Best Games To Play If You Love Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 launched in 2020, and CD Projekt Red’s sci-fi open-world RPG was met with a mixed reception. A lot of the criticism stemmed from the game’s poor state on last-generation hardware, along with a handful of missing features; since then, the developer released a few updates and a major expansion that succeeded in turning around Cyberpunk 2077‘s reputation. In the game, gang wars, corporation wars, and robotics have merged with every aspect of daily life. This title was, by no means, the first to show off this kind of setting.

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From Deus Ex to Shadowrun, there are plenty of projects out there that trade in futurism, neurotechnology, and capitalist intrigue. Then there are cyberpunk adjacent games like Metal Gear Solid or Killzone. While these titles include elements of cyberpunk, they don’t give gamers the full experience.

What are the best games like Cyberpunk 2077 that fans need to play?

While cyberpunk-themed games will be prioritized, the selection will not be limited to that sub-genre. Also, The Witcher 3 has been omitted since it is too obvious.

Updated November 18, 2023: With the release of the Phantom Liberty expansion and its 2.0 update, Cyberpunk 2077 has completed its redemption arc. At this point, CD Projekt Red should generally be done tinkering with its sci-fi RPG, permitting the developer to focus on other highly-anticipated projects that are in the pipeline. Currently, Cyberpunk 2077’s future as a franchise looks good since a sequel is reportedly in development, although years are likely to pass before any significant information drops regarding Project Orion. In the meantime, fans should check out some great games like Cyberpunk 2077.

17 The Ascent

Dense Cyberpunk City

The Ascent is a top-down cooperative shooter rooted heavily in a cyberpunk theme. The gameplay is a bit hectic at times, with heavy action and shooting elements blended together with RPG mechanics that will let players customize their own characters.

They are skills to unlock and cyberwear to wield that can help reshape how a character plays to better suit a specific play style. Those looking to immerse themselves in another cyberpunk-inspired world after Cyberpunk 2077 will find a lot of visual beauty here.

16 Dishonored 2

Build Fluidity

Although it’s not nearly as futuristic and cyberpunk-inspired as Cyberpunk 2077, Dishonored 2 offers players a lot of entertainment via similar gameplay mechanics. Much like Cyberpunk 2077, players will be able to build their character as they see fit, unlocking skills and abilities that adhere to their own personal play style.

Dishonored is mission-based but does offer some explorative moments, allowing gamers to tackle each level as they see fit, deciding whether to do things in a stealthy manner or simply lay waste to their enemies by overpowering them with weapons and magic-like abilities.

15 Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

’80s Action Sci-Fi Cheese, In The Best Possible Way

Despite a lukewarm response to recent Far Cry games, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon broke the mold in terms of visuals. The game offers a simple plot: “get the girl, kill the baddies, and save the world.” More importantly, Blood Dragon delivers frenzied combat action and pretty-to-look-at lasers to boot.

Though it doesn’t pose questions about corporations or robotics, it does make players feel like a hero out of a cheesy ’80s flick. Blood Dragon is a bit on the short side, which might be a nice refresher after Cyberpunk 2077 and its 40+ hours of gameplay.

14 System Shock 2

Cyberpunk Royalty

This game and its predecessor are basically cyberpunk royalty. The 1999 ARPG incorporated horror elements into its cyberpunk setting aboard a starship in 2114. System Shock featured elements such as hacking, FPS combat, and puzzles. The game also makes use of implants and upgrades to unlock different abilities including psionics.

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Players will never forget the murderous AI SHODAN, who wanted to kill everyone from the first game. The second game has a Russian oligarch resurrect the company that led to SHODAN’s creation and is now testing an FTL starship. Unsurprisingly, SHODAN makes a comeback despite the presence of aliens(?), as well. Though old, System Shock 2 is a must-play for fans of the cyberpunk genre.

13 Cloudpunk

Immersive Cyberpunk Setting

Cloudpunk has two rules: don’t deliver late and DO NOT ask what’s in the box. While the game is more like a walking simulator, the setting, voice acting, and sound design are top-notch. Cloudpunk also offers customization options for the HOVA on top of improvements like bumpers.

