Back to browse

HacknetVSThe Signal State

Which is the smarter buy right now? We crunched all the metrics.

Hacknet

Hacknet

Quality
90Popularity
34Value
76
SteamBetter Deal· Steam
Ends in≈32d
-85% $1.49
Buy Now
VS
The Signal State

The Signal State

Quality
69Popularity
23Value
72
SteamBetter Deal· Steam
Historical Low!
Ends in≈10d
-65% $6.99
Buy Now

Winner

Hacknet wins the comparison based on the metrics. Takes 11 of 14 head-to-head metrics.

The stars are aligning for this one. At this moment, the game is delivering well and the price feels right.

11
Hacknet
11 of 14 metrics
The Signal State
3 of 14 metrics
3

Head-to-Head Metrics

Direct metric-by-metric breakdown · no weights applied

Value
Pricing & Deals
Current Best Price (USD)
$1.49 Wins
$6.99 -
Historical Low Price (USD)
$1.49 Wins
$6.99 -
Best Current Discount
-85% Wins
-65% -
Sales Frequency
91 price changes Wins
59 price changes -
Quality
Critical & User Reception
Metacritic
82/100 Wins
N/A -
Steam Review Score
93.9% positive Wins
86.8% positive -
Total Steam Reviews
16.7K Wins
627 -
Positive Steam Reviews
15.7K Wins
544 -
Negative Steam Reviews
1.0K -
83 Wins
Popularity
Community & Activity
Average Concurrent Players (14 days)
29 Wins
4 -
Steam Recommendations
16.6K Wins
626 -
Features
Features & Content
Achievements
11 -
15 Wins
Supported Languages
9 languages
9 languages
Release Date
Aug 2015 -
Sep 2021 Wins
GameValio Recommendation
Worth ItHacknet

The stars are aligning for this one. At this moment, the game is delivering well and the price feels right.

MaybeThe Signal State

Worth keeping an eye on. Currently sitting in a decent spot, but not quite a must-buy just yet.

Statistics Over Time

Synchronized historical data for both games

Time Range:
Hacknet
The Signal State

Player Count Trends

— Concurrent players over time

Review Score Trends

— Positive review ratio over time

Review Volume Trends

— Total reviews accumulated over time

Price Comparison

Current deals and best prices side by side

Hacknet

Hacknet

3 Stores
Steam
Steam -85% $1.49Buy Now
Kinguin
Kinguin +23% $1.83View
Green Man Gaming
Green Man Gaming +570% $9.99View
The Signal State

The Signal State

3 Stores
Steam
Steam -65% $6.99Buy Now
Kinguin
Kinguin +124% $15.69View
Green Man Gaming
Green Man Gaming +186% $19.99View

Score Breakdown

Side-by-side value analysis for each game

Hacknet

Quality

Consistent high ratings show real quality, not just hype.

94% positive (16,707 reviews) — very positive reception
Metacritic 82/100 — high marks from professional reviewers
16,707 reviews — very trustworthy data

Value

Average price — a good time if there's an active discount.

$1.49 — very accessible price
85% off — massive discount
Historical low: $1.22 — room for better deals

Popularity

Low popularity — few active players and little community discussion.

32 concurrent players — niche audience
16,707 total reviews — proven game with large community

The Signal State

Quality

Splits opinions — likely to click if you're already a genre fan.

87% positive (627 reviews) — very positive reception
627 reviews — decent but potentially skewed

Value

Acceptable value right now — fair price for the content.

$6.99 — very accessible price
65% off — solid discount
All-time low price — rare opportunity

Popularity

Lost much of its active player base — community is quiet.

Player count surging +167%
8 concurrent players — niche audience

Game Details

Release information and metadata

Game DetailsHacknetThe Signal State
Release Date
August 12, 2015
September 23, 2021
Developers
Team Fractal Alligator
Reckoner Industries
Publishers
Fellow Traveller
indienova, iterco
Platforms
Linux, Windows, MacOs
Windows, MacOs
Achievements
11
15

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: Hacknet or The Signal State?

Hacknet won the comparison against The Signal State based on the head-to-head metric breakdown. Check the metrics table above for a full side-by-side analysis.

How is the comparison calculated?

The comparison winner is determined objectively by counting which game wins more individual metrics in the head-to-head table — no weighting is applied. The GameValio Recommendation shown separately is our own suggestion for each game, based on a weighted score that combines quality (reviews), popularity (player counts), and affordability (price vs value) into a score out of 100. These are two different things: the comparison is objective, the recommendation is GameValio's opinion.

Is Hacknet worth buying over The Signal State?

Based on the metrics, Hacknet won the direct comparison. However, also check the GameValio Recommendation for each game and the price comparison table to make the most informed purchase decision.

Which game has better player reviews?

Review score trends and volume over time are shown in the charts section above. The game with consistently higher positive ratios has stronger community reception.

Which game offers better value for money?

The affordability score and price comparison table above highlight the best deals. Hacknet currently scores better on value relative to its quality and price.

Analysis updated: Jun 3, 2026, 10:02 PM UTC

GameValio - Buy now or wait? PC game purchase timing advisorGameValio

Know exactly when a PC game is worth buying

Disclaimer

Data sourced from Steam, Metacritic, and various stores. Not affiliated with Valve Corporation. Scores updated daily to keep recommendations fresh.

Some store links are affiliate links - we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Your purchase helps keep GameValio free, and our recommendations stay 100% independent.

Prices change fast. Always double-check the final price on the store before buying.

© 2026 GameValio. All rights reserved.