From neon signs to transhumanism, these current cyberpunk titles let us experience the terrifyingly beautiful future first-hand, and they’re fun too.
Cyberpunk (not steampunk, you’re in the right place for this article) is a particularly exciting subcategory of the sci-fi genre. Instead of death stars and lightsabres, we can expect technologies and problems that we may already know about or at least be able to guess at – because they are in development right now.
Cyberpunk, based primarily on William Gibson’s novel Neuromancer – and influenced by films like Ghost in the Shell, Blade Runner, Matrix or Total Recall – shows us a near future. Unfortunately, the future is not exactly rosy, which is why cyberpunk is also considered the “film noir” of science fiction.
The world is dominated by corporations, people are becoming more and more robotic through implants, connecting through highly engineered networks or drifting into cyberspace as virtual reality. Hackers are snooping around in our minds, the common people are being sedated with drugs and we as players usually have to do something about it and uncover a huge conspiracy.
With titles like Syndicate, Beneath a Steel Sky or the first Deus Ex, there have long been games that take us into an atmospheric cyberpunk world. In our article, however, we want to focus on newer genre representatives and insider tips (from 2017) that you should definitely play in 2022 if you like these classics.
Table of Contents
Death Trash
(Genre: Role-Playing Game – Developer: Crafting Legends – Release: August 5, 2021 (Early Access))
How does it work? Death Trash is an oldschool pixelated-look role-playing game that is fittingly based on the original Fallouts (i.e. pre-Bethesda). The once densely populated planet Nexus is now just a wasteland where you occasionally come across habitats protected by heavily armed androids. Here, anyone who doesn’t keep up is simply thrown out and banished.
It’s a shame that you start out as an exile yourself and also have to find out the truth about a mysterious implant in your head. To do this, you fight your way through the rough world, talk to NPCs and acquire new skills such as sneaking, lock picking or empathy to convince others or find a way around it. If you can’t get around it peacefully, the battles take place in real time. But it’s not always grim – the suitably dark humour makes sure of that.
Suitable for whom? You should like your graphics with retro charm, as well as rather crude dialogue in the style of Gothic. Like Fallout, the focus is also on experimentation and exploration, so don’t expect anything too spectacularly staged. In addition, the game is not yet finished: How much your decisions will affect the game in the long run, for example, remains to be seen.
How much cyberpunk is in it? Death Trash mixes cyberpunk with classic end times. This time you don’t roam a densely built metropolis, but an abandoned wasteland populated by mysterious monsters. The way humans, technology and the dark future are intertwined, however, still fits the dystopian genre.
Severed Steel
(Genre: First-person shooter – Developer: Greylock Studio – Release: September 17, 2021)
How does it work? Severed Steel is a snappy first-person shooter with a single-player story, heaps of fancy stunts including bullet time and destructible voxel environments. As a one-armed sniper, you’re on your own and have to get creative against the hordes of enemies. You run along walls, do somersaults and shoot from every conceivable angle.
The hits had better be accurate, because you can’t reload with just one hand. Once you have worked out the perfect choreography, you can also use community creations as new levels or upload your own. The feature is currently still in beta, but will be expanded over time.
For whom is suitable? Of course, you should be able to aim and hit without having beads of sweat on your forehead all the time. But don’t worry: Severed Steel offers extensive settings for difficulty, graphics, controls, audio and more, so you’ll have some help at hand.
How much cyberpunk is in it? The clean, futuristic look is more like the glossy version of cyberpunk. So don’t expect dirty alleys full of fire barrels and junkies, but rather souped-up robots shooting at you in abandoned office buildings
The Ascent
(Genre: Action Role Playing Game – Developer: Neon Giant – Release: July 29, 2021)
How does it work? The Ascent is a fast-paced action role-playing game in the style of Diablo – but of course with a gloomy future scenario. Alone or with up to three other players, you fight your way through a dark cyberpunk world as you complete missions, uncover its dirty secrets and collect heaps of weapons and equipment to further pimp your character.
Suitable for whom? With The Ascent, we have to send along a warning. On paper, the action role-playing game is a dream for cyberpunk fans and you can actually have a lot of fun with it. However, we have not yet been able to withdraw the technical rating for bugs, problems with the voice output and jerkiness – especially in co-op.
But if you can turn a blind eye, a visually impressive, wonderfully dark cyberpunk metropolis full of spectacular battles awaits you. If you have the Game Pass, you can try out this version before you buy it on Steam. In the meantime, it’s no longer discounted.
