With Cyberpunk 2077 not due to release until 16 April 2020, fans of the genre will undoubtedly be looking for the best cyberpunk games to play while they wait.
CD Projekt Red’s next project boasts all of the neon lights, body augmentation and political commentary that a cyberpunk game could need, but for those looking for a fix in between re-watching Blade Runner, we’ve got you covered.
Here are the 5 best cyberpunk games for while you wait for Cyberpunk 2077:
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
It’d be rude not to include Deus Ex in this list, right? We’re fans of the series, and we’ve even written about how Deux Ex is ripe for becoming an MMO. It’s the setting that cement’s Deus Ex’s place as a cyberpunk classic, and we could have chosen any of the entries in the franchise. I’ve chosen Human Revolution because I feel it is the stronger of the recent releases.
Set in the near future, the player controls Adam Jensen, a former SWAT officer turned security guard. After an attack on his new workplace leaves him requiring extensive augmentation to survive, Adam sets out to pursue his attackers and the shadowy organization behind them. The central narrative revolves around mystery, conspiracy, and corporate intrigue – everything you’d expect. There’s even the Illuminati.
With the option to go in all guns blazing or take a stealthier route, the game can be played however the player wishes to experience it. Despite releasing in 2011, it remains a striking game visually and one of the finest cyberpunk games ever made.
Anachronox
Who said that Cyberpunk had to be serious all of the time? Anachronox is a ridiculous, bizarre title that dares to be different. It also features a cyberpunk setting as authentic as any other, with the city-planet Anachronox continuously shifting on artificial tectonic plates and citizens walking upside down on gravity-defying streets.
The story follows a down-on-his-luck private investigator nicknamed Sly Boots as he tries to stop the galaxy from being destroyed. Throughout the adventure, players will meet an eccentric cast and have literally laughed out loud at some exceptional writing. Anachronox is a game that deserves to be played.
Ruiner
If Deux Ex and Hotline Miami had a baby, it would be Ruiner. It couldn’t be further from Anachronox’s jovial tone, instead featuring overly violent non-stop action as the player slaughters dozens of enemies at one time.
Despite being a fast-paced gorefest, Ruiner boasts one of the most beautiful neon-soaked cyberpunk cities that you’re likely to find in any game, Rengkok – at least under Cyberpunk 2077 comes out. It’s one that cyberpunk fans have to experience.
Blade Runner
How could we exclude the Blade Runner game from a cyberpunk list?
Blade Runner was created by Westwood, the studio behind the original Command & Conquer and Dune games. The point and click adventure game bucked convention and became one of the most memorable games of the genre.
The game stars Ray McCoy, a fresh-faced rookie, as he investigates an animal murder at an exotic pet store (a crime on par with homicide real life). During the investigation, players find and must kill a group of rogue replicants, a group of synthetic humans who are almost indistinguishable from real people who are forbidden on Earth.
So, we’ve established that the story probably isn’t going to be the reason for you to play this forgotten gem. The main reason to install Blade Runner is to exist within its world. The atmosphere conveyed in those fuzzy 640×480 pre-rendered backgrounds eclipses that if most modern games. You must experience it if you’re a cyberpunk fan.
Remember Me
It is upsetting that Life Is Strange developer Dontnod’s first effort, Remember Me, is overlooked by so many cyberpunk and sci-fi fans. While it is undoubtedly imperfect – owing in part to inexperience on behalf of the developer and the lack of the budget necessary to do the futuristic landscape of Neoparis justice – Remember Me is quite simply a wonderful game.
The story is gripping, following a memory hunter named Nilin in a future where memories are bought, sold and manipulated at will. Nilin has had her own memories stripped from her and starts working with a terrorist organisation to bring down the number one memory implant corporation.
Everything from the narrative to the breathtaking setting is exceptional, missing only a downpour and a raincoat to cement itself as the perfect cyberpunk game.
What other cyberpunk games should we play while waiting for Cyberpunk 2077?
