Mainlining

Buy77%

Mostly Positive · 368 player reviews · Low confidence

Worth it for the right player.

Rebelephant · Hacking · Jan 26, 2017

Player review score
77%
Mostly Positive
Price
$12.99
Playing right now
All-time peak
Not charted

Steam only charts its most-played games, and this one isn’t among them.

Achievements
0
total to unlock
Steam does not publish achievement rarity.
Languages
1
Full audio1 of 1
Subtitles1 of 1

Should I buy Mainlining?

Buy it if you like
  • Story: 108 reviews raised it, mostly praise
  • Gameplay: 49 reviews raised it, mostly praise
  • Graphics: 23 reviews raised it, mostly praise
Think twice if you dislike
  • Bugs: 26 reviews raised it, mostly criticism
  • Crashes: 9 reviews raised it, mostly criticism

Based on 368 player reviews · updated

What players think

The recurring themes across 296 analysed reviews: what players praise, what divides them, and what to know.

Why players love itThings to know
56% of themes are praise22% are divided22% are complaints
Story
Players who bring up Story mostly praise it.
108 of 296 sampled reviews raised it
The story feels particularly effective because its themes mirror real-world debates surrounding government monitoring and digital privacy, giving the experience a level of relevance that extends beyond simple science fiction.
Gameplay
Players who bring up Gameplay mostly praise it.
49 of 296 sampled reviews raised it
Instead of relying on action sequences or cinematic set pieces, Mainlining builds suspense entirely through deduction, atmosphere, and the unsettling realization that every citizen’s private life is only a few clicks away from exposure.
Graphics
Players who bring up Graphics mostly praise it.
23 of 296 sampled reviews raised it
The retro-inspired pixel art and low-tech interface also contribute heavily to the atmosphere, giving the game a gritty and believable cyberpunk identity without relying on flashy visuals.
Interface
Players who bring up Interface mostly praise it.
16 of 296 sampled reviews raised it
I loved the idea of an interface-em'-up, and I'm going to keep plinking away at it later, but I just don't seem to like this game so far.
Audio
Players who bring up Audio mostly praise it.
10 of 296 sampled reviews raised it
Graphically the game uses cool pixel art and the soundtrack complements the game perfectly without ever getting in the way.

Theme by theme

Scored on what reviews say about each topic, not the thumbs.

Players love
Story108 reviews
Gameplay49 reviews
Graphics23 reviews
Interface16 reviews
Audio10 reviews
Divided opinion
Difficulty
100% still recommend
Linux compatibility
67% still recommend
Players complain
Bugs
62% still recommend
Crashes
56% still recommend

What you get

Can you play it alone, does a controller work, does it run on your machine.

Play modes

  • Single-player

Controller

Steam lists no controller support.

Store features

  • Family Sharing
  • Steam Trading Cards

Platforms

  • Windows

Should I buy it now?

Based on Steam price history.

Prices have been lower
$12.99

The lowest we've tracked is $1.29.

4 points recordedtoday · $12.99

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No recommendations for this game yet.

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