions can be found within various programs.
  • An hour long RUN // Take the place of the hacker Cord and assist a group to steal a virus from the SimulaCom Corporation.
  • A relaxing EXPLORE Mode // Once the RUN is over or if that’s not your thing. Find the secrets of this section of the Datascape in EXPLORE mode. Discover all of the messages or witness what lies inside the Black ICE.
  • Cyberpunk Aesthetic // Experience a deceptively simple neon aesthetic inspired by the early Cyberpunk works.
  • Over fifteen programs to witness within the Datascape.
  • Cheat Codes // Find cheat codes that can act as checkpoints, disable mission failure or unlock functions already found for the next time you enter the Grid.
  • Input // Played best with keyboard and a controller on stand-by.
  • Hacking // Two distinct hacking interfaces one designed for keyboard (TERMINAL) another designed for controller (CURSOR).
  • Accessible // Rebind your keys and use “cheat codes” to customize your experience. (Initial cheat codes available in text file in your installation folder)

A recycled game inextricably made up of our past and, of course, lost futures.

Created By Philip Fertsman
Audio By Nicholas Gard / Wispr_music

Datascape — game info

Platforms
Windows, Linux / SteamOS
Steam Deck
Playable
Player modes
Single-player
Controller
Partial controller support
PC Game Pass
Not included
More games like this:Linux games

DLC & expansions

What Steam players say

Recent verbatim reviews from Steam — separate from playze.io community reviews below.

Recommended Nov 19, 2022
ENG: It is a very unique game, but it requires patience and attention, so I recommend to play it calmly and read everything, it is worth it. Has several phases, basically we hack to get into some cubes and see the programs that are inside, so there is the hacker mini-game and then various puzzle-things you find inside, apart from unlocking parts of a message and better functions to be able to hack more difficult cubes. It's a pretty complete experience, even with voice acting for a pretty cheap price, oh it requires Joystick btw. If anyone has any questions you can ask me in the comments :) - ESP: Es un juego único, pero que requiere paciencia, así que recomiendo jugarlo con calma y leer todo, vale la pena. Básicamente hackeamos para entrar en unos cubos y ver los programas que tienen adentro, por lo que esta el minijuego de hackear y después unas especies de puzzles que te encontras dentro, aparte de vas desbloqueando partes de un mensaje y mejores funciones para poder ir hackeando cubos mas difíciles. Es una experiencia bastante completa, incluso con actuación de voz por un precio bastante barato, ah y requiere Joystick. Si alguien tiene alguna duda me puede preguntar en los come…
4 found this helpful
Recommended Dec 25, 2023
i like chicken nuggets
3 found this helpful
Recommended May 24, 2024
If you have ever read "Neuromancer" by William Gibson or other similar sci-fi / hacking novels, this game is what I imagine the most accurate representation of cyberspace to be. While the 'hacking' might be a bit repetitive after a bit, the difficulty scaling is good enough to provide a sizeable challenge. I have to admit, the game is a bit disorienting; the tutorial only teaches you how to hack, and when entering the 'run' I was lost. At some point I had voices talking to me and I wasn't really paying too much attention to them as I really didn't know that they meant by 'here' at times. It takes a bit of getting to know the game to really get into it, but it is fun. Give it a go, it has tons of things to discover, and most of all, it is free :)
1 found this helpful
Recommended May 20, 2024
󠀡󠀡
1 found this helpful
Recommended Mar 13, 2024
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1 found this helpful
Not recommended Mar 19, 2026
"Datascape" is one of those hacker sim games, but this one gleefully discards any attempt at realism to go with a "Tron fan-fiction" meets "Cyberpunk fan-fiction" theme that's really off putting and unengaging. And that fits really well with the very weak gameplay, which is really off putting and unengaging. What do you do in the game? Trivial minigame stuff with various imaginary "hacker" tools at cringe level, and clicking through badly written cyberpunk fan-fiction writing. The graphics here are particularly awful, really ugly minimalist 2D nonsense, so bad that it actually stands out as one of the worst looking games on Steam. Quite an accomplishment. It's a big contributor to the failure of the game to attract gamers despite having no up-front cost. Gaming is a primarily visual medium, and if developers want to succeed, they must understand that it's not an area for compromise. On the important matter of pricing and value for gamers, there's a lot going on here with monetisation, so this really shouldn't be considered a truly free product because of that. There's no initial download price, but the developer was charging $5 USD for this. Price barriers, especially on …

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