The 17 Best Cyberpunk Games To Play in 2017

Cyberpunk Games 2017
Adam Jensen at Augmented Rights Coalition's HQ


Ready for the best 2017 Cyberpunk Games?

Cyberpunk, which first appeared in the early 1980’s is a neo-futuristic fantasy genre, oftentimes drenched in dystopian overtones. The genre has roots in film noir and plays on the fears of encroaching megacorporation control and increase in technological advances.

Kind of like the way we all felt after watching The Terminator. Video games have a long history with Cyberpunk but in the last decade the industry has steered away from it. However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a plethora of great games just waiting to be played and with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, and eventually, Cyberpunk 2077 on the way, the genre of cyberpunk seems to be up for a long awaited long revival. In no particular order, here are our 17 picks for the best cyberpunk games.

1) The Technomancer

In this brand new adventure from Spiders Studio, The Technomancer is set on the red planet of Mars, now a wasteland, 200 years after the human colonization. You play a rookie in the War of Water, named Zachariah, set to complete his initiation rite to become a full-fledged technomancer (a technological mage-warrior).

You start the game by choosing Zachariah’s appearance and initial talents and attributes, customizing him to your own preference. As you progress through the game you will be able to customize your talents and attributes further through tree systems. While you are only able to train to four attributes, talents have a wider variety of options. Talents include stealth, crafting, science, and charisma, to name a few. Specific clothing can also give you a boost in specific talents.

As you make your way through the game, you will find yourself immersed in stunning environments. You will traverse through legendary cities, barren wildernesses, and dilapidated civilizations formed from the ruins of the first human colonies. There is a strange beauty about the destroyed planet of Mars. Ruins, that are reminiscent of Earth’s ancient structures, painted across alien landscapes. It’s a peculiar contrast but there is a harmony there.

I wouldn’t want to be in the ring with that guy

You’ll find both humans and terrible monsters that you will have to fight. Creatures who were bio-engineered by colonists when humans first came to Mars, but have since gotten out of control. Massive spider-like beasts, rhinoceros-lizard hybrids, and mutants who were exposed to solar radiation are among the enemies you’ll come up against.

You’ll also meet many friendly humans in your travels. There are seven potential companions whom you can bring along with you on your adventure. Each companion has special abilities, their own mood, preferences, and moral code. Much like Fallout 4, you can get a special relationship bonus for each companion that you become friendly with. But be wary, the decisions you make and your reputation and karma score can alter your relationship with your companions.

StarLord, is that you?

With 40 hours of quests which can be solved in a variety of different ways, difficult decisions that affect the world, factions, inhabitants, and companions, and character customization, you can truly make The Technomancer your very own.

2) Mars: War Logs

The predecessor to The Technomancer, Mars: War Logs, is created by the same developer, Spiders. This game takes place 20 years after human colonization, nearly 200 years before the events of The Necromancer.

Mars has moved closer to the sun, causing colonies to grow desperate for resource, especially water. Powerful guilds fight for its control and the government has become corrupt, controlling its citizens by force. Using Technomancers to keep them in line and torturing them through experimentation.

Cybernetics are all the rage

You play as Roy, an escaped prisoner of war and renegade, caught in a power struggle between multiple powerful factions. Each difficult decision you make will affect the fate of Mars and its human colonies.

With many side quests to go along with your main mission to restore freedom, you will fight alongside your companions in a hostile and uninhabitable world filled with monstrosities.

Similar to The Technomancer, you are able to customize your character, Roy, from his appearance, to his combat style and abilities. Forge your own destiny and play your own way using a karma system.

Destroy mutated beasts

If you have already played The Technomancer, Mars: War Logs is a fantastic prologue. If you’re looking to get into this Mars-based universe, this is a great place to start. There are some mixed reviews, but all-in-all, this is an interesting and fun to play third-person RPG.

3) Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition (2000)

The original Deus Ex, developed by Ion Storm may be over fifteen years old, but it remains a classic must-play game. The series, which is heavily influenced by real-life secret societies and conspiracy theories, focuses on the threat of potential world domination of groups similar to the Illuminati. Deus Ex, despite its old age handles well. Steady maneuvering and smooth controls makes this game timeless.

The game takes place in dystopian future Earth, year 2052, in the midst of the Gray Death, a nano-virus plague, which is spreading and infecting millions of people across the world. You play as JC Denton, a human with top of the line cybernetic augmentations.

Put your hands up!

You work for an organization called the United Nations Anti-Terrorist Coalition, or UNATCO, that focuses its efforts on eliminating threats from multiple terrorist organizations who are Hell-bent on taking over the world. You jump right into the action, handling a terrorist hostage situation.

Upgrades to your augmentations use a points system, where you can choose between different skills and a variety of different weapons. Using your skills, you can hack into electronics to bypass security doors, cameras, and reprogram machine gun turrets. There are many different ways you can approach each mission, whether it be direct combat or stealth. You can choose to use non-lethal force, or barreling into the action, guns blazing.

Don’t get caught

Since the release of Deus Ex in 2000, the series has sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide and the first in the line of great games remains one of the most widely regarded cyberpunk games.

4) Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Human Revolution takes place over 20 years before its predecessor, in the year 2027. You play as Adam Jensen, an ex-SWAT specialist with mechanical augmentations. You start out as a security consultant at Sarif Industries, an advanced biotechnological engineering company based in future Detroit, when it is attacked. Faced with hunting down this threat to Sarif’s security, Jensen traverses the globe to find its source and purpose.

The player is given the opportunity to make game-altering decisions and a variety of approaches to utilize throughout the game from stealth, hacking, and social interactions, to good old-fashioned gunfights.

Take the fight to them

Similar to the 2000 Deus Ex, Human Revolution’s skills are points-based and you can upgrade your skills, or augmentations through different parts of the body. These augments include things like a radar system, and being able to see enemies through walls.

You are able to buy and sell certain items and upgrades like weapons and virus software from local merchants in the various cities that you will visit using credits acquired by looting fallen enemies. Some side-quests may require you to use your credits if you cannot pass social skill checks.

Jensen knows how to make a great entrance

Convince characters to give you information, or take it by force. Take down opponents or get past security. Save hostages, or turn your back on them. The choice is yours and the way to play determines the outcome of your story in Human Revolution. 

5) Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Adam Jensen returns in an exciting new adventure to be released August 2016. Mankind Divided takes place two years after the story presented in Human Revolution where the majority of augmented humans have gone berserk. With a death toll of 50 million people, and tens of thousands more injured, the world has grown to resent and even hate augmented humans. Jensen, along with a squad of counter-terrorist commandos called Task Force 29, must stop a shadowy worldwide conspiracy.

 Take out the most difficult enemies yet

Jensen is fitted with brand new, innovative augmentations that you will be able to choose from. An electric shock option, similar to a stun gun, for example, will allow Jensen to non-lethally take out enemies quickly and quietly. You will be able to customize these augmentations so that you can play the game your way.

Enemies will now be stronger than ever, as like Jensen, some of them have special augmentations, which make them more difficult to beat. They may have better armor, more strength, or special skills that will make defeating them more complicated. The good news is that you will be able to customize and upgrade your weapons by changing your sights and ammo to your preference. This will significantly impact combat and assist you in your mission.

Stealth is your friend in situations like this

You will be able to explore a set of diverse, breathtaking locations like Dubai and Prague as you address threats to humankind. Solving problems across the globe with stealth, combat, hacking, and social interactions options that give you control to complete missions the way that you see fit.

Mankind Divided seems to be a combination of its predecessors, perfected. With new features, incredibly detailed and highly realistic graphics, and an exciting new storyline, this cyberpunk sequel to Human Revolution is scheduled to be released on August 23.

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Part-time artist, full-time gamer
Gamer Since: 1990
Favorite Genre: RPG
Currently Playing: Overwatch
Top 3 Favorite Games:The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Fallout 4, Mass Effect 3


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