Hypnospace Outlaw
itch.io link

Hypnospace Outlaw is an Old Internet sim where you explore Geocities-like pages people make through their dreams.

In this game, you're not just any Internet user. Oh no, you don't get to enjoy that freedom. You're a volunteer moderator. A cop. The game constantly makes you choose between preserving the spirit of Hypnospace and doing your job, which mostly consists of pandering to corporations. It can be tricky, as moderation always is: the space needs sponsors to exist, but some of their demands are outright outlandish (like removing a kid's fan-art of a cartoon character due to copyright).

Hypnospace's style is something out of this world. Its art and music create the perfect Y2K vibe. Bonus points to the designers, who managed to combine the clunky feel of the "ugly" internet with pleasant UX and allowed massive in-game customization.

You don't get to decide much, but each choice feels like it matters. Most of them really do. I won't spoil the twists, but if you do everything just right, you get to save lives. You really get attached to the characters behind the web pages, and helping them feels truly satisfying. The web is alive. It breathes, reacts to changes and — yes — eventually dies. At the end, you're left with a bittersweet feeling, no matter the ending.

The game's virtual space is truly vast. Just like with real web rings, you can get lost for hours clicking on links, forgetting what you originally came for. It's a game of exploration, and you might not even notice some plotlines on your first playthrough. This is Hypnospace's blessing and its curse. The main issue I found with the game was exactly that: how big it was. I had to turn to Wiki a couple of times, because I couldn't find the right page. It gets frustrating. Especially in quests that don't give you any clues what tags or themes to look for.

This game is not perfect, but it's as close to perfection as possible. It's a vibrant, touching, hilarious love letter to the old internet. It's what inspired me to create this website and delve deeper into the genre.

Sleep, now. The Internet was just a dream.