First teased in 2013 and officially unveiled at E3 2019 with an official release window of April 2020, cyberpunk fans—and fans of gaming, in general—have been losing their minds over CD Projekt’s next major project. Though there are a mere four months separating us from the release ofCyberpunk 2077, some of us simply can’t wait that long!
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We can binge on leaked details and gameplay trailers all we want, but nothing could compare to actually getting to hop into the futuristic madness ofThe Witcherseries developer’s next title. That said, here are ten games to potentially sate our cyber cravings until the game officially launches.
10Death Stranding
The first major release from auteur developer Hideo Kojima since his very public split with Konami,Death Strandingwas a divisive title that proved to be far too out-there for a lot of players.
That said, it’s still an inventive, interesting title with an enthralling futuristic atmosphere. It may lack the urban sprawl depicted in theCyberpunk 2077trailers, but the far-future dystopian vibe seems to be very similar. Both games also feature major celebrities as main characters, and both strive to tell immersive, emotional stories. They may be vastly different in terms of gameplay, but a closer look reveals just how similar they are.
Deliberately evoking a 16-bit retro style,2064: Read Only Memoriesis a cyberpunk visual novel which, much like the forthcomingCyberpunk 2077, explores the ever-evolving concepts of humanity, sexuality, and self-determinism while tackling moral and social issues and constantly asking the player to reconsider some of their core values.
Though it doesn’t boast any of the gameplay or RPG elements thatCyberpunkdoes, the two seem to share a similar atmosphere and both posit the same sort of ethical quandaries. It’s a more open-and-shut ordeal than CD Projekt’s game, but it’ll definitely help to get prospective Cyberpunk players into the correct frame of mind.
8The Outer Worlds
This should be a no-brainer for most RPG fans, and gamers who pre-purchasedCyberpunk 2077as soon as it was available likely did the same with Obsidian’sThe Outer Worlds.
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A spiritual successor to the acclaimedFallout: New Vegas,The Outer Worldsis a sci-fi RPG that has players solving civil disputes one moment while blasting through a gang of deranged bandits the next—and sometimes at the same time. Taking place across multiple worlds and asking players to get along—or fight with—a multitude of diverse characters,The Outer Worldsis likely as close toCyberpunkas we can get at the moment.
7Anthem
We know what you’re thinking, but just give us a second to explain. When EA’sAnthemdropped back in early 2019, it was quickly considered to be one of the most underwhelming releases of the past decade. Half-baked and outright broken, this looter shooter definitely needed to spend a few more years in development.
Yet, that said, rumors abound of aNo Man’s Sky-style total rework of the game, and it could be thatAnthemsoon turns into a worthwhile experience. A sci-fi looter shooter with combat that’s just a tweak or two away from being perfect, it could definitely hold a prospectiveCyberpunkplayer over for the next few months.
6Deus Ex: Human Revolution
There are quite a few games to choose from when it comes to theDeus Exseries, but we’d recommend playing 2011’sHuman Revolutionfirst. A dark, gritty depiction of a dystopian future, players take the role of Adam Jensen, the head of security for the R&D department of a cybernetic implant manufacturer.
Forced to install a bunch of these implants after surviving an assault on the facility, Jensen is tasked with unraveling the purpose behind the attack and dealing with the repercussion. Shining a light on the horrible things that go on behind closed doors in an out-of-control, off-kilter future,Human Revolutionshares a lot of themes and gameplay ques withCyberpunk 2077.
5Watch Dogs
Watch Dogswas met with a bit of controversy when it launched in 2014. Initially touted to be the next big thing in terms of graphical fidelity, it ended up being pretty ho-hum on all fronts.
Yet, its bleak aesthetic and exploration of hacker culture and the damage savvy technicians can do didn’t go unnoticed, and it explores a lot of the same story beatsCyberpunk 2077appears to cover. It’s not a perfect game, and it can’t really be described as an RPG, but its sprawling maps and unique tech-related abilities make it a must-play for those gearing up forCyberpunk.
4VA-11 Hall-A
Similar to2064: Read Only Memories, Va-11 Hall-Atells the text-heavy tale of a bunch of diverse characters muddling through life in a confusing and desperate neo-dystopian future.Va-11 Hall-A, however, is quite a bit closer toCyberpunk 2077in terms of tone and narrative, however.
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Taking place in the fictional Glitch city in the year 207X (could it be 2077?), the game puts players in the shoes of a bartender and asks them to affect their lives based on the types of drinks you serve them. It’s a visual novel, but there are no actual dialogue prompts, only drink choices. Oozing cyberpunk aesthetic and serving up plenty of moral quandaries, it’s a chip off the same block.
3Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines
Though it was marred by glitches and technical issues when it was first released in 2004,Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlinesis now heralded as an RPG cult classic.
Bloodlinesplaces the player in the midst of a city fraught with vampiric class warfare and bloodsucking politics. Initially tasked with coming to terms with life among the undead and eventually forced to choose sides and become a kingpin of the cryptid underworld,Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlinesis an incredibly deep RPG which could potentially be thought of as a predecessor to the equally complexCyberpunk 2077. What’s more, a direct sequel to the game is slated for a 2020 release, so there’s never been a better time to check it out!
2Fallout: New Vegas
Often considered to be the pinnacle of theFalloutseries,New Vegasfits players in the role of a courier hellbent on getting revenge for his or her attempted assassination. That trail eventually leads to encounters with many of the Mojave Deserts major players, and fans eventually have the choice of aligning themselves with a faction or taking down the kingpins of New Vegas alone.
An extremely detailed and dynamic RPG,Fallout: New Vegasis undoubtedly one of the best titles to come from the genre in the last decade. It’s a major reason whyThe Outer Worldswas so hyped, and it’s the sort of experience we’re unlikely to ever see from theFalloutseries under Bethesda.
1The Witcher 3
The obvious choice for those itching to get their hands onCyberpunk 2077,The Witcher 3was developed by the same developers behind the upcoming game, and it’s often considered to be one of—if not the—best RPGs of all time.
Originally inspired by a series of Polish novels,The Witcher 3is the continuation of an epic high fantasy adventure starring the monster-slaying Geralt of Rivia, and it boasts stories and gameplay mechanics deeper and more fleshed-out than some ever thought possible in a video game. It’s an absolute must-play for those looking forward toCyberpunk 2077, and, once the dust settles, it may still be thought of as a superior game to CD Projekt’s upcoming title.
