What HackHub is
HackHub puts you in the role of a hacker working through networks, databases and high-profile cyber missions. The store text describes it as a realistic simulation built around real-world tools and techniques, with names like nslookup, nmap and hydra showing up in actual play. Missions cover a spread of tasks, from network reconnaissance to database infiltration, and each one has its own objectives and constraints. Alongside the missions there is a storyline that reacts to what you do, and your choices carry consequences. The game is tagged with programming, hacking, typing, puzzle and interactive fiction, so expect a lot of reading, command work and problem solving rather than action. It also carries multiple endings, so runs can end up in different places depending on how you play.
Playing with friends
The Steam feature list for HackHub includes Online PvP, which gives the game a competitive side beyond the mission structure. Beyond that, the store text does not describe co-op modes, lobbies or team missions, so the main experience it lays out is you against the systems and the story. If your group wants to compare approaches, the natural route is to run the same missions and see who gets through cleanly, then take it to the PvP side. The interface is described as sleek and intuitive for both newcomers and experienced players, which helps when you are watching someone else play or trading notes on a tricky target.
Before you start
HackHub is in Early Access, so content and systems can still change. The tooling leans on real command-line style utilities, so some comfort with terminals and typing will make the first missions smoother, though the interface is aimed at novices too. Difficulty ramps up as you go: later tasks demand more strategic thinking and better use of your toolkit, and security measures get harder to slip past. Progression lets you customize your tools and techniques and unlock new capabilities as rewards, so early runs are partly about building up what you have to work with. The game is tagged as singleplayer and carries crime, detective and grand strategy themes, so the subject matter deals with surveillance, intrusion and illegal activity in a fictional setting.