Mainlining

Mainlining is a point-and-click adventure set on the simulated desktop of a computer. You play as a newly recruited MI7 agent operating under the BLU Pill Act, a law that gives the authorities access to online personal data. By hacking suspects’ computers and phones, you gather evidence and investigate cyber-criminals.

Investigate suspects

Your primary objectives are to secure perpetrators’ arrests and gather enough evidence for the courts to impose the longest possible custodial sentences. You must judge when an investigation is complete: moving too quickly can mean missing leads to higher-profile cyber-criminals, while taking too long may alert a suspect and let them escape. More than 500 known criminals operate within your jurisdiction.

Surveillance and privacy

The game’s story follows the introduction of the BLU Pill Act and the reintroduction of MI7 by the Secret Intelligence Service. It examines the ethics of surveillance and whether an organisation should have the power to access personal data, including what could happen if that power fell into the wrong hands. The act and its implications reflect debates around government access to people’s browsing histories and app use.