There has always been an appeal towards the future when it comes to media and popular culture. One particular aesthetic that has appealed to the masses at least for the past few decades is cyberpunk. When movies like Blade Runner, Terminator and Total Recall came out in the 80s it was all the rage. And still to this day we are clamoring for more cyberpunk, especially in video games.

Cyberpunk in today’s culture

I’ve been reminded of the cyberpunk fever more recently with movie releases like Blade Runner 2049 and the Netflix series Altered Carbon. Although Blade Runner was not what you’d call a success at the box office, just like its predecessor I assure you it will be (if it isn’t already) a cult classic. The latter (Altered Carbon) on the other hand has found lots of success on the Netflix platform. These titles hold the spirit and aesthetic of cyberpunk intact, and they do it very well. I see a huge market for cyberpunk in the foreseeable future thanks to creators taking a chance on “bringing back” cyberpunk.

What makes Cyberpunk so appealing? Is it the dystopian future, where machines and robots take over? Is it the noir vibe that it gives off? Maybe it’s all of the above?

Cyberpunk games of the past

With video games and cyberpunk both dealing with technology it only makes sense that they would go hand in hand. Developers and creators have been making cyberpunk games for a while now. Some are a little obscure, but most have been well received. The list of titles is massive but I’ll go over a few that come to mind. You had games such as Syndicate, Rise of the Dragon and Shadowrun that fans of the genre will be well familiar with. Then you have games like the PC game Blade Runner, Deus Ex, System Shock 1 and 2, and of course the most famous cyberpunk game of them all, Snatcher. Hideo Kojima’s cyberpunk opus. It is very clear to see that Hideo Kojima was directly influenced by Blade runner and the cyberpunk genre in general when creating Snatcher.

More cyberpunk to come

I was reminded of the love for this genre with recent releases and some future releases that are on the horizon for us gamers. Again, the list of games in this genre is massive and still growing, but I’ll go over some highlights. You have games that have come out recently like 2064: Read Only Memories, which is explained as “A New Cyberpunk Adventure” that was directly influenced by Snatcher. Heck, it even has the voice actor of Gillian Seed (Jeff Lupetin) making a guest appearance in the game! Then there’s VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action that again includes cyberpunk in its title to let you know that’s what they’re going for. Let’s not forget DEX, which went under the radar with its quiet release. Observer, on the other hand, is a cyberpunk horror game that had quite a bit of success. Most recently, the game I can think of is The Red Strings Club, which I have yet to play but seems very compelling based on its synopsis.

In terms of upcoming games, one that I’m really excited for is The Last Night. It has received a lot of buzz for better or worse, but there’s no denying that it looks great with its unique 2.5D, pixel-art presentation. Lastly, and what I’m most excited for, is Cyberpunk 2077, which is being developed by CD Projekt Red of The Witcher fame. They have been extremely tight-lipped about the game, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m sure they’ll surprise us all when it releases (whenever that may be).

A cyberpunk future

If it isn’t clear yet, I love this genre and I’m glad that video game developers are diving in full force. I hope that gamers all over will give the genre a chance even if it feels a bit foreign. I still love my medieval, space, and horror-themed games of course, but who doesn’t love a little cyberpunk in their gaming? Here’s to a cyberpunk past, present, and future.