How much cyberpunk is in it? You roam the decaying arcology, a once shining corporate metropolis left to its own devices and with it competing corporations, crime and decay. Still, it looks pretty with its neon-lit streets in between. With the cyberware you use to screw new abilities into your body, the sci-fi feel comes through in combat as well.
Lacuna
(Genre: Adventure – Developer: DigiTales Interactive – Release: 20 May 2021)
How does it work? In Lacuna, you’ll be thrown right into a highly dramatic conspiracy: A murder, a major hack, and a bombing call CDI agent Neil Conrad into action as he investigates, questions witnesses, and collects clues in a dystopian future – and is repeatedly confronted with serious decisions. Lacuna is a 2D sidescroller in a richly detailed pixel look and offers a complete German voice-over in addition to English.
Suitable for whom? Lacuna is a classic game for a rainy afternoon. If you like the noir genre and detective stories, you can soak up Lacuna like a good book and enjoy its successful atmosphere. Decisions play a real role here – because you are not allowed to save manually and have to live with your choice – until one of the dramatic endings.
How much cyberpunk is in it? A detective in a trench coat, taking a thoughtful drag on his cigarette, looking out from his balcony at a rainy sea of houses while the rain slaps against the windows – does it get any more cyberpunk than that? Lacuna asks the big questions about self-determination and the influence of our decisions in a gloomy vision of the future.
By the way, the adventure game can also be tried out via the free prologue at (Steam). It also enjoys very positive user reviews there.
Cyberpunk 2077
(Genre: Role Playing Game – Developer: CD Projekt Red – Release: December 16, 2020)
How does it work? Everyone probably knows Cyberpunk 2077 by now, but just to be on the safe side: In the open-world role-playing game by the Witcher developers, you make the dystopian future metropolis Night City unsafe. You fight your way through shady jobs as a mercenary, take on gangs and corporations and try to uncover the secret of a mysterious chip that promises eternal life, but in your case contains the very unfriendly spirit of rocker boy legend Johnny Silverhand. And he has a score to settle.
Suitable for whom? Cyberpunk 2077 is suitable for you if you love The Witcher 3 or Deus Ex. You can expect numerous exciting characters that you get to know through long mission chains, romances and moving dialogues. In addition, you can improve your character with equipment, skill points, cyberware and more to create the perfect stealth melee ninja with katana, a silent deadly hacker or a brutal fighting machine. Depending on your play style, there are countless ways to tackle missions, which should sound very familiar to Deus Ex fans.
How much cyberpunk is in it? Night City is dripping with gritty cyberpunk futures. Satirical ads mock a world slowly going down the drain, police and corporations brutally control people, if they haven’t already been gunned down by a gang on the open street. Cyberware, memories playable via braindances or immortality chips also fit wonderfully into the picture.
Even if the open world is by no means the most interactive, it still delivers a dense atmosphere – at least if no bugs get in your way. CD Projekt is still working flat out to fix them.
Ghostrunner
(Genre: Action – Developer: One More Level – Release: 27 Oct 2020)
How does it work? Ghostrunner features snappy first-person katana combat in a gritty cyberpunk world. You’re always on the move, sprinting, hacking, slashing or counter-attacking in a deadly dance of blades as you fight your way ever upwards in the Dharma Tower. At the top, you face the tyrannical Key Master who subjugates the people of the future.
Suitable for whom? Those who want to balance and plan tactically for a long time or just want to walk through a gloomy future metropolis for a bit are rather poorly served here. Ghostrunner stands for one-hit kills and fights full of flow, dynamics and fast action. If you stand still, you lose. Frequent checkpoints should prevent frustration and help you master the different blade techniques. Sceptics can try it out first thanks to (Demo).
How much cyberpunk is in it? The gloomy tower city is not only characterised by violence and hopelessness, but also by futuristic technology and colourful neon lights. Even if it gets a little greyer in between, the chic graphics let an intense cyberpunk world fly by as you perform deadly combat manoeuvres at lightning speed
Encodya
(Genre: Point&Click Adventure – Developer: Chaosmonger Studio – Release: 26 January 2021)
How does it work? Encodya is even set in Germany, more specifically Neo Berlin in the year 2062, where nine-year-old orphan girl Tina lives with her clumsy but lovable robot companion SAM-53 and tries to survive together with him in the gloomy, corporate-dominated future city. You scavenge rubbish containers, collect scrap metal and dream of a better life. One day, however, the girl discovers that her father has bequeathed her an important mission and suddenly the fate of the world is in Tina and SAM’s hands.
