Hardwar is a space simulation game set on Saturn's moon Titan. The player begins in a defunct, abandoned mining colony as the pilot of a small aircraft called a MOTH. They have the option at the beginning of being either a trader, a scavenger, or a pirate. This choice will only influence the type of equipment their first vehicle is fitted with and not determine what actual course of action the player takes. The city in which the player is located is called Misplaced Optimism.
It cycles through night and day in 30 minute periods and has a dynamic, functioning economy. The player can participate in the transactions made by the cities busy by buying and selling, scavenging, and taking goods by piracy. Additionally, the player can assist various factions including the police, Klamp-G and Lazarus. Bounties will be paid to the player for killing individuals who are "wanted" by these organizations.
The player can interact with the city's non-linear environment indefinitely, or choose to complete a series of missions to win the game. These missions involve carrying out tasks for a deranged weapons dealer known as Psycho Bob. Various cut sequences assist in telling the story of as the player progresses through these missions. The progression will change the way the city's factions and
businesses interact, and the player will have to deal with the additional challenge of operating in an increasingly hostile environment.
The multiplayer aspect of the game has a great deal of potential, however, with the relative unpopularity of the game, it is difficult to locate opponents. Since the original manufacturers of the game have stopped sponsoring it, a small community of independent programmers has taken releasing modifications and patches with new improvements. If you choose to download the game, I would strongly recommend investigating these various sources as they make a very substantial contribution to the game. If you are an individual who enjoys classic, non-linear games, this is a great game for you to try. Additionally, if you like to mod games or enjoy games with easily alterable dimensions, this game will also be enjoyable for this reason.
