Cyberpunk is a science-fiction sub-genre dealing with the integration of society and technology in dystopian settings. Often referred to as “low-life and high tech,” Cyberpunk stories deal with outsiders (punks) who fight against the oppressors in society (usually mega corporations that control everything) via technological means (cyber). If the punks aren’t actively fighting against a megacorp, they’re still dealing with living in a world completely dependent on high technology.
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What was the first cyberpunk video game you played? Were you playing the point & click adventure games back on DOS? Shadowrun on SNES? Deus Ex on PC? Or did you just recently discover this thing called "cyberpunk" with Cyberpunk 2077?
I'm curious how long everyone here has been into cyberpunk.
Syndicate. Control 4 agents doing corporate espionage missions.
Would Wasteland count as cyberpunk? It has nearly all the same tropes, but instead of being in a somewhat functional corpocratic dystopia, the dystopia is because it's post-apocalyptic.
If not, then the first cyberpunk thing I've played is Crusader: No Remorse. That one is definitely cyberpunk.
I'm not really into that style of gaming, but I did try "Watch Dogs" for a couple hours. I mention this bc I thought the hacking part was the most interesting, and when I mentioned this to a friend they directed me to picoCTF: https://picoctf.org/. Basically this is a training environment aimed at high schoolers to teach them how to do hacking "capture the flag" competitions. So it's realistic in terms of teaching real hacking skills, but back when I did it they had a "game mode" where your character walked through this 2D environment and solved challenges as part of a story. I could only solve some of the challenges, but still it was pretty cool. Anyway, the web page is still up, don't know if they still have the game mode.
... Crystal caves?
Or Beneath a steel sky?
Also Wolfenstein had that cyberdolf.
And Doom had cyberdemon.
But my memory def goes to System Shocks and Deus Ex. Love them. Actually I love all of the mentioned.
Have you tried playing Beyond a Steel Sky? I haven't played it but I can't imagine a sequel released so many years after the original would be any good. I could be wrong though, maybe it's fun.
Didn't know about the sequel, it doesn't look horrible tbh (I got past the modern-design-shock that hit me at first in 20 or 30 seconds as the trailer played).
But yeah, if I get around to play it I'll def manage my expectations.
Flashback. Still one of my favorites too.
...i was going to say flashback or mean streets, but no, it was definitely the original tron arcade game; that pre-dated even war games...
...before a certain point in the early eighties, the line between cyberpunk and science fiction gets pretty blurry, so i don't think anything i played in the seventies counts...
Shadowrun on SNES. And I'm running Shadowrun tonight for the first time in literal decades (I last GMed it when I was in middle school!), for people who haven't played before; I'm so nervous and unprepared! I hope that even if I mangle the rules I can get across the vibes.
Good luck!
Thanks chummer, I'll need it!
Don't get brain-burnt! (Am I doing it right, been too long...)
For me it was Cops 2170 I had a human sized rat policing the streets and ahooting up bad guys
Interphase (Amiga/Atari ST, 1989).
The player moves around in virtual space of a corporate system while their partner infiltrates the actual space of the building. You have to disable electrified doors and reroute security bots etc to create a path through the offices, all while fighting off defensive programs
Unusually for the era you steer with the mouse and it’s all in vector graphics.
G-Police, 1997, PC.
I absolutely love and played the shit out of Deus Ex, but, technically, I played G Police first.
G-Police Lore / Setting
The year is 2097.
Following the exhaustion of all natural resources on Earth, an ensuing rapid militarization and colonization of the solar system's planets and moons, and a further devastating extra planetary war between large multi national coalitions...
... large megacorporations assumed outright control of most of these colonies, abolished the construction of capital class space vessels, and have forced the demilitarization of Earth's remaning nation states.
What remains of them is a collaborative police force, largely focused on localized peacekeeping, anti piracy and anti terrorist operations.
The G-Police.
...
You are brooding male noir protagonist, a veteran pilot of the the earlier interplanetary wars.
Flying for the G-Police is basically the only semi-lucrative job option you've got left.