Suitable for whom? You explore the 2.5D world with two playable characters, interact with over 30 side characters and visit more than 100 locations in classic adventure style. There is a lot to read, click on and also puzzles to solve. However, these are supposed to provide a new game experience every time you go through them, thanks to randomly generated elements. If you like to puzzle and lose yourself in stories instead of action, this is the right place for you.
How much cyberpunk is in it? Through SAM and other robots the two encounter, artificial intelligence and the question of the meaning of life make up a large part of the story. And of course, the two are regularly confronted with corporate power and ruthlessness on their journey. Visually, Encodya relies on dark alleys and neon lights in a comic-like 3D style.
Beyond a Steel Sky
(Genre: Point&Click-Adventure – Developer: Revolution Software – Release: 16 July 2020)
How does it work? Every cyberpunk fan in the gaming cosmos has probably heard of Beneath a Steel Sky. The adventure game from 1994 is one of the best representatives of the genre and only doesn’t appear in our list because we limit ourselves to games after 2015. That’s why we recommend the sequel Beyond a Steel Sky instead, an adventure game in celshading 3D that once again lets you slip into the role of the tech-savvy Robert Foster and is considered a direct successor.
His child was kidnapped, which is why he now swears revenge and follows a trail to Union City. The mega-city hides chaos, wars and political intrigue under an apparent utopia where people live happily supervised by an AI. This sounds terribly bleak and hopeless, but humorous passages always lighten up the proceedings.
Suitable for whom? As Robert Foster, you influence the world by interacting with the inhabitants and influencing them or by cleverly using hacking tools to cheat your way to your goal. There are always several ways to tackle puzzles. So you should have the desire to fiddle around, try things out and explore carefully.
How much cyberpunk is in it? The future of Beyond a Steel Sky is completely mechanised and controlled by AIs. Even if the brownish visuals seem rather post-apocalyptic, cyberpunk themes such as artificial intelligence, unstoppable progress, social control, total surveillance or hacking play a crucial role
Disjunction
(Genre: Action Role Playing Game – Developer: Ape Tribe Games – Release: 28 January 2021)
How does it work? Disjunction is a stealth-focused action role-playing game that sends you into the gritty underworld of New York in the year 2048. The stories of your three heroes are interwoven and together they determined the fate of the metropolis with their decisions and special abilities, as well as cybernetics upgrades used in real-time battles.
Suitable for whom? Stealth is not a must, so you can fight your way through if you see fit. In addition, the talents and cyberware upgrades of the characters can be cleverly used and combined. Freedom is also important in the story: Your decisions should have real consequences. If this is what makes games like Deus Ex so appealing to you, Disjunction might convince you.
How much cyberpunk is in it? Visually, in Disjunction you’ll be travelling a lot in underground tunnels, which look a little less imposing than the usual skyscrapers paved with neon signs. The pixel look is nevertheless charming if you like retro looks. Of course, the scenario with its artificial improvements and difficult questions still screams cyberpunk.
Rain of Reflections
(Genre: Round Tactics – Developer: Lionbite Games – Release: Oct 4, 2019)
How does it work? Rain of Reflections is a cyberpunk adventure game with turn-based tactical combat of the XCOM brand. Away from combat, the main focus is on interaction and character development of the individual characters. We are also allowed to make decisions that influence the progress of the plot.
The dialogues are also particularly important because we are free to choose how we proceed. In addition, there are different areas to explore – from run-down slums to the posh retreats of the rich and beautiful, everything is there. In good old cyberpunk style, of course, hacking is not to be missed: In the course of puzzles, you open locks, eavesdrop on radio frequencies and more.
Suitable for whom? In the round battles, you can choose whether you want to sneak, try negotiations or fire deadly shots. Otherwise, the focus is clearly on the story and the characters, as well as our decisions, less on hard-hitting action. Currently, only the first chapter of the story is available and is pretty much lost on Steam.
However, according to the developer, it counts as a fully completed game, so you don’t have to worry about the plot being left up in the air until chapter 2 is released at some point. In the reviews so far, the prelude comes off quite positively.
How much cyberpunk is in it? “Set Free” focuses on Wilona, a scientist searching for a solution to the sudden infertility of the world’s population. Over time, however, she gets a stomachache performing experiments on the last naturally born child and helps him escape. In doing so, however, she attracts the attention of dangerous enemies.
Thus, the whole thing is based on a serious story. The look is rather futuristic-industrial without pink neon signs and other things, but appropriately gloomy.