The city construction is a perfect example of how a cyberpunk future might be conceived. The only downside is that the story is an inch deep and a mile wide. Gamers who want a more in-depth or dynamic experience should look elsewhere.

12 Shadowrun Trilogy

Another Sci-Fi Tabletop Epic

Shadowrun Trilogy contains Shadowrun Returns, Dragonfall – Director’s Cut, and Hong Kong – Extended Edition. Based on a tabletop RPG franchise, these games are tactical turn-based RPGs that tell largely standalone stories set within different cities. While they build upon each other in terms of mechanics and themes, they can be experienced in isolation.

Although they incorporate a degree of exploration, these titles are rather story-driven, with each one containing a lot of dialogue and character moments as they guide players down a linear path. Shadowrun‘s writing is generally top-notch, and the series offers a unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy.

11 Transistor

Great Visuals, Great Storytelling

Though Supergiant Games’ most famous hit, Hades, is Greek-inspired, Transistor was the studio’s next release after Bastion. It follows a vocalist who lost her voice and a talking sword as they traverse Cloudbank City. The game features a unique turn-based combo combat system, but the setting is also distinctly cyberpunk.

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Everywhere Red goes, these robotic droids hound and impede her. She finds former comrades and enemies who have been “integrated” into The Process. Transistor‘s backgrounds are gorgeous with a cohesive color palette and Art-Deco styling. Though the narrative doesn’t involve cybernetics, the game wrestles with the same questions that any good cyberpunk story needs to address.

10 Citizen Sleeper

Tabletop Spirit

Although Cyberpunk 2077‘s tabletop origins are well documented, CD Projekt Red primarily used the source material’s setting and themes rather than its gameplay routine (although, this aspect was not completely ignored either). Conversely, Citizen Sleeper plays closer to a traditional in-person RPG, to the point that players start each day by rolling dice to guide their actions for the immediate future. In a space station home to people seeking to escape their overlords, players step into the shoes of a synthetic human who is trying to lie low after escaping the company that owns them.

Citizen Sleeper adheres to classic role-playing standards by truly immersing people in their new lives. Placing a lot of focus on the protagonist’s day-to-day routine, the game encourages players to get to know the locals and explore the minor stories that populate this fascinating world.

9 Invisible, Inc.

Infiltrate

Invisible, Inc. is another title for XCOM fans as it has players create infiltration squads. Gameplay includes hacking and roguelike elements, as well. As usual with a cyberpunk game, megacorporations control everything and the player’s private intelligence firm has been breached. In three days, the player must prepare to get into the enemy headquarters to implant an AI.

There are tons of opportunities to engage in emergent gameplay as missions increase in difficulty the longer players stay on them. This title, from the studio that created Don’t Starve, encourages replays with its duality of a dire scenario and infinite combat options.

8 Deus Ex: Human Revolution

One Of The Peaks Of Cyberpunk Games

While the last game in this series, Mankind Divided, was a bit polarizing, Deus Ex: Human Revolution stands out as perhaps the pinnacle of cyberpunk games (along with the original Deus Ex). It gets as close to a Ghost in The Shell: Stand Alone Complex plot as a game can get. There are corrupt corporations, genetic manipulation, cybernetics, and, of course, a human revolution.

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This entry builds on the events and gameplay of the first game in the series, 2000’s Deus Ex. Players take on the role of Adam Jensen in a prequel to the original game that explains how Jensen became augmented. Despite its age, Deus Ex: Human Revolution holds up and offers players many choices that truly have an impact on its story.

7 Syndicate

Mega Corps

Syndicate shares shallow similarities with Cyberpunk 2077, in the sense that they both embrace quintessential themes of their genre. Unlike CD Projekt Red’s RPG, Syndicate is a straight-up first-person shooter that casts players as a Mega Corporation’s super-powered agent. Visually, the game looks great for its era and does an impressive job of bringing to life its cold, grimy world; however, the presentation is let down somewhat by a forgettable storyline that struggles to maintain its momentum.

