A cyberpunk total conversion for the DOOM engine — hack through a dystopian future with new weapons, enemies, and neon-lit corridors. Now a standalone freeware IWAD.
About
Released in September 1997 by Banjo Software, who paid id Software $5,000 for the rights to market it as a commercial add-on for DOOM II. Development lasted two and a half years but was rushed to try to beat Quake's release — and still missed that deadline. The game was commercially unsuccessful because by the time it shipped, Quake had made the DOOM engine look outdated.
HacX features completely new weapons, cybernetic enemies, and dystopian levels filled with corporate security and neon corridors. Banjo Software shut down in 1999. The game was re-released as freeware in 2000 by former member Rich Johnston (Dr. Nostromo). The standalone v1.2 IWAD runs on the PrBoom+ engine compiled to WebAssembly.
Controls
- W / ↑ — Move forward
- S / ↓ — Move backward
- A — Strafe left
- D — Strafe right
- Mouse — Aim / turn
- Left Click — Fire weapon
- E — Use / open doors
- Space — Jump (PrBoom+)
- 1–7 — Select weapon
- Tab — Toggle automap
- Shift — Run (hold)
- Esc — Menu
Gameplay Tips
- New weapons, new behavior — Weapons look and behave differently from classic DOOM. Learn their quirks.
- Tougher enemies — Cyborg enemies are generally tougher than classic DOOM monsters. Manage your health.
- Dense environments — Visually complex levels with lots of detail. Explore thoroughly for secrets.
- Standalone IWAD — The v1.2 release runs standalone — no DOOM II required.
Did You Know?
- Banjo Software paid id Software $5,000 for the commercial DOOM II add-on rights — but the game was commercially unsuccessful because Quake had already made the DOOM engine look outdated.
- Re-released as freeware in 2000 by former Banjo Software member Rich Johnston. In 2009, Doom modder Xaser started an official fan project (HacX 2.0) to "finish" the rushed original game.
See Also
DOOM (Arcade) · DOOM: Knee-Deep in the Dead · Freedoom: Phase 1 · Freedoom: Phase 2 · FreeDM · Chex Quest · REKKR