Minds Beneath Us is the best proof of why cyberpunk is so fantastic

Minds Beneath Us is a real cyberpunk insider tip for Elena. Because the game really understands what the genre is all about

Cyberpunk is often reduced to stylish neon lights, hacking and robot limbs, and all of that is somehow part of it. But I love cyberpunk above all,because the genre is so human At first that sounds like a contradiction to the high-tech future, but it’s not at all. Because the moreinhuman&nbspthe world becomes, the more important the question of what makes us human becomes

When it comes to big conspiracies and dramatic action, this sometimes fades into the background. Not so withMinds Beneath Us, which has surprisingly become an absoluteCyberpunk insider tip on Steamfor me.

The story adventure from Taiwan, recently released for PC, perfectly captures the essence of the dark future without sacrificing the cool neon lights sci-fi vibe.

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Man becomes part of the machine

The story works so well for me because I’m completely ordinary As Jason Dai, I mainly bum around at home while my girlfriend has made a career in a company. She takes me to work one day and suggests I apply for a job there. That’s how I ended up at Vision, the biggest flop farming company, which incidentally controls the entire city

This is a rather degrading practice in which people are coupled to systems, sometimes for years,in order to drive high-performance AIs with their brains They receive money in return, but give up their existence completely for the period in order to become part of a machine. And instead of rebelling against it as a cool hacker or overthrowing the evil corporation by force of arms, I first become part of it – including the application process and a coffee chat

As part of the screening department, I’m supposed to select suitable candidates for flop farming – if I make the wrong decision, it could lead to damage to their health or even their death. At the same time, I get to know the other employees

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For example, I learn that the grumpy senior George is the guardian of the idealistic youngster Jeff. Both represent two views that repeatedly clash in Minds Beneath Us:idealism and pragmatic realism While George sees things as they are and wants a comfortable life for Jeff, the latter always wants to rebel and overthrow the system

Minds Beneath Us leaves it up to me which side I choose, but cleverly questions both. What good is idealism that ignores the nature of things? But how is anything supposed to change if we never question the status quo? Almost every dialog is drenched in smart thinking and philosophy without it feeling like it, because I’m talking to real people who have real concerns and problems.

Of small and big changes

In Minds Beneath Us, nothing is ever clear or simple, never black or white I also notice this when talking to the applicants. An old woman begs me to accept her, even though she has failed the health tests. She urgently needs the money to visit her grandchildren for the first time ever. Another candidate is physically perfectly suited, but it’s my sexist neighbor, of all people, who had just yelled at me the morning before because my girlfriend brings home the rolls.

I can try to use the system to help the right people But at the end of the day, my options are always limited because I’m only allowed to operate within the company’s guidelines. What remains is a feeling of helplessness and melancholy and a sincere desire to improve things

Over time, more and more complex problems are revealed that affect the entire industry. Minds Beneah Us is thus transformed from a very personal everyday tragedy into a cyberpunk thriller that is a matter of life and death. However, the adventure always stays close to the people instead of getting lost in a grand conspiracy.

Decisions that get under your skin

On the second trainee day, once I’ve passed the screening, I go to the Ops department, where people are integrated into the system as so-calledJuicerand are given the opportunity to make their own decisions. Here, too, friendly colleagues with their own wishes and problems await me –and an even more brutal reality Because the machines are outdated and safety is almost impossible to maintain. Injured or dead people are cheaper than new equipment. Nobody wants to work and live with the risk, but they also don’t want to lose the job that supports their family or even fall out with the company. After all, AI hears and sees everything

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(Behind the cruel machinery in the game are real people, some with very good intentions. This lends weight to every decision.)

Every statement or action, no matter how small, therefore carries a great risk. Am I not only putting myself in danger, but also my loved ones, if I mess with the company? Unlike Telltale and the like, my decisions are subtly incorporated into dialogs, but have far-reaching consequences for the plot and my relationships. My girlfriend Fran, for example, is part of Vision’s management team – so whatever happens to the corporation will affect her too

Minds Beneath Us is one of those games that really makes you think and makes me constantly weigh up tricky decisions where there is no right or wrong. If you love cyberpunk as much as I do, you should feel right at home here – and not just because of the stylish neon look that the story adventure comes with on top of it.

Editor’s verdict

Minds Beneath Us is one of those games that makes you think without constantly hitting you with a sledgehammer. Philosophical questions and dilemmas flow naturally into conversations because they are simply part of everyday life for people in the dark cyberpunk world. The employees of Vision are aware that terrible things are going on in the corporation. But they all have a lot to lose, so they always have to weigh up their own lives against those of the victims. Do I really want to be a hero if it means condemning my family to death?

What sounds like heavy fare also makes time for some light-hearted moments. Minds Beneath Us doesn’t want to play out a tragedy for me, but simply shows people in a tricky, seemingly hopeless situation who nevertheless don’t give up hope. I fool around with colleagues, snitch on the cheeky kid who always steals a colleague’s snacks (and is promptly punished with laxatives, oops …) and go out for ramen noodles with my girlfriend.

No matter how bad the future may seem, there’s always something positive – especially when you work together for it, even though there’s so much at stake.