Tales of the Neon Sea
(Genre: Adventure – Developer: Palm Pioneer – Release: April 30, 2019)
How does it work? Cyberpunk meets cats: Tales of the Neon Sea is set in a Chinese metropolis of the near future, where cats have a firm grip on the underworld as gangster bosses. In addition, humans and robots try to live together, which causes some conflicts.
We play a former policeman who now earns his money as a private detective. He is a drunkard who lives like this into the day until a missing person puts him back on the trail of an old, unsolved case.
Suitable for whom? Especially fans of puzzle games and classic point&click adventures will be happy here: you have to do investigations, solve puzzles or analyse objects. What’s more, you can even play as a cat to get to places that are otherwise inaccessible.
How much cyberpunk is in it? Despite the dark noir story, Tales of the Neon Sea also relies on a lot of humour. The retro pixel look is based on old-school adventure games and also entices you with bright colours and playful details – here you’ll experience the cheerful and wacky side of cyberpunk.
Katana Zero
(Genre: Action-Platformer – Developer: Askiisoft – Release: 18 April 2019)
How does it work? The action platformer Katana Zero describes its style itself as “neo noir”. Our character fights with the katana and slashes his way through the enemies with deadly elegance. If things go wrong, the rewind function helps.
You can even deflect projectiles with your sword, repel attacks or manipulate the environment with traps and explosives. The individual levels offer several ways to complete them. You can simply bludgeon your way through or be more creative in taking down your opponents. There is also a mysterious story that ties it all together. It is told through sequences between the levels.
Suitable for whom? Katana Zero focuses on a pixel look and fast-paced battles. So you should be prepared for challenging fights where you have to parry, dodge, strike and manipulate the environment and be prepared to fail a time or two.
How much cyberpunk is in it? The neon-noir style is mainly colourful and brutal, here you should expect fast action rather than dark conspiracies and social criticism
Whispers of a Machine
(Genre: Adventure – Developer: Clifftop Games, Faravid Interactive – Release: 17 April 2019)
How does it work? In Whispers of a Machine we join Vera, a cybernetically augmented special agent investigating a series of murders. These murders are apparently linked to a group of fanatics who want to create a super AI. Something that is strictly forbidden in the world of Whispers of a Machine. However, there is also a connection to Vera’s painful past that makes her doubt everything.
Vera has also been enhanced via the nanosubstance Blue, which gives her special powers. As players, we can use her augmentations to progress in the investigation, gather information or solve puzzles in different ways.
In addition, we decide whether we want to be an empathic, analytical or certain Vera. In the end, all our decisions should influence the fate of all humanity.
Suitable for whom? For fans of story games and classic adventure games. You should have no problem with a lot of text and little gameplay.
How much cyberpunk is in it? Augmentations, super AIs, conspiracies: Whispers of a Machine wins at classic cyberpunk bingo, so it should have everything genre fans want on a story level
Akane
(Genre: Action – Developer: Ludic Studios – Release: September 10, 2018)
How does it work? Being able to finish off your opponents with one hit sounds pretty simple. But when a mass of armed cyber-samurai rushes at you, it’s not so easy anymore. Akane keeps it up here like Hotline Miami and hunts down a lot of deadly opponents.
Deadly comes in different flavours here: There’s the good old Yakuza killer, the tank that can take more than one hit (spoilsport!) or the cyber ninja who has modified himself into a killing machine and attacks us with a lightning-fast dash attack. By the way, we are the young warrior Akane, who faces a brutal battle against the Yakuza in Mega-Tokyo in the year 2121.
The arch-enemy of our heroine Akane is their boss Katsuro. He evolves as you take him down and becomes even more dangerous. It’s a good thing that we also have some tricks up our sleeves and unlock new weapons, skills or cigarettes over time that make our attacks seem cooler – and no, smoking doesn’t have this effect in the real world. Besides the smoking bonus, there are boots that change the look of our sprint.
Suitable for whom? In general, the brutal arena of Akane is a colourful storm of effects consisting of neon lights, blood and various attacks such as the Dragon Slash, so that the arcade action has a lot to offer visually despite the pixel look. Fans of fast-paced fighting action will get their money’s worth here.
How much cyberpunk is in it? Akane shows a crazy future full of violence and neon lights that focuses more on the gameplay than questions around transhumanism and co.
The Surge
(Genre: Action Role-Playing Game – Developer: Deck 13 – Release: 16 May 2017)
How does it work? Cyberpunk “Made in Germany” with gameplay inspiration from Dark Souls: The sci-fi role-playing game The Surge not only fulfils the criteria for a “Soulslike”, but also for a cyberpunk game. And that’s why it can’t be missing from this list, of course.
