Cyberpunk Video Games | Console & PC

As there are numerous video games that have overlapping themes or settings that could be argued to be cyberpunk, particularly in the First Person Shooting gameplay type, this list has been truncated to those titles with heavily involved narratives with settings and themes that are decidedly within the genre. The titles are ordered by publishing year; older games can be emulated, or if you’d just like to enjoy the story lines and aesthetics, one can find dozens of play-throughs per title on streaming video sites like YouTube. Neuromancer | Date Released: 1988 | Platform: MS-DOS, Apple II, Commodore 64 | Gameplay SampleGameplay Type: Point and Click AdventureSummary: A quasi-side story to the famous cyberpunk novel, this is a well-made and somewhat campy/humorous game for those who enjoy classic point and click adventures. The computer hacking portion of the game was novel for its time and influenced future titles. Snatcher | Date Released: 1988 | Platform: MSX2 | Fan TrailerGameplay Type: Point and Click Adventure with Shooter ComponentsSummary: Hideo Kojima’s riff on Blade Runner with a stunning soundtrack and well illustrated anime-style visuals. While sometimes humorous, the narrative can be at times suspenseful and the title still holds up today as a kind of visual novel interspersed with static shooter action sequences. Any cyberpunk fan who likes gaming should check this out. The Sega CD version released in 1994 is far superior in audio quality and graphics than the original MSX2 game. Circuit’s Edge | Date Released: 1990 | Platform: PC | Intro Gameplay Type: Point and Click AdventureSummary: Based on the book When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger. It has a unique setting for the cyberpunk genre in a future Middle East. Circuit’s Edge casts you as Marîd Audran, a private investigator in The Budayeen where transhumanism, neural and muscular implants and personality brain chips are the norms. Tasked with uncovering a murder conspiracy, Marîd the game features diverse puzzles, branching dialogues and time/resource management challenges, offering a compelling narrative experience directly connected to the novel. If you like point and click adventures or enjoyed When Gravity Fails, this is definitely worth checking out. Rise of the Dragon | Date Released: 1990 | Platform: Amiga, MS-DOS, Macintosh, Sega CD | Opening and IntroGameplay Type: Point and Click AdventureSummary: A heavily Blade Runner-inspired adventure game (literally titled a “Blade Hunter Adventure” on the game credits) with gritty visuals and a dark atmosphere. The aesthetic is on point and if you enjoy narrative driven point and click adventure games such as Snatcher (1994) then this is one of best titles in this list despite its age. SD Snatcher | Date Released: 1990 | Platform: MSX2 | Trailer for English Fan TranslationGameplay Type: Turn-Based Role-Playing GameSummary: A riff on a riff, then-Konami-employed game designer Hideo Kojima blended his Blade Runner (1982) point and click adventure homage, Snatcher (1988), with the bobble-headed aesthetic and turn-based RPG style from the NES/SNES’ Final Fantasy into this Japan-only cyberpunk MSX2 title. SD (which stands for Super Deformed) Snatcher is an all new story, but based around the same premise of androids infiltrating human society ala Invasion of the Body Snatchers (there’s that signature Kojima creativity at work again). If you want a 16-bit Final Fantasy but in the cyberpunk genre, this is it. Like Snatcher (1988), the game features plenty of 4th wall breaking humour and references to other Kojima titles. For years SD Snatcher was ultra-rare and only playable by those fluent in Japanese, however thanks to Project Melancholia, the entire game has been translated and can be played for free in a browser-based emulator here: [ LINK ]. Shadowrun | Date Released: 1993 | Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System | OpeningGameplay Type: Isometric Real Time Role Playing GameSummary: Extremely well-regarded at the time, this RPG borrows elements of Shadowrun’s Never Deal with a Dragon novel for its plot. A completely different beast in terms of game mechanics, aesthetics, and storyline to the Sega Mega Drive title, fans of Western RPG mystery games from the 16-bit era will appreciate this game. Shadowrun | Date Released: 1994 | Platform: Sega Mega Drive/Genesis | Opening Gameplay Type: Isometric Real Time Role Playing GameSummary: A completely different game in terms of plot and gameplay to the 1993 SNES title. Despite it’s age, this 16 bit title features everything one could want from a cyberpunk RPG including the ability to upgrade firearms with legal and black market auxiliaries, undergo surgery for cybernetic implants, and take on clandestine runs against corporations. The Matrix hacking