8 Essential Cyberpunk Games That You Need To Play

Shadowrun: Dragon Fall

Take Tolkein’s Lord Of The Rings and throw it into a far flung dystopian vision of the future and you have one hell of a premise for a cyberpunk game. Based on the 1980s board game, Shadowrun: Dragon Fall is a turn based tactical RPG that combines fantasy and science fiction. The cyberpunk elements of computer hacking, virtual spaces, and corporate city-states draw inspiration from novelist’s such as William Gibson. It is, however, the brilliant blend of urban fantasy and cyberpunk tropes that makes Shadowrun original and compelling.

Orcs, dwarves and dragons inhabiting all the nuances of a dystopian cyberpunk world might seem like overkill, but it gives Shadowrun’s universe immense depth in its narrative and scope. In addition, given the series has spanned nearly 30 years in various different forms, you won’t find many franchise with more detailed and well crafted lore. Shadowrun is about as immersive a cyberpunk world as fans of the genre are ever likely to enjoy.

Gameplay, too, offers equal depth, encouraging players to experiment and strategize through a myriad of different weapons, items and abilities available for each playable character. More menu heavy and involved than strategic RPG’s such as Xcom, Dragonfall rewards patience and understanding of its systems.