In the new game from Deck 13 (Lords of the Fallen), we fight all kinds of cyborgs and combat robots in a near future. We are not a shining hero, however, but a normal factory worker who can only fight thanks to his exoskeleton.
We can improve and upgrade our exoskeleton with the help of machine parts if we knock them off in battle before we finish off the enemy. Away from the fights, we explore the dark sci-fi world in Metroidvania style. Incidentally, the environment also features some pretty wacky corners thanks to a theme park DLC. In the meantime, there is also a sequel, The Surge 2. We’ll take a look at it in the next section.
Who is it suitable for? The Surge delivers tough battles in the style of Dark Souls, where timing and precision are important. So you should be up for mastering a complex battle system and have no problem with frequent game deaths.
How much cyberpunk is in it? As usual, something has gone thoroughly wrong with civilisation here: we visit bunkers, derelict factories and ruins. Instead of a society on the brink of the abyss as usual, we already encounter a destroyed one here. So the cyberpunk setting is already moving into a post-apocalypse.
The augmentation and an ordinary protagonist fit in quite well with cyberpunk. Fighting is also quite down-to-earth with modified industrial tools
The Surge 2
(genre: action role-playing game – developer: Deck 13 – release: 24 September 2019)
How does it work? Like its predecessor, The Surge 2 also makes it into our list. The sequel swaps rather linear levels in gloomy factories and ruins for the open city of Jericho City, in whose rubble we have to fight our way through in badass Souls style. Once again, we are confronted with powerful enemies, from whom we painstakingly cut off body parts in order to craft better equipment.
For whom is suitable? Compared to Part 1, Deck 13 has increased the arsenal of weapons, armour, abilities and implants to make the challenging battles even more varied. Powerful bosses also await us again. Those who want to uncover the secrets of the game world should also take the time to explore.
How much cyberpunk is in it? As usual for the typical cyberpunk city, things aren’t going so well in Jericho: soldiers have declared martial law, robots are running amok, and more tech shenanigans lurk on the horizon.
Observer
(Genre: Horror Adventure – Developer: Bloober Team – Release: Aug 15, 2017)
How does it work? The Layers of Fear makers have already proven that they know how horror works. In Observer, they now put that knowledge into practice in an eerie, Eastern European cyberpunk dystopia.
In the adventure game, we slip into the role of a “neural detective”, who even examines people’s minds in the course of his investigations, scouring and manipulating their memories. Instead of a creepy house like in Layers of Fear, this time we explore a very detailed and futuristic apartment complex where several murders have taken place.
Suitable for whom? The adventures of the developers from Bloober Team are usually characterised by their dense atmosphere and creepy mood. Especially together with the cyberpunk dystopia, this creates an unusual mixture for the genre. Only the gameplay remains relatively shallow.
How much cyberpunk is in it? Hacking and cyberspace are important components of cyberpunk, which you take to the extreme in Observer by not only questioning people as an investigator, but also penetrating their minds. Incidentally, the main character is atmospherically voiced by Rutger Hauer, who you know from Ridley Scott’s classic cyberpunk film Blade Runner. Attracts you not only cyberpunk but also horror.
The Red Strings Club
(Genre: Adventure – Developer: Deconstruteam – Release: 22 January 2018)
How does it work? The Red Strings Club is a retro adventure game with a pixelated look from 2018. It centres on information dealer Donovan, who is also a bartender at the Red Strings Club, and his partner Brandeis, a hacker and daredevil. Everything changes for the two when they become embroiled in a cyberpunk thriller at its finest.
One evening, the android Akara-184 stumbles into their bar. When they connect to her neural network, they learn shocking things: The company Supercontinent Ltd. plans to equip all humans with an implant that will make them eternally happy at the expense of their free will.
In search of answers, we interrogate company employees at the club by mixing them special drinks that loosen their tongues. Or else we potter implants that alter their personalities or disguise our voices on the phone to cleverly infiltrate Supercontinent.
Suitable for whom? The Red Strings Club plays like a classic point-and-click adventure game and gives you lots of text to read. In between, however, you can also try your hand at absurd mini-games like pottery or mixing drinks, which lighten things up. This doesn’t make the adventure silly, on the contrary: the story is told in a very adult and multi-layered way.
How much cyberpunk is in it? The cyberpunk scenario here deals primarily with philosophical questions: it’s about what happiness is in the first place, what makes us happy and whether artificial happiness is good or bad.
The Uncertain
(Genre: Adventure – Developer: New Game Order – Release: 8 October 2020)
How does it work? The Uncertain is an episode adventure game of which the second part Light At The End opened some time ago. Whereas in Episode 1 you controlled a robot that set out on the trail of humanity wiped out by its kind, now you play as one of the last humans yourself.
