Choose Hacknet
Choose Hacknet if you want the Adjustable Text Size, Camera Comfort, and Playable without Timed Input side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 94.2% positive across 7,537 reviews.
Hacknet vs Mainlining
Hacknet and Mainlining both land in Indie, Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam. Hacknet (2015) is 2 years older than Mainlining (2017). Hacknet scores higher on Steam reviews (94.2% positive) than Mainlining (76.4% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Mainlining
Choose Mainlining if you want an Adventure experience. Mainlining launched in 2017.
Both Hacknet and Mainlining sit in Indie and Simulation on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Hacknet |  Mainlining | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2017 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation | Indie, Adventure, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 94.2% positive (7,537 reviews) | 76.4% positive (237 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Team Fractal Alligator | Rebelephant |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Hacknet (2015) is 2 years older than Mainlining (2017).
- Hacknet scores higher on Steam reviews (94.2% positive) than Mainlining (76.4% positive).
- Hacknet is currently ~23% cheaper on Steam than Mainlining (9.99 USD vs. 12.99 USD).
- Hacknet is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Mainlining has no Deck rating yet.
Hacknet vs Mainlining — FAQ
- Which is better, Hacknet or Mainlining?
- On Steam reviews Hacknet scores higher (94.2% positive) than Mainlining (76.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Hacknet is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Hacknet or Mainlining first?
- If you want chronology, Hacknet (2015) came out before Mainlining (2017). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Hacknet and Mainlining similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.