Hack 'n' Slash is a puzzle adventure game where you tinker with the properties of game objects to explore dungeons and fight enemies. Using your USB sword on enemies hacks them so you can change their game-code and behaviour. It combines a standard dungeon adventure with coding in a way that doesn't feel educational like more heavy handed learn-to-code games.

As you explore, you encounter an evil wizard that has taken control of the kingdom. To stop him, you solve puzzles and defeat the enemies he puts in your way. But unlike other adventures, along with the hitting and dodging you can use your USB sword to change their underlying code. For example, you could make a fire-spitting dragon shoot fire away from you, or make its fire harmful to other monsters, or even switch its fire off.

The game is divided into acts of increasing coding complexity, starting with basic yes/no arguments and ending with total manipulation of every byte in the final act. With this level of access to the game's code, some changes can result in game corruption, but if Hack 'n' Slash, crashes are seen as harmless game over screens. This means that you can experiment with code without fear of ruining a game's code forever and making it unplayable.

The result is a humorous adventure that uses coding in a light-hearted and innovative way. Lack of thorough tutorial encourages a trial-and-error method to move through puzzling sections, which can be frustrating for some. Despite this, the characters' dialogue adds charm and laughs to a sometimes challenging coding game.