Despite the occasional stumble, Syndicate‘s gunplay is more than enjoyable enough to justify a playthrough. The game also has an online co-op campaign that is surprisingly fun, arguably more so than the single-player. While finding someone to play with in this day and age is not easy, it is not impossible either.

6 The Outer Worlds

Similar Themes, Funnier Execution

Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds is basically Fallout: New Vegas in space, albeit with small planet-based hubs replacing a continuous open-world. Otherwise, the games prioritize similar ingredients, mainly dialogue, character customization, and world-building. While quite different from Cyberpunk 2077 as a whole, the two share common threads since they both focus fairly heavily on the expansion and influence of commercialism. Naturally, they are critical of most of their in-game Mega Corporations, even if The Outer Worlds opts for a comedic tone compared to Cyberpunk 2077‘s more serious narrative.

Although it was not always the case, CD Projekt Red’s sci-fi epic has gradually developed into an above-average first-person shooter that features decent gunplay elevated by robust build variety and secondary mechanics. The Outer Worlds‘ weakest aspect is arguably its combat, which is not particularly weighty or varied. However, the game really nails its character customization, allowing players to fine-tune their protagonists’ personalities to change the way they approach quests and NPCs.

5 Dex

Augmentation Is The Game’s Heart

Open-world games offer great opportunities to explore, but a more on-rails experience can still offer incredible world-building and visuals. Dex offers such an experience with its detailed backgrounds and 2.5D gameplay. It also features hacking mini-games and other puzzles like vault picking.

Players can enhance their cybernetics as they work to unlock the conspiracy behind Dex’s augmentations. It is a definite win for fans of the Metroidvania style of game.

4 Starfield

Big, Bold, & Bethesda

Bethesda’s Starfield is an expansive and ambitious space opera that covers a few similar themes to Cyberpunk 2077, although they are still ultimately quite different. Like most of Bethesda’s projects, the central storyline is an appetizer rather than the main course, and it is one of the game’s more polarizing aspects. However, Starfield shines in its scale, surprisingly enjoyable combat, great progression system, and customization.

While featuring a couple of reasonably large cities, Starfield mostly pushes players to explore its procedurally generated planets, so the title does not have anything quite on the level of Night City. Still, both games are among the sci-fi genre’s strongest releases of the last decade.

3 Disco Elysium

Dialogue-Driven Experience

Disco Elysium has garnered near-universal praise since its 2019 debut, etching its name among the best sci-fi RPGs of all time. Now, it should be said that ZA/UM and CD Projekt Red’s games are nothing alike in terms of gameplay or presentation. For instance, Disco Elysium has no conventional combat system, instead opting to center its gameplay around dialogue. Thankfully, the writing is fantastic throughout.

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Disco Elysium takes place in a world defined by conflicting ideologies, and a player’s actions will determine the protagonist’s mindset. At its heart, the game is a murder mystery detective story, but things get complicated rather quickly.

2 Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Gaming’s Quintessential Space Opera

Mass Effect is synonymous with the sci-fi genre in gaming, even more so than Cyberpunk 2077. BioWare’s original trilogy captivated audiences as they followed Commander Shepard on their quest to protect the universe from the Reapers.

Blending third-person gunplay, deep lore, romance, player choice, dialogue options, and customization, EA’s franchise delivers more than 100 hours of goodness. The Legendary Edition contains remasters of the first three entries, including most of the DLC. If someone is looking to jump into this saga, this package is the way to do it.

1 BioShock

Welcome To Rapture

Certain games are so industry-defining and fantastic that they are basically automatic recommendations for most situations. BioShock is one such title, and even after more than 15 years, the original game’s strengths hold up beautifully. Similar to Cyberpunk 2077‘s Night City, BioShock‘s Rapture is an all-time great setting, one that blends environmental and narrative storytelling to produce top-tier world-building.

Although not an RPG, the 2007 classic does incorporate some ideas from the genre, including upgradable weapons that allow for unique builds. BioShock is and will always be one of the best games of all time, particularly in the story department.

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