An ability available under the Sabotage tree, Remote Hack is awarded upon purchasing Rank 11 (thus requiring Sabotage to be a tagged tree) and, as its name implies, allows Thorton to attempt a hack on multiple types of devices from a distance.
Usage[]
Upon activating the skill, Mike will start aiming and will continue to do so until the ability is deactivated (doing so won't incur a cooldown period, and there is no time limit in this mode) or a target is chosen (thus one can trigger Remote Hack from cover, tag a hackable device and then hack it from safety as Thorton gets back in cover). While in this aiming mode, the usual aiming reticle will be replaced for a much narrower one, consisting of two rings in between which a number of segments rotate. These segments will indicate whether a hackable device is being aimed at, being orange by default if not but turning green if a hack can be attempted. Once a hack is started Remote Hack is used up, initiating its cooldown period and the corresponding minigame will be started.
Notable Features[]
With a cooldown period of 45 seconds, Remote Hack is an unique ability in that it offers no further ranks to improve on it. However, the skill possesses virtually unlimited range, being able to hack a compatible object anywhere as long as line of sight can be established and also offers the remarkable ability of being able to hack cameras and turrets, something Michael is normally unable to do directly, only being able to interact with them in a similar fashion if there's a computer that operates them in the vicinity.
Hacked cameras in this way will still move and display a cone of vision, but they won't react to Mike's presence, turrets on the other hand, will become allied to him, attacking enemies within its field of view. Unfortunately, allied turrets are nowhere near as proficient at dispatching enemies as they are at eliminating Thorton, displaying a severe case of tunnel vision, easily losing track of the enemy that they were attacking.
Remote Hack also offers no synergy whatsoever with Spy's Luck, as its use is consumed when the hack is started. The latter ability won't give the Agent another use, but it will prevent alarms to be raised as normal.
Overall, Remote Hack offers the ability to start a single hack from a distance every 45 seconds, including both turrets and cameras. This, coupled with the significant AP investment required, make it a very niche ability. While a patient Operative may find it useful in turning enemy turrets against their former allies and softening them or disabling troublesome cameras earlier than it would be expected to, the average Agent could be disappointed with what is being offered.