Disjunction - What We Know So Far

It seems as though cyberpunk could be the hottest trend in the video game world. Hopefully, this stealth-action RPG won't have a launch as messy as that of Cyberpunk 2077.

Disjunction is a new game coming from freshman studio Ape Tribe Games, and it definitely shows a lot of promise. Matt Cox of Rock Paper Shotgun favorably compared the new title to Hotline Miami, which is one of the finest games you can complete in a single sitting. So take a great game formula, mix in some cyberpunk elements, and — as Cox pointed out — up the stealth factor, and you've got a game that should be a guaranteed success. At the time of its initial announcement, hype was building for Disjunction, and it was meant to be released in 2019.

Of course, nearly two years have passed since Cox reviewed Disjunction's alpha demo and gamers are still waiting for the full product to release. What happened to development over the last two years? This is everything we know about Disjunction so far.

For a gamer, delays are a way of life. So many video games were released years after their original release date that two years doesn't seem all that bad. Even so, Disjunction was slated for 2019, yet it's still not out. The good news is Disjunction finally has an official release date. It will launch on Jan. 28, 2021, for the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Anyone eager to get their hands on it now can check out a demo on Steam.

How did Disjunction get knocked off-course from its original 2019 release date? In an interview with OnlySP, Ape Tribe Games' Erwan LeCun revealed that the title underwent major changes throughout the development process. He explained that when they started out, they were without a publisher. After they were courted by a publishing company, they were "given ... a lot of freedom to make the game bigger and better." 

LeCun also told OnlySP that Ape Tribe Games consists of him and his two brothers, all of whom never made a game prior. With this in mind, fans can certainly pardon the two-year delay.

The trailer for Disjunction begins with the game's three main characters rendered beautifully in a retro-sprite art style. Considering this is a project from first-time developers, the look is even more impressive.

From there, a subtle synthwave track picks up, immediately putting you in that "Miami in the '80s" state of mind. A narrator sets up the backstory while viewers get a look at gameplay.

The setting is grim, with dark clouds cast over a sprawling metropolis. Building windows reflect a dreary orange/yellow glow as a train hurries to its destination. Indeed, the narrator confirms the dire tone by stating, "The world of the future is a pretty bleak place."

The trailer follows the three playable protagonists as they make their way through dingy settings in an overhead view like in Hotline Miami. Gameplay is similar as well, though each character seems to move slower and with greater care. Melee combat is in full force, and downed enemies can be dragged across the floor. There are, of course, guns and other projectiles, but each character has their own set of abilities.

The narrator reveals that the player can take ownership of the story with temporary character upgrades and multiple endings that hinge on your decisions.

Disjunction takes place in 2048 and is set in what is described as "the dystopian underworld of a near-future New York City." The city is in shambles after a key figure is arrested, sending waves throughout the community.

To make matters worse, there's a major drug problem, environmental collapse, and of course, uncontrollable crime on the rise. Erwan LeCun, Team Lead for Ape Tribe Games, further elaborated on the setting in a post on PlayStation Blog: "Megastructures soar overhead, cybernetic implants are commonplace, and security robots patrol the perimeters of powerful corporations." LeCun also explained that "technological advances of the future are enormous, but they haven't been spread evenly across society," which paints a good picture of how this world's societal problems are fueled by technology.

You play as Frank, Joe, or Spider, who are vigilantes committed to uncovering the truth behind "a city-wide conspiracy." When playing the game, you will experience a different facet of the story depending on which character you choose, and each backstory is revealed incrementally as you play. With a compelling story broken up in such a way and characters who all play differently from each other, Disjunction promises to offer plenty of replay value!