Hack ‘N’ Slash Trailer: Redefining the Uses of a USB Port

This trailer for Double Fine Productions' Zelda-inspired game about debugging and hacking is unlike anything we have ever seen before.

Never before have we seen a game that allows you to debug, hack and use PC cheat codes as openly as Hack 'n' Slash does. At first glance, this title seems like a solid Zelda-esque adventure title -- its top down perspective, sword combat, magical environments and elven main character are reminiscent of A Link to the Past.

Your character has a sword that has a USB plug that you can actually plug into various items and locations with a corresponding USB port to interact with enemies, obstacles, levels, game objects and even bosses. The way that you can interact with these things is quite innovative -- you can fully hack them in ways that should be familiar to PC gamers. For example, you can adjust enemy movement speeds, alter your character's health points or even set a boss' hit points to zero (instantly killing it). These hacking mechanics actually make Hack 'n' Slash act as a puzzle game, in which you must constantly alter and debug the game itself in order to proceed throughout the world.

Hack 'n' Slash is slated for a Summer 2014 release for the price of $14.99. Given that its title is actually a double entendre referring to both the hack-and-slash genre and its computer-hacking adventure gameplay, it is only fitting that Hack 'n' Slash is a PC exclusive.