From the neon lights to the cybernetic enhancements, cyberpunk as a genre has become more and more beloved in the public eye. It's likely due to the fast evolution of modern technology and the idea that cyberpunk is growing closer to a possible future than a fantasy. As a result, game developers have given players the chance to live out the future today via video games.
Some cyberpunk games are iconic, such as the Deus Ex series and the aptly titled Cyberpunk 2077. However, for every title that shined brightly in the spotlight, there are others that never reached the radar of gamers. Either they failed to appeal due to the niche nature of the genre, or simply were overshadowed by other games at the time. Either way, these cyberpunk games deserve more attention.
9 Predator: Concrete Jungle (2005)
During the height of multiplayer-based games set in the Alien/Predator universe, Predator: Concrete Jungle was one of the few attempts at a solely single-player experience. It delves into the near-immortality of the Yautja hunter race, featuring a dishonored hunter paying for crimes he committed by returning to Earth in the distant future.
It's an interesting idea, taking the general concept of 1990's Predator 2 and taking it into the future. Concrete Jungle's high-tech future city allows for the Predator series to dabble in some different ideas, such as human villains utilizing Yautja technology to advance themselves. Despite some dated elements such as the less-than-stellar camera, Predator: Concrete Jungle is addictive, and the world it creates feels fleshed out and thought through.
8 Invisible, Inc. (2015)
Rather than a typical action game, Invisible, Inc. goes for a turn-based tactics game in a similar vein as XCOM or Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. Invisible, Inc. also puts heavy emphasis on the stealth side of tactical gameplay, forcing the player to think carefully instead of going in to blast everything.
It also takes place in a cyberpunk world with a neon-filled city, lots of rain, and colorful characters straight out of an anime. The visuals are half of the appeal when it comes to Invisible, Inc. — sometimes it is so well-illustrated that the characters and universe seem perfect for an adult animated series or movie.
7 Killzone: Shadow Fall (2013)
One of the first big titles for the PS4, Killzone: Shadow Fall made a splash at launch but quickly faded away. It was discarded as a generic first-person shooter, since it focused less on a groundbreaking story and more on the combat gameplay.
In a way, that's true, since the story is not deep with any complex characters. However, Killzone: Shadow Fall makes up for that with tight controls and a hyper-advanced cyberpunk world. Killzone: Shadow Fall showed players what new consoles were going to provide with modern shooters. It's best to view it less like The Last Of Us, and more akin to shooters in the same vein as Doom Eternal, where the whole idea is to have fun killing enemies with high-tech guns.
6 Mega Man Legends (1997)
Also known as Mega Man 64 on the Nintendo 64, Mega Man Legends received unfair backlash due to the change from a 2D action platformer to an open-world action RPG. Is it different and even a little awkward to get used to the control? Yes, but once that steep learning curve is passed, Mega Man Legends is a really fun RPG that deserves more appreciation.
Rather than the standard Mega Man affair of running and gunning, there are tons of main and side missions to accomplish across the island nation that Mega Man is stuck on. This world is so advanced that even the ancient underground dungeons are technological, while the world is a mix of cyberpunk and contemporary. Plus, Mega Man can unlock a variety of high-tech tools to equip or upgrade, leading to a game filled with a surprising amount of content.
5 Spider-Man: Edge Of Time (2011)
Most gamers and Marvel fans fondly remember Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions as one of the best Spider-Man games, since it did the Spider-Verse concept before it was cool. However, most tend to forget that Shattered Dimensions had a sequel in the form of Spider-Man: Edge Of Time. This time it focuses purely on Peter Parker and the future Spider-Man Miguel O'Hara from the year 2099.
Both Spider-Men go on a time-warping journey, fighting villains and exploring the super bright and neon future version of New York City. With plenty of twists and turns alongside effective combat for both versions of Spider-Man, fans of Shattered Dimensions should find Edge Of Time and give it a shot.
4 System Shock (1994)
In many ways, System Shock and its sequel are the precursors to the BioShock games. They mix fast-paced action with dark atmospheric exploration of a dilapidated utopian world, all while a threatening voice guides the player.
System Shock 2 is often considered to be a superior sequel, since it takes everything that made the first game so good and dials it up. Sadly, with games like the BioShock trilogy, many have forgotten about the System Shock games. With System Shock getting a remake in the future, now is the perfect time to rediscover the two cult gems.
3 Blade Runner (1997)
The movie Blade Runner is one of the biggest pioneers when it comes to the cyberpunk subgenre, but surprisingly, not many games were made based on the film. In 1997, though, there was a point-and-click adventure title that told its own story within the same universe as the Blade Runner movie. The story runs parallel to the story of the film, even connecting to it a few times.
Fans of early point-and-click titles such as Myst or Grim Fandango will enjoy this one. It mixes the puzzle-solving elements with an engaging story that stays loyal to the source material, while giving fans the closest things to a Blade Runner sequel before Blade Runner 2049 ever existed.
2 Tron 2.0 (2002)
Tron 2.0 was the officially-made sequel to the original Tron from 1982 in video game form. Bruce Boxleitner returned to voice Alan, and the story featured Alan's son being pulled into the Grid to face off a threat in an even more powerful version of the world inside of a video game.
Where the film sequel Tron Legacy upgraded the visuals to fit a more modern style, Tron 2.0 keeps the neon look of the 1982 movie and makes it into a massive world for the player to experience in an intuitive first-person shooter. The developers cleverly thought out how the Grid technology works in the form of weapons, and the story truly feels like a genuine attempt to expand the lore established in the first film.
1 Binary Domain (2012)
In the late 2000s and early 2010s, the third-person shooter genre had become a bit too saturated. Many companies were trying their best to replicate the likes of what the Gears Of War and Resident Evil titles had practically perfected. One diamond in the rough was a shooter called Binary Domain, which quickly vanished into obscurity despite good reviews.
The setting is very cyberpunk with the city looking straight out of something like Ghost In The Shell or i,Robot. It even features a similar concept as i,Robot, with an advanced robot sect that begins rising up to fight their oppressors. It mixes sci-fi, action, and horror, and delivers a strong shooter with dialogue options, squad commands, and a plethora of different enemies to keep things fresh and tension-filled.