If you are searching for the definitive 868-BACK vs 868-HACK differences, the answer lies in meta-progression, mechanical scale, and narrative ambition. While Michael Brough’s 2013 original was a tightly constrained, single-session arcade survival game that pioneered the "broughlike" genre, the newly released May 2026 sequel expands that claustrophobic 6x6 grid into a sprawling anti-capitalist campaign. Published by Finji, the new title introduces a 19-day campaign mode, permanent "Device" artifacts, one-time "Scrip" consumables, and a macro-map that fundamentally alters how you approach the digital dungeon.
For veterans of the original, stepping into the sequel feels familiar for exactly three seconds. You are still a hacker navigating a grungy, mixed-up pixel server. You still siphon data, which instantly summons hostile tasks to hunt you down. You still move and attack on a tight grid where every single step is a life-or-death puzzle. But the moment you survive your first sector, the true scope of the sequel reveals itself.
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the mechanics, meta-progression, and visual changes that define the modern hacker's toolkit.
Core Gameplay: 868-BACK vs 868-HACK Differences
The fundamental mechanical loop of both games revolves around risk management. In 868-HACK, the goal was simple: dive as deep as possible, siphon as much data as you could survive, and chase a high score before the inevitable game over. It was a pure arcade experience.
The most immediate 868-BACK vs 868-HACK differences emerge in how the sequel structures its encounters. You are no longer playing an endless high-score chaser; you are playing a structured campaign designed to dismantle MegaCorps one server at a time.
The Shift to a Campaign Structure
Instead of a single vertical descent, 868-BACK introduces a macro-map. Players claim cells on this larger map through "mini-runs." Each of these runs consists of 19 in-game days, leading to distinct endings based on the paths chosen. This room to fail and keep going fundamentally changes the pacing. If you make a fatal error on day 14 of a run, you lose the progress of that specific mini-run, but the overarching campaign and the territory you’ve claimed on the macro-map remain intact.
The 6x6 Grid Remains, but the Rules Have Changed
The claustrophobic 6x6 grid returns, ensuring the tactical "broughlike" DNA is untouched. However, the density of interactions has grown exponentially. Siphoning data still acts as the primary risk/reward trigger—granting you currency while spawning enemies—but the types of threats have evolved. You now face AI-enhanced progs and hostile tasks that require complex, multi-step solutions rather than simple avoidance.
Arsenal and Mechanics: 868-BACK vs 868-HACK Differences
To combat the escalated threat level of the MegaCorps, the player's toolkit has been entirely overhauled. The original game relied on a relatively straightforward system of siphoning nodes to gain single-use powers. The sequel introduces a modular, combo-driven arsenal divided into three distinct categories: Progs, Devices, and Scrips.
Modular Progs and Chained Combos
Programs, or "Progs," are your active abilities. Returning favorites like the "Virus" motion are present, but the execution is radically different. Progs now have modular effects that can be chained in sequence.
Instead of simply firing off a laser or healing, you can craft specific builds by combining quirky modifiers. For example, chaining a /glitch protocol (allowing you to phase through walls) with an /echo command (duplicating the effect of the next prog played) creates highly specific, game-breaking combos. This shifts the combat from reactive survival to proactive puzzle-solving.
Devices: Permanent Rule-Breakers
One of the most requested features in the "broughlike" community was persistent build-crafting, and 868-BACK delivers this through "Devices." Functioning similarly to artifacts in games like Slay the Spire, Devices are high-tech modifiers that provide passive benefits throughout your run.
Whether it’s a Device that grants a shield every time you siphon data, or one that alters enemy pathing algorithms, these items rewrite the fundamental rules of the grid. Because you carry these across the 19-day runs, finding synergistic Devices is the key to surviving the late-game MegaCorp servers.
Scrips: The Emergency Consumables
To balance the power of permanent Devices, the game introduces "Scrips." These are one-time-use copies of program abilities. In the 2013 original, resource management often led to hoarding powers until it was too late. Scrips alleviate this by acting as disposable emergency buttons. If you are cornered by an AI-enhanced prog, burning a Scrip to teleport across the 6x6 grid doesn't ruin your long-term Prog combo; it simply costs you a consumable resource.
Thematic and Narrative 868-BACK vs 868-HACK Differences
Perhaps the most surprising evolution is the game's overt narrative. 868-HACK was a mechanically brilliant but narratively abstract game. You were a smiley face moving through a digital void.
With Finji on board as publisher, 868-BACK leans heavily into a cyberpunk narrative. You are a retired hacker pulled back into the scene because the "Mainframe is lost." The enemies are no longer abstract shapes; they are the defense mechanisms of the richest corporations on Earth.
The game explicitly frames your actions as "dismantling capitalism one server at a time." Data is not just a high score; it is literal currency—moola stolen directly from the MegaCorps to fund your illicit software tools. This narrative wrapper gives the grueling difficulty a sense of purpose. When you are disconnected by a massive corporate firewall, it feels less like a mechanical failure and more like a thematic defeat by an oppressive system.
Visual Evolution: 868-BACK vs 868-HACK Differences
Visually, Michael Brough has retained the signature "grungy, messy, mixed-up-pixels aesthetic" that defines his work. However, the 13-year gap between the titles brings a massive leap in legibility and flair.
The stark black backgrounds are now pierced by radioactive magenta and neon cyan code streams that react dynamically to your chained combos. When you execute a massive /echo combo, the screen glitches and tears in a highly stylized, intentional way. The UI has been completely rebuilt to accommodate the new Devices and Scrips, ensuring that despite the gargantuan increase in mechanical complexity, the 6x6 grid remains readable at a glance.
FAQ: 868-BACK vs 868-HACK Differences
Do I need to play 868-HACK before playing 868-BACK? No. While the sequel contains a massive amount of the original's DNA, it is designed to be fully approachable for newcomers. The demo and early campaign days serve as a robust tutorial for the game's unique mechanics. However, veterans will appreciate the returning "Virus" mechanics and the evolution of the grid.
What exactly is a "broughlike"? A "broughlike" is a subgenre of roguelikes named after developer Michael Brough. These games are characterized by incredibly small playing fields (often a 6x6 grid), high-pressure tactical combat where movement and attacking are usually tied to the same action, and a punishing risk/reward system where gaining resources actively spawns enemies.
Is 868-BACK available on mobile devices? As of its May 28, 2026 launch, the game is available on PC (Steam, GOG, and itch.io). While the original 2013 game was a cult-classic mobile release, phone versions for the sequel are currently pending.
What are Devices and Scrips in 868-BACK? Devices are passive, permanent artifacts that alter the rules of your run (similar to relics in other roguelites). Scrips are one-time-use consumable copies of abilities that let you escape dangerous situations without burning your permanent Progs.
Sources
- Steam Store Page: 868-BACK (Finji, 2026)
- Thinky Games: Play a new demo for Michael Brough's latest cyber-hacking roguelike
- Games Press: FINJI's 868-BACK is now available
- r/roguelikes: Michael Brough's 868-BACK has released on Steam!