component  is heavily visually inspired by the representation shown in Neuromancer (1988), though significantly more involved and faster-paced in terms of gameplay. The game does well to blend a fully fleshed out semi-linear story line together with an open world RPG experience. Burn Cycle | Date Released: 1994 | Platform: Phillips CD-i | TrailerGameplay Type: Point and Click AdventureSummary: A Full Motion Video adventure game with static shooter and puzzle mini-games interspersed throughout. Burn Cycle has a fleshed out world, an interesting cast of characters and enough cyberpunk tropes to keep fans of the genre satisfied. The soundtrack is well regarded and the plot and script are comparable to an entertaining, albeit B-Grade, sci-fi film. Policenauts | Date Released: 1996 | Platform: PSX | TrailerGameplay Type: Point and Click AdventureSummary: Another Hideo Kojima adventure, Policenauts has a much longer and more complex storyline. The humour of Snatcher is reduced and the cast of characters and settings has been multiplied. Again, the soundtrack is very high quality and the visuals are more advanced than Snatcher’s, with the same kind of gameplay and shooter elements. While Snatcher’s aesthetic is considerably more cyberpunk as it is a Blade Runner homage, the near-future science fiction backdrop of Policenauts is both relevant and impressive. A comprehensive, high-quality, fan-subbed ISO has been made available to allow non-Japanese speakers the chance to play this title on the PSX system. Along with Snatcher I would consider this a must play for any gamer who is interested in cyberpunk mysteries. Blade Runner | Date Released: 1997 | Platform: Microsoft Windows | TrailerGameplay Type: 3rd Person Perspective Point and Click AdventureSummary: One of the first video games to use 3D rendering, this game is a “sidequel” where the the player controls a blade runner detective on his own quest at the same time as Deckard’s story in the 1982 film. Despite this title’s age, the graphics and aesthetic are still enjoyable to immerse in and the plot and storyline are well-written and provide an expansive update to the film’s own lore and world building. There are multiple endings and NPCs in the game world will be acting on choices the character makes in the game in real time, providing a very immersive and customised experience for gamers. Ghost in the Shell | Date Released: 1997 | Platform: PSX | TrailerGameplay Type: Third Person Shooter (Mecha)Summary: Brilliant cut scenes for the time, featuring the original voice cast from the 1994 GITS film. This is a simple and fun mecha shooter, letting you control a smaller cop-spec version of the spider tank from the end of the movie. Fans of the GITS franchise will enjoy the animated cut scenes and the plot which was made just for this game. For those looking for a more cyberpunk gaming experience or to be immersed in the aesthetic, this is probably not worth your time. Syndicate Wars | Date Released: 1997 | Platform: DOS & PSX | TrailerGameplay: Top View StrategySummary: 95 years after the first Syndicate game takes place, the EuroCorp megacorp has total control over the world, practicing mind control using implanted “CHIPs”. The totalitarian syndicate is threatened by the Church of the New Epoch who release a virus, damaging CHIP implants. At the start of the game the player has the choice to be an executive of EuroCorp or a member of the Church of the New Epoch. Omikron: The Nomad Soul | Date Released: 1999 | Platform: PC & Dreamcast | Trailer Gameplay Type: Third Person, Side On and First Person View (depending on the situation) Adventure GameSummary: The planet Phaeon entered an ice age after it’s sun died and the densely populated city Omikron was built under a large crystal dome to protect against it. The city is divided into multiple sectors and the citizens are not allowed to leave their respective sector. The player is tasked to solve a serial killer case, taking over the body of an Omikronian police officer; with the goal to gather as much information as possible. As the story progresses, multiple conspiracies come to light. It also features an abstract version of David Bowie. Deus Ex | Date Released: 2000 | Platform: Microsoft Windows | TrailerGameplay Type: First Person Shooter Role Playing GameSummary: Set in 2052, this was the definitive cyberpunk title for some time, acting as a rookie counter-terrorist with a globalist agency. With a central plot heavily focused on conspiracy theories and a secret cabal controlling the world, the player has significant flexibility in how they may navigate the environment and solve problems. These include: stealth, sniping, combat, conversation, and computer hacking. The game world is comprehensively fleshed out and fan mods provide an even greater open world experience and more side-quests.