Cyberpunk-Themed Games To Keep You Busy While Cyberpunk 2077 Is Delayed
Disappointed about the Cyberpunk 2077 delay? We are too, but there are a choice few games that can fill the cyberpunk-shaped void in our hearts. CD Projekt Red, in the middle of some serious crunch, isn't the only developer that's made a neon adventure in a strange future. The gaming world has enjoyed a long history of building dystopias that players must hack (not slash) their way through.
Here are some cyberpunk games to play while waiting for Cyberpunk 2077.
Sinless is an old school amalgam
As if in response to the big Cyberpunk 2077 delay, the Nintendo eShop is about to add in a very futuristic, very punk game called Sinless.
Sinless is an amalgam between those old school point-and-click adventures we all had as kids and the more modern visual novel. This gives it a simultaneously nostalgic and futuristic aesthetic that has gotten some serious praise on Steam. Sinless has been out on Steam since 2015, but is making the switch to the Switch on Jan. 23.
MGP Studios warns prospective players that because of the "old school" experience, you'll have to really dig deep in order to unravel certain mysteries. You'll also die. "A lot." If that doesn't scare you, feel free to look into the dark side of this "sinless" future when Sinless hits the Nintendo eShop.
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is everything we love about the 80's
Described as "THE Kick-Ass Cyber Shooter," Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is about as cyberpunk as a game can be. It fully embraces the '80s aesthetic, right down to the fact that Terminator and Aliens superstar Micheal Biehn gives voice to macho man protagonist Sargent Rex Power Colt, Mark IV Cyber Commando. Rex Power Colt, which is seriously his name, is full of cliched one-liners and a need for justice. He shoots, slashes, and shocks his way through screaming lackeys and laser-eyed dinosaurs.
Ubisoft went all out for Blood Dragon. Its over the top story and cheesy dialogue are supported by ridiculous gameplay. Unlike other cyberpunk-themed titles that ask players to really think about the possibilities of a dystopian future, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is a blindingly fun romp through a colorful, crazy world.
The Shadowrun series is a magical take on the future
"It's 2054 and the world has changed... gone to hell." Yup, sounds like a cyberpunk game to us. The Shadowrun franchise puts a high fantasy spin on the genre, adding in magical elements alongside the fantastical technology of the future.
Players can choose classes like mage, shaman, decker, or street samurai as they run through the world, carrying out whatever jobs pay the bills. This turn-based tactical RPG is set in the shadow of megacorporations that have reduced the Seattle metroplex into a sprawling slum. Players get to explore, and try to survive, this big, brutal world.
The Shadowrun story stretches over 25 years and three well-received games, so there's plenty of content there to keep you content while waiting for CD Projekt Red to finish its good work.
Observer is a horrific twist on the cyberpunk genre
Craving the creepier side of the cyberpunk genre? Look no further than the critically acclaimed Observer. Described by Eurogamer as "a splendid hybrid of CSI, cyberpunk and Silent Hill woven around a potent central performance," Observer manages to fascinate and terrify players. Starring Rutger Hauer of Bladerunner fame, players navigate the dark new reality of 2084, investigating the memories of suspects that have gone insane.
Creepy? Creepy. Observer isn't a game for the faint of heart. Although it lacks the Five Nights at Freddy's style jumpscares, this dystopian is a horrifying look as to what might happen in the not-so-far-off future. This is a sprawling world from Team Bloober, the studio behind another iconic horror title: Layers of Fear. If you liked their take on the 19th century, then you'll enjoy this glimpse of what's (hopefully not) to come.
Watch Dogs 2 brings cyberpunk too close for comfort
Ubisoft's Watch Dogs 2 imagines a future that isn't so far flung, it looks downright familiar in fact, but it fits comfortably in the cyberpunk genre. Megacorporation Blume threatens to unleash an operating system that can get into just about everything digital–think Big Brother on an even bigger scale. It's up to the hacker group Dedsec to start a revolution against Blume, and use their own technology against them.
The thing that separates Watch Dogs 2 from the other cyberpunk titles on this list is that it doesn't explicitly embrace the retrofuturism loved by the '80s. But fighting the system? Uncontrollable tech? Very cyberpunk.
Remember Me deserves to be remembered
Before Life Is Strange, developer Dontnod made Remember Me, an adventure in the distant year 2084. Neo-Paris is a surveillance state, wherein your very memories can be bought, sold, and even remixed. This third-person action adventure stars Nilin, an amnesiac who formerly lived her life as a memory hunter. She has the ability to remix memories, and therefore completely change a person. The powers that be are hunting this former memory hunter, fearful of her incredible ability.
Remember Me is about as cyberpunk as you can get. It is something of a cult classic celebrated for its harrowing story and memorable characters.