But for you... there's also a personal motive.
Your sister flew for the G-Police too, a promising rookie with idealized notions of justice. She was rising fast, earning accomodations, even spoke of a potential lover.
But then she 'committed suicide', was apparently quite depressed and overstressed.
You don't buy that for a minute.
Somebody killed her, went to the trouble of covering it up, and you want to know who and why.
Now you've managed to obscure your identity while keeping your flying record intact, landing you a post in the G-Police, in the same unit your sister was in, determined to find the truth.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Vbm6RICA8_4&pp=ygUOZyBwb2xpY2UgaW50cm8%3D
Does Duke Nukem 2D on PC count?
I never really considered Duke Nukem to be cyberpunk... but yeah, that screenshot totally looks like it came from a cyberpunk game. Weird.
Yah, maybe it's more just sci-fi.
In that case, the first Deus Ex game was my first. Great stuff back then. Hard to play now, IMO.
Shadowrun origins but I didn't get as far in it as I should have. First finished was Transistor.
This answer may be a cheat and a stretch, but hear me out...
Star Wars: Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight
Specifically, the opening levels set in Nar Shaddaa, one of my favorite, underappreciated locations in the extended universe.
The whole moon was one giant, grimey, neon-lit city blanketed in night, overrun with sleazy organized criminals and jazz music. Pretty big noir vibes too.
It's the first time I remember experiencing the aesthetic, which felt so sharply different from the colorful, swashbuckling Star Wars I had known. And I knew I loved it.
@Hammerjack sadly didn't have to play any of those, but I played cyberpunk 2077. do you have any recommendations? since I'm getting to like the cyberpunk genre of games!
It really depends on what genre of games you like, can you give me any hints?
In general, if you like the first-person perspective action RPGs like Cyberpunk 2077 definitely check out Deus Ex: Human Revolution and its sequel Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. If you like 2d action RPGs, check out Dex.
If you like twin-stick shooters, check out Ruiner or The Ascent. I absolutely loved The Ascent.
If you like turn-based RPGs, check out Shadowrun: Dragonfall.
If you like point-and-click adventure games, check out VirtuaVerse or Technobabylon.
If you like walking simulators (first-person, no combat), check out Observer or maybe Nobody Wants To Die (which I haven't played yet).
If you like roguelikes, check out Akane or Black Future '88.
@Hammerjack I play The As cent, I loved the way the world is built. I played it with my brother since we like co-op games. Still didn't finish it tho, but yes I lean more to action RPGs like cyberpunk 2077, thanks for the recommendations! 🙂
System shock 1. I loved the danger zones and safe zones and hacking the med bay to increase the safe zones.
Have you tried the remake? I always liked SS2 and thought SS1 was too clunky but I'm not sure if that means I'd want to play a remake of SS1.
I haven't tried the remake.
I thought the first half of SS2 was amazing. After the bio labs the level design and story felt rushed and uninteresting. Presumably forced to release before they were done.
Had no idea there was a Neuromancer video game.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuromancer_(video_game)
Anyways, probably System Shock 2 for me.
If you want to try it out, you can play the Neuromancer game in your browser at the internet archive.
Deus Ex. I sucked at it.
I believe it was:
Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight
from 1990 for the NES.
and if that's the game I'm thinking of, it is a pretty cool game.
That game was so weird! I was always so confused why it was called Street Fighter when it was a 2d platformer in space.
I think I started playing it because it was called "the final fight" and I liked that SNES game.
I think it's supposed to be a spin-off of Street fighter, but it has nothing to do with the game obviously.
yeah, capcom made it as a spin-off of the original arcade game, but without any of the characters or plot or mechanics or set pieces or anything haha.
The main character's name is Kevin.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_Fighter_2010:_The_Final_Fight
Maybe that's the long form for Ken?
hahaha that would be the funniest!
"hi, I'm Ken, short for Kevin."
that's really great.
that probably is why they named the character Kevin.
It's Ken from sf6 with the VI logo.
Deus Ex, one of the best RPG's ever. Ashamed they kind of ran that IP down to the ground