Hack Your Way To Love
Hack your way into Micah’s heart in Error 143, a dating sim from indie dev Jenny Pham. In this charming title, you play as a young hacker who decides to hack the first-place winner after coming in second place in a hacking competition. This decision leads to a budding relationship between you and the mysterious hacker Micah.
Error 143 is a cute little dating sim and interactive narrative in which you begin to woo a handsome hacker by the name of Micah. So many mobile dating sims have a paranormal aspect, so it’s nice to come across one that’s more realistic for a change. Upon starting the game, the player can choose a name for their character. Soon after, you’ll have a chance to select your pronouns which was a thoughtful touch.
Gameplay primarily consists of getting to know Micah through private messaging though you’ll also speak with him over video chat. Every so often throughout the conversation, you’ll have dialogue options to choose from. Most of the game’s story takes place within these chats, so I wish there were a few more dialogue choices sprinkled throughout. Still, Error 143 is an engaging dating sim.
What makes the game so engaging is the fact that both Micah and the protagonist are weird. And I mean that in the best way possible. Micah’s overconfidence and quirky humor meld perfectly with the player character’s strange observations to create a genuinely entertaining experience. The way the two characters call out each other’s weird comments will have you chuckling to yourself as you play.
Beautifully drawn in 2d, Micah is adorable and has a white streak in his hair to match his cat. Handsome and charming with an ego to match, Micah’s overconfidence and quirky sense of humor make him a joy to engage with.
Can You Hack It?
Since both the player character and their love interest are hackers, it’s no surprise that Error 143 has a hacking mini-game. These mini-games show up at specific times in the narrative and you’ll have a limited number of chances to complete the hack. The Hacking mini-game is simple. Much like the classic game hangman, you’ll see segmented lines, with each segment representing one letter. When you guess a letter that is in the puzzle, all instances of the letter are shown.
However, you use up one of your chances each time you guess an incorrect letter. If you fail a hacking mini-game, there is no real consequence except maybe a comment from Micah. While I understand the devs didn’t want the mini-game to be overly challenging, the fact that losing these games has no impact on the story is kind of a bummer. Without having an effect on the game, the hacking mini-games feel pointless. Additionally, if you lose a mini-game, there is no way to retry it; the game just continues on.
Error 143 is a charming dating sim with a quirky, entertaining love interest. While the lack of consequence for losing a mini-game and the inability to replay them brings the game down a notch, it still manages to be an impressive dating sim. With humorous dialogue and an adorable love interest, Error 143 is definitely worth a download.
