Hard Reset
A cyberpunk shooter inspired by classic 1990s first-person shooters.
Hard Reset is a first-person shooter from 2011, created by Flying Wild Hog and launched on Windows. Its story takes place in a cyberpunk dystopia, with its world and atmosphere shaped by the work of William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, and Philip K. Dick. The gameplay draws from older titles like Quake and Unreal, making it more direct and less complex than many other shooters of its era.
The game has only two weapons: the CLN Modular Assault Rifle and the EEF-21 Plasma Rifle. Each can unlock different firing modes—the rifle can be fitted with add-ons like grenade or rocket launchers, while the plasma rifle can gain railgun or stasis modules. Levels include secret areas with hidden health and ammo pickups, and are filled with explosive barrels and vending machines that have electroshock anti-vandalism defenses, all of which can be shot to cause splash damage. Players can lure enemies near these hazards. A notable absence is any multiplayer mode, which drew criticism.
A free expansion, Hard Reset: Exile, arrived in March 2012 as part of the boxed Hard Reset: Extended Edition. It became free for all Steam owners of the base game in July 2012. Exile adds new weapons, levels, enemy types, and a boss, continuing the story of James Fletcher as he moves into outer territory controlled by robots and searches for a self-aware secret weapon blocking the path to Resistance bases.
In June 2016, a remastered version called Hard Reset Redux was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, featuring upgraded graphics, new weapons, and new enemies. It later came to Amazon Luna in October 2020. Both the original and Redux received mixed or average reviews on Metacritic. Critics praised the visual quality and intense, old-school gameplay, comparing it to Serious Sam or Painkiller, but pointed out the short length, limited level design, and high difficulty as drawbacks.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Hard Reset
- Developer
- Flying Wild Hog
- Publisher
- Flying Wild Hog · Gambitious Digital Entertainment (Redux)
- Director
- Michal Szustak
- Designer
- Michal Szustak · Klaudiusz Zych
- Artist
- Pawel Libiszewski · Zbigniew Siatecki · Lukasz Zdunowski
- Composer
- Wojciech Blazejczyk
- Engine
- Road Hog Engine
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows · PlayStation 4 · Xbox One · Amazon Luna
- Released
- WindowsWW · 13 September 2011Redux / Windows, PS4, Xbox OneWW · 3 June 2016 · PAL · 8 June 2016 / (PS4) / Amazon LunaUS · 20 October 2020
- Genre
- First-person shooter
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hard Reset is set in a dystopian cyberpunk world, with its story, setting, and atmosphere drawing from the works of William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, and Philip K. Dick. The gameplay is modeled on video games such as Quake and Unreal, emphasizing straightforward action over modern conventions. The stages feature secret areas with hidden health and ammunition pickups, and environments include explosive barrels and vending machines with electroshock anti-vandalism defenses that can trigger splash damage when shot. The game lacks a multiplayer mode, which was a chief criticism.
Unlike most old-school first-person shooters with a wide variety of weapons, Hard Reset features only two weapons: the CLN Modular Assault Rifle and the EEF-21 Plasma Rifle. Both have unlockable firing modes; the assault rifle can be fitted with add-ons such as grenade and rocket launchers, while the plasma rifle allows railguns and stasis modules.
In 2012, a free expansion titled Hard Reset: Exile was released as part of the Hard Reset: Extended Edition. It added new weapons, levels, enemy types, and a boss, continuing the story of protagonist James Fletcher as he ventures into robot-controlled territory. A remastered version, Hard Reset Redux, was released in June 2016 for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, featuring upgraded graphics and new weapons and enemies. Redux was made available for Amazon Luna in October 2020.
Reader's Guide
Hard Reset received mixed or average reviews from critics, according to Metacritic. Reviewers praised the visual quality and intensity of the gameplay, drawing comparisons to other old-school shooters such as Serious Sam and Painkiller. Common points of contention included the game's relatively short length, limited level design, and perceived difficulty. The game's lack of a multiplayer mode was also a notable criticism. Despite these issues, Hard Reset is recognized for its deliberate return to the straightforward, fast-paced style of 1990s first-person shooters, distinguishing itself from the more complex shooters of its era. The 2016 remaster, Hard Reset Redux, brought the game to console platforms with graphical upgrades and additional content, extending its reach. The free expansion Exile added further narrative and gameplay content, though the overall reception remained mixed. The game's legacy lies in its niche appeal as a cyberpunk-themed homage to classic shooters, with a focused two-weapon system and environmental interactivity that set it apart from both its inspirations and contemporaries.
Did You Know?
- Hard Reset was developed by Flying Wild Hog and released for Windows in September 2011.
- A free expansion titled Hard Reset: Exile was released in 2012, adding new weapons, levels, and a boss.
More in First-Person Shooters of the 2010s, Part 1 1-24
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