Summary
Cyberpunkis a theme that has commonly been explored throughout both gaming and film. These adventures usuallypresent a futuristic cityor world that is heavily controlled by corporations. One of the most popular cyberpunk titles to release in recent years isCyberpunk 2077, but this isn’t the only incredible open-world cyberpunk adventure to be had.
The Outer Worldsis an interesting RPG experience, as players may consider this game to be more pure sci-fi than cyberpunk. However, a large part ofThe Outer Worldsis how the majority of the planets are owned by the corporation known as Spacer’s Choice.
Those that live on these planets are ownedby Spacer’s Choice, with some even having to pay off their debts to the corporation after their death. Spacer’s Choice isn’t the only bad company inThe Outer Worlds.Players encounter many other corporations that they can either help or rebel against.
The entireWatch Dogsfranchise could be considered part of the cyberpunk genre, though it only becomes more obvious withWatch Dogs: Legion, which takes place in afuturistic version of London.Watch Dogs: Legionplays heavily into the abuse of technology and how those that have authority over it use it to keep others down.
Players are left rebelling against the corporations that created this technology. Their job is to some of the company’s own gear against them to free the common folk from the claws of these companies.
Some players may be surprised to see an action title likeDeath Strandingon a list of open-world cyberpunk games. However, in this open world, players are tasked with traveling between bunkers with deliveries. It presents a post-apocalyptic world where corporations like Bridges are still relied upon for survival.
A lot of the story revolves around this government body that the player hardly encounters, but is expected to do work for. Each bunker relies on the resources given to them from the others. Not to mention,Death Strandingeven received aCyberpunk 2077update which included six new missions that contained lore and characters from the cyberpunk RPG itself.
In the open world ofShadows of Doubt, players are able to explore freely as a private detective solving cases in a dystopian cyberpunk world. Since this is the only way for the player’s character to make money, it is up to them to ask the harsh questions and do some digging as they solve various crimes in a cyberpunk world with a noire style to it.
In such a gritty world, players may be curious as to why many of the residents continue to work. It’s all for thechance of retiringand making it to The Fields, a suburban retirement district that leaves many aspiring to make it there eventually. This is the goal that Starch Kola uses to push people.
Mirror’s Edge: Catalysttakes part in a beautiful city made up of glass skyscrapers. While this world may look beautiful compared to the usual grime of other cyberpunk titles,Mirror’s Edgeis still an open world that follows this theme. While free running across these various buildings and exploring this overly perfect city, players are likely to encounter the corporations that they are fighting against for freedom.
The majority of the civilians in this glass city are all connected to the same surveillance system through a neural link. This invasive practice is only made worse through the corporations' plans to control the entire population through the grid that connects everyone. Naturally, the player can’t allow this to happen.
Players looking for a new open world cyberpunk RPG to enjoy should look no further thanThe Ascent. Withthird-person shooterstyle combat in a cyberpunk world, players are able to create a cybernetically enhanced character that must work for the corporations if they hope to ascend the various floors ofThe Ascent.
Since The Ascent Group, the corporation that controls the place the player works, collapsed, the district is forced to survive for itself with various groups and other corporations attempting to take control. In this cyberpunk world, the player once belonged to the corporation. But now, they must attempt to survive without it, and show others that there is still a way to go on.
Cloudpunkmay not have as many gameplay features as the other open world games mentioned. However, it is still a well-thought-out cyberpunk-themed world with an interesting story for players to uncover as they make various deliveries around the futuristic city.
Players work for a delivery company withinCloudpunkthat not only collects and delivers parcels, but also gives various people lifts around the city. The choices a player makes while on these deliveries change the world around them for better or for worse, as they learn about who controls the city ofCloudpunkand see how each of their customers' stories progress.
Cyberpunk 2077had a rocky start, but over the years since it was first released, CD Projekt Red has built a cyberpunk-themed game that many other titles have aspired to replicate.Cyberpunk 2077is not only an incredible RPG experience, but also includes a phenomenal open world that feels as if the player could live within it.
With an assortment of life paths to choose at the start of the game, players quickly learn the pecking order of the various lifestyleswithin Night Cityand how corporations like Arasaka control almost everything. Even the cybernetics the player uses against corporations were first made by these very people.
