How to hack in BioShock: pipe puzzles, alarms and security machines
Route the liquid safely, understand hacking difficulty and choose when an automatic hack tool is worth using.
Original 2007 PC BioShock campaign. BioShock Remastered, BioShock 2 and later series entries are outside this guide. Images are publisher assets from the original Steam listing.
Connect the start and exit before the liquid arrives
The original BioShock hacking minigame asks you to uncover tiles and arrange a continuous pipe route from its start to its destination. Begin with the first few tiles so the advancing liquid has somewhere safe to go. Reveal enough of the board to plan the exit before committing to a long detour.
Read hazard tiles and the difficulty meter
Alarm and overload tiles make failure worse than simply running out of pipe. The pre-hack meter indicates difficulty; a nearly red meter is a reason to inspect your engineering tonics first. Some layouts can leave a poor route, so do not assume that blindly uncovering every tile will guarantee a solution.
Disable security before walking up to it
Electro Bolt can interrupt a turret or security bot long enough to approach. A hacked device then helps fight enemies instead of targeting you. Cameras watch an area rather than following you, so use walls and blind spots to reach them. Hacking a camera that caused an alarm can end that alarm.
Save automatic tools for costly attempts
An Automatic Hack Tool skips the pipe puzzle and ignores its difficulty. Cash buyouts are another option where offered. Engineering tonics can improve manual hacking, so equip relevant ones at a Gene Bank before a difficult area. Freezing a hackable machine also slows the liquid, giving you more time to arrange the route.
More BioShock quick answers
BioShock rescue or harvest: Little Sister ADAM rewards explainedBioShock research camera guide: location, film and better photo scoresA friendly turret is valuable cover; avoid destroying it with your own explosive attacks.
Picture details
Game artwork belongs to its respective rights holders.
References
Covered edition: Original 2007 PC BioShock campaign. BioShock Remastered, BioShock 2 and later series entries are outside this wiki. Images are publisher assets from the original Steam listing.