It's already known that Cyberpunk 2077 will heavily feature elements of cyberpunk, the science fiction subgenre in a futuristic setting that tends to focus on the combination of lowlife and high tech, but expect the setting of CD Projekt Red's RPG to shake up the genre.

During a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Cyberpunk 2077 concept art coordinator Marthe Jonkers said that the RPG's setting is designed to be a "fresh take" on the cyberpunk genre. The upcoming game is set in a fictional Californian metropolis of Night City, and despite its title, the setting looks uncommonly sunny for a genre known for its dark and rainy with its gritty neon dystopia.

"When we showed the demo last year, people were surprised at first that it was so sunny," Jonkers said "They expected rainy, dark cyberpunk but you can make a cyberpunk city in California. Of course, it will rain there, because we have a weather system, and it will also be night, but we are really trying to get this fresh take on cyberpunk."

Cyberpunk 2077's Night City is developed on the foundation of four distinct visual styles, each of which feature the different ages of cultural and socio-economic growth in the Cyberpunk world between 2020 and the events of the RPG. This creates a unique world in the Cyberpunk universe, one that lets players instantly recognize the age of a building or when the car was manufactured. "That was really, really important to us, to make a unique take on Cyberpunk," Jonkers said. "And I really like that when people see screenshots of our game, they recognize it as our style."

The first era is called Entropism, and it's one of intense poverty, so the designs from that time look plain. "The designs from that era are very practical, more about practicality than whether it looks nice or is decorated," Jonkers explained.

The second era is Kitsch, a period of time when Night City's economy recovered and allowed the low- and middle-class to invest in more extravagant things.

Kitsch was followed by Neomilitarism, which saw the rise of rich corportations, and where all the tall and incredible skyscrapers are from.

The final era is Neokitsch, which saw the divide between the rich and poor grow wider. Several members of the rich also started adopting the colorful style of the poor, but with a more money-focused twist such as clothes made of animal pelts.

According to Jonkers, this level of world-building allows CD Projekt Red to tell stories about the denizens of Night City without expositional conversations.

"There are layers to the design of Night City and all its inhabitants, so when you drive around and you see a building that's sort of pink with these soft edges, and the windows are sort of soft shaped, you know that this is kitsch style, and you know that was built in that period of time where people had more money back then," she explained. "It's telling you a story about the background of the city, and gives an extra layer of believability."

I'm glad that the futuristic world CD Projekt Red created is bringing some fresh elements we haven't seen in the cyberpunk genre before.

Here's a description of the Cyberpunk 2077 game:

"Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world, action-adventure story set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification. You play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality. You can customize your character’s cyberware, skillset and playstyle, and explore a vast city where the choices you make shape the story and the world around you."

Cyberpunk 2077 is set to release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on April 16, 2020.

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