You are the young Emily, who is being hunted by her former robot servants and must find out the real reason for the disappearance of humanity. Is it really an AI gone wild that is to blame? You solve puzzles along the way to get closer to the truth and make momentous decisions.
Suitable for? For fans of atmospheric 3D adventure games with puzzles and a story focus who are in the mood for a gloomy future scenario. The game looks smart, but comes rather from inexperienced developers, so you’ll have to forgive its lack of polish.
How much cyberpunk is in it? The Uncertain is actually set in the post-apocalypse, but feels very much like cyberpunk with skyscrapers, flying vehicles and crazed robots oppressing the Earth
Neo Cab
(Genre: Adventure – Developer: Chance Agency – Release: October 3, 2019)
How does it work? Neo Cab could be described as a kind of taxi driver simulation in the future. In the visual novel, we slip into the skin of Lina, who is one of the last human taxi drivers in the metropolis of Los Ojos. There she drives guests from A to B, has to hope for payment and good ratings, and at the same time track down her girlfriend.
She has disappeared off the face of the earth, although we were supposed to be staying with her. So now Lina has to earn money by driving a taxi and try to make ends meet while she looks for her girlfriend. But we also have to keep an eye on Lina’s mental health. Her mental health suffers when we only talk to the passengers. Each passenger brings his or her own story, including dialogue, which can play out very differently depending on our reaction.
Suitable for whom? As a visual novel, Neo Cab entices you almost exclusively with its story and characters. You’ll have to be prepared for a lot of text and shouldn’t expect too much gameplay depth from the management part of Taxi, Ratings and Revenue.
How much cyberpunk is in it? As usual for cyberpunk, everything in the world of Neo Cab is high-tech – even the taxi drivers. Lina’s only hope is to get to know the fellow drivers, touch them with their humanity and engage them in compelling conversations. Then it also rains money and good reviews – without the latter we lose our job. So Neo Cab deals primarily with the question of “technical progress vs. humanity”.
Ruiner
(Genre: Top-Down-Shooter – Developer: Reikon Games – Release: 26 September 2017)
How does it work? We have no problem with murder in the snappy top-down shooter Ruiner. Because our brother has been kidnapped, we scour the gloomy metropolis of Rengkok in search of the culprits and shoot our way through action-packed battles.
Thanks to the future scenario, we have all kinds of high-tech weapons at our disposal. This is the core of Ruiner, but it’s not all: we can interact with NPCs to start side missions, for example, or (no joke) hack cats. These are in fact used to monitor the population thanks to their silent paws.
Suitable for? Story enthusiasts shouldn’t expect too much overall, but fans of fast retro shooters like Hotline Miami will get their money’s worth.
How much cyberpunk is in it? Ruiner introduces us to a particularly creepy hacking scenario. In the beginning, we are hacked through our implant and are supposed to be turned into a killing machine. But a friendly hacker saves us. Lucky, but having your own brain tampered with is not nice in any way. Even though it fits perfectly with cyberpunk, of course.
Seven: The Days Long Gone
(genre: action role-playing game – developer: IMGN.PRO, Fool’s Theory – release: December 1, 2017)
How does it work? Seven: The Days Long Gone is not Cyberpunk 2077, but comes from former Witcher developers. In terms of gameplay, however, the role-playing game has more in common with Thief or Deus Ex than with the Witcher.
As master thief Teriel, we sneak through the world in iso-perspective, infiltrate buildings, pick locks, hack computers and try to get to the bottom of a conspiracy. We are helped by the demon Artanak, a technical being that has nested in our brains.
Since the levels are very vertical, climbing and parkour also play a big role. With a skill chip, we can improve our character more and more and equip it with special abilities. We also have various melee and ranged weapons at our disposal, such as swords, crossbows or grenades, if we want to be more aggressive.
Suitable for whom? Fans of Thief or Assassin’s Creed will feel at home here, but the role-playing aspect is not neglected either: you are allowed to hack, sneak or fight and improve your character more and more.
(Purchase decision helps the free demo)
How much cyberpunk is in it? The distant future scenario sounds like post-apocalypse at first, but the grimy world with its garish neon signs screams cyberpunk.
Nex Machina
(genre: twin-stick shooter – developer: Housemarque – release: 20 June 2017)
How does it work? Developer Housemarque is known for its fast-paced arcade action. The twinstick shooter Nex Machina is also in this vein. Inspired by the classic shoot’em-up Robotron, it sends us off into a brightly coloured baller orgy.
Because machines of the future want to subjugate mankind, you shoot your way through hordes of robots in various levels and drive your own score higher and higher.
Suitable for whom? There’s no brilliant story here, but there’s plenty of gameplay fun for arcade and action fans alike
How much cyberpunk is in it? In a dystopian future, machines have suddenly gained consciousness and are out to get humanity. We have to prevent this, of course – overpowering AIs that have their own plans for humanity are typical cyberpunk. Instead of a purely urban scenario, however, we also go out into the countryside, which is rather unusual. Pink and blue neon effects pile up in the battles either way.
Nex Machina also sees itself more as “cablepunk”, a variation on cyberpunk. Visually, as the name already suggests, it relies on heaps of futuristic cable constructions.
Liberated
(Genre: Action-Adventure – Developer: Atomic Wolf – Release: July 30, 2020)
How does it work? Liberated is basically a playable comic book: You fight and puzzle your way through a world rendered in a gritty noir look, where gameplay and graphic novel merge via sidescroller sequences and comic panels.
As part of the resistance group Liberated, you fight back against a corrupt government by facing gunfights, stealth passages, puzzles and jump&run puzzles as you try to restore democracy.
Who is it for? If you are not put off by the black and white look, you will experience an intense cyberpunk experience around current dangers and problems.
How much cyberpunk is in it? In the game, you become part of a disturbing vision of the future that gradually makes human rights lose their meaning. A control-addicted government controls the completely digitised population via social networks, facial recognition, fake news, citizen rating and more – all for an apparent security. Sounds depressingly like a lot of what is already a reality today, or at least conceivable.
Tokyo 42
(Genre: Action – Developer: SMAC Games – Release: 31 May 2017)
How does it work? GTA meets Syndicate: In the iso-shooter with open world Tokyo 42, we explore a kind of mini-version of the Japanese metropolis. However, we have better things to do than sightseeing: We are a contract killer who cleverly finishes off enemies, sneaks around them and wants to uncover a conspiracy in the process.
Because killer or not, the fact that we were framed for a certain murder that we didn’t even commit doesn’t suit us at all. The game, which according to the Steam description has a “hyper-stylish” colourful look, also shines with a multiplayer part with various modes.
Suitable for whom? Instead of fast-paced action, you can expect a more leisurely approach and clean planning: you can turn the camera freely to keep an overview and hide in crowds to remain undetected. Shooting with precise projectile physics and sneaking also require skill, tactics and dexterity.
How much cyberpunk is in it? The futuristic look of the metropolis fits well with cyberpunk, as does the gloomy starting point. However, Tokyo 42 is much brighter and more colourful than many other genre representatives, which mostly take place at night or in dark buildings
Bright Memory Infinite
(Genre: First-person shooter – Developer: FYQD-Studio – Release: 11 November 2021)
How does it work? In the impressive one-man project, you control the special agent Sheila, who investigates supernatural events with sword and gun at the ready and mows down enemies in the process – all in impressive Unreal Engine 4 visuals.
In battle, you combine different weapons and skills to create powerful attacks. But it’s not all shooting: You also solve puzzles in between to make progress.
Suitable for whom? The shooter is above all entertaining and looks extremely chic. In terms of gameplay, however, you can tell that there is no large and experienced team behind it. The action quickly runs out of steam, the story is rather lame and bugs pop up from time to time. Fast-paced fights, crisp bosses and the pretty surroundings make the short trip worthwhile nonetheless.
How much cyberpunk is in it? Sheila sets out on the trail of ancient swords that have the power to resurrect the dead and threaten to fall into the hands of a terrorist organisation. They break into Sheila’s employer SRO (Supernatural Science Research Organization) to steal sensitive data on the swords, but you foolishly catapult everyone onto a mysterious floating continent in an attempt to stop them.
And that has long since been taken over by dangerous reawakened dead. There’s a lot of fantasy mixed with science fiction, but there’s still a bit of a cyberpunk atmosphere.
Cloudpunk
(Genre: Action-Adventure – Developer: ION Lands – Release: 23 April 2020)
How does it work? In Cloudpunk, you control the courier driver Rania through the dystopian metropolis of Nivalis. Although its skyscrapers reach for the sky, it is anything but heavenly for many inhabitants. Rania works for the illegal delivery service Cloudpunk and the motto is actually not to ask questions.
Again and again, however, Rania becomes involved in depressing fates and curious stories that bring us closer to the city’s inhabitants as we play. We meet, for example, a falconer who gets by with an artificial bird as an attraction or an android who desperately wants to look like a human in order to be accepted.
Suitable for whom? Cloudpunk isn’t all gritty. Via Camus – Rania’s car AI that was previously inside her dog or absurd encounters like with a crazed lift that wants to destroy humanity, but there’s also no shortage of humour. You spend most of your time in the vehicle, but in between you can accompany Rania directly through the chic voxel world. The vehicle can be a little fiddly to drive, but the highlight is clearly the many stories.
If you have a taste for it, there is now even a DLC with (City of Ghosts), which is just as extensive as the main game.
How much cyberpunk is in it? The world of Cloudpunk bleeds cyberpunk not only through the atmospheric neon lights, but also through the many encounters and storylines of the NPCs, which revolve around classic genre themes such as transhumanism or social ills. Of course, there is also a conspiracy including an overpowering AI.
VirtuaVerse
(Genre: Adventure – Developer: Theta Division – Release: May 12, 2020)
How does it work? VirtuaVerse is a classic point&click adventure game with a cyberpunk scenario. In the near future, every government and AI here is controlled by a super AI, everyone is networked and every experience involves data collection and optimisation.
Outsider Nathan refuses to acknowledge this reality and, as a smuggler, peddles modified hardware and software. Using a special headset, he is able to override general data and mind control. He lives with the graffiti artist Jay, but one day she disappears without a trace.
Because his headset is also destroyed and he finds a mysterious message, Nathan sets out to find her and comes up with much more.
Suitable for whom? In terms of gameplay, VirtuaVerse relies on the exploration, interaction with objects and dialogue typical of adventure games. You can get a first impression with the (Free Demo).
How much cyberpunk is in it? Surveillance, super AIs and so on scream cyberpunk, of course. But the garish neon look of the pixel style also fits the genre wonderfully.
Industries of Titan
(Genre: Building Strategy – Developer: Brace Yourself Games – Release: 14 April 2020)
How does it work? In the dystopian construction game Industries of Titan you have to colonise Saturn’s moon Titan. You build a sprawling industrial city and create increasingly powerful factories to compete against others who also lay claim to the territory.
But you also actively compete through spaceship battles or try to increase political influence and technical superiority. The gameplay runs in real time, but can be paused when necessary.
In addition to classic production chains, the visual design of the city in the gloomy sci-fi look, as well as the satisfaction of the inhabitants’ needs, also play an important role. Even your own battleships can be adapted and optimised.
Suitable for whom? If you especially like the cyberpunk aesthetics of futuristic metropolises and prefer to build them instead of questioning the ambitions of the big companies, you’ve come to the right place.
How much cyberpunk is in? The brightly shining metropolis on the otherwise gloomy moon definitely has cyberpunk charm, even if this time you’ll be facing other corporations on equal terms instead of infiltrating them
Corruption 2029
(Genre: Round Tactics – Developer: The Bearded Ladies – Release: 17 Feb 2020)
How does it work? In Corruption, a civil war has left the US in ruins and a fascist government in power. We want to overthrow it and at the same time find out what the mysterious “Corruption” is all about. Instead of using skills to improve our units, we use implants.
Suitable for whom? While the missions are tactically challenging – and thus perfect for fans of XCOM and Jagged Alliance – the story, apart from mission briefings, takes a back seat. The game is currently only available on PC from Epic, our test clarifies whether it’s worth buying:
How much cyberpunk is in it? Corruption takes you to a dystopian America in the near future. As in the previous game by the developers – Mutant Year Zero – you have to face tactical battles again. This time, however, you don’t control human-like animals, but technically enhanced super-soldiers as units.
Detroit: Become Human
(Genre: Adventure – Developer: Quantic Dream – Release: Dec 12, 2019 (PC))
How does it work? In Detroit: Become Human, you experience a future in which humans keep androids as handy helpers in all situations. However, the machines gradually gain consciousness and begin to question their fate and take their lives into their own hands.
As you are used to from Quantic Dream (Heavy Rain), you control different characters. For example, the android nanny Kara, who flees from her violent owner, or the similarly artificial investigator Connor, who, together with his grumpy human partner Hank, is supposed to hunt down crazy androids.
Suitable for whom? Instead of a lot of gameplay, you can once again expect a high-quality interactive film. Your decisions and reaction speed during quicktime events influence how the story and the characters progress.
How much cyberpunk is in it? Don’t expect a typical cyberpunk look here with neon advertisements. However, the android theme and problems like pollution in the near future, paint the picture of an interesting (not too distant) dystopia. Not cyberpunk, but science fiction
