22 Best Cyberpunk Video Games To Play In 2023

Cyberpunk games have been around for ages. There are a ton of great games well worth playing and over the years we continue to find new games hit the marketplace. In this list, we’re going to highlight some cyberpunk games that we think are well worth playing today. We’ll cover games from both current releases and some big hits from years ago. Regardless of when these games hit the marketplace, these are some titles you might want to look into within this year.

#22 Ghostrunner 2

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: October 26, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox

If you enjoyed Ghostrunner, then a sequel might be well worth the pickup. Players can expect the same style of gameplay as the first installment but with a few additional tweaks. It’s still a very futuristic cyberpunk setup where you’re dropped into this world as essentially a glorified ninja. With that said, the game does take place after the events of the first installment. With the Keymaster taken care of, a new AI cult has emerged outside of the Dharma Tower, and it’s up to you to save humanity. This is a fast-paced game where only one hit is required to either take out your opponent. Unfortunately, the same can be said about you. On the bright side, with several checkpoints throughout the level, you’ll be right back in the action in a matter of seconds.

#21 Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S Switch
Release Date: August 18, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox | Nintendo

Well, we all know how the LAST big game to be set in a “Cyberpunk” world went, so we’re all hoping that this one is a bit better at launch, right? Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a unique game that acts as a kind of “spiritual successor” to a cult classic game from ages ago.

Long story short, you’re going to lose your head, literally, get it replaced with a robot head, seriously, and then join a crew to help tag the city and more your claim to it.

You’ll be bounding all over the city so you can graffiti the place up, down, left and right.

#20 Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: September 26, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox

Are you ready to go back to Night City? If so, get ready because Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is here and is ready to make up for the misadventures you likely had when the original title came out in 2020.

That’s right. CD Projekt Red has been working for three years to not only fix their past mistakes but give players an expansion that they could truly be proud of. In the DLC, you’ll go to the mysterious section of Night City called Dogtown. You’re tasked with saving the President after their convoy crash-landed there.

Doing so many ensure your future. Or it could get you killed.

#19 Hi-Fi Rush

Platform: PC XSX|S
Release Date: January 25, 2023

Steam | Xbox

Does a game get any more sci-fi than a kid having his heart fused with a music player and it now being the source of his combat style? If it isn’t, we need to seriously rewrite the rulebook.

Anyway, in Hi-Fi Rush, you’ll be thrown into a dystopian future where corporations are more than willing to toss out people they screwed up, including you. But you’re not alone in your fight to take them down. Find unique allies and use their abilities alongside your own to climb the “corporate ladder” and get the payback you deserve!

Plus, with the unique combat system, you’ll have a blast fighting foes.

#18 Cruelty Squad

Cruelty Squad is a first-person shooter set in a “sewage infused garbage world.” Cruelty Squad has players taking control of an “emotionally dead combat-substance fueled grunt” who carries out the assassinations of a conglomerate. The game’s missions can be completed in a variety of ways with plenty of scope for replayability. Players can also replay missions to improve the success rating up to S-rank. Cruelty Squad is a truly unique take on the cyberpunk genre.

Cruelty Squad is available now on PC.

#17 Severed Steel

Severed Steel is everything many cyberpunk games strive to be. It has a captivating art style, fluid, action-filled gameplay, and the soundtrack to bring it all together. The game features parkour, bullet time, and completely destructible environments. Players can dart around like Spider-Man with a gun, burst through walls to take out enemies and all without being able to reload. The firefights in Severed Steel are fast, chaotic, and frenzied. Severed Steel is one of 2021’s most unique games of any genre.

Severed Steel is available now on PC.

#16 Cyberpunk 2077

This is probably a game we don’t have to make mention about for this list. Coming from the legendary development studio that brought out The Witcher franchise comes Cyberpunk 2077. Currently, at the time of writing this description, this is the latest RPG installment from the developers. Hyped up for several years and with fans having to endure a few delays, we finally got our hands on this game in December of 2020.

Within the game, we’re tossed into the future in a bustling location of Night City. With megacorporations, a variety of gangs, and a slew of mercenaries looking for a quick payday, we are tossed into the role of V, just another mercenary looking for work. CD Projekt Red gives players three different starting points in this game but regardless of what lifepath you decide to take when first launching the game, the title overall follows a similar story.

A seemingly too good of a job to pass up goes south and you end up with a construct of a long-dead terrorist stuck within your mind. Now it’s a fight to get rid of this terrorist which is quite the battle to overcome throughout all of Night City. With that said, this is a first-person RPG with a ton of player choices, a slew of side quests, and a massive collection of loot. Being in the future, a big play around cyberware is focused here and that means giving your body different tweaks or upgrades. Stronger fists, better jumping power, the ability to hack into networks remotely, there’s quite a wide range of content here for players to look through.

With all that said, did this game have problems at launch? Absolutely. However, the developers have been pushing out plenty of updates which is costing the delay for DLC and expansions. Regardless, this is a game worth looking into if you haven’t already. However, just make sure that whatever platform you’re picking this up for is suitable right now because again this game still has bugs.

#16 Stray

Stray is the science-fiction game that you didn’t know you needed to play, and possibly the most unusual one around. Set in a futuristic secret city hidden beneath a ruined city, a stray cat finds itself trapped in a world that is completely foreign. The aesthetics of this city were supposedly influence by Kowloon Walled City, an ungoverned and densely populated Chinese enclave in British ruled Hong Kong. Not only is the setting incredibly futuristic, it still harbors the grime and dirt of a super city from our very own Earth – calling this the perfect playground for an adventurous stray cat would be an understatement.

#15 Ghostrunner

Those of you looking for a more fast-paced FPS experience might want to look into Ghostrunner. This is a cyberpunk hack-and-slash kind of game. Set in the future with a player that’s tasked with climbing up a massive tower to fight off the tyrannical ruler. Being an expert with the blade, you might have to fight against quite an alarming amount of enemies, but there is no such thing as an impossible battle with our protagonist. You’ll find that a hit can quickly take the protagonist out so you’ll need to be fast to make the necessary dodges while quickly slicing your blade into the opponent.

As a result, the movement system here is a bit more parkour where you’ll wallrun, grapple, and even make dodges while in mid-air. It’s all about speed and even if an enemy gets one over you, the title does a pretty great job at having checkpoints that won’t make you traverse too far back from where you ended up dying off initially. Death might be quick as well but so is the loading which means you’re not having to stay out of the game too long before hopping right back into the action.

#14 Cloudpunk

Cloudpunk is a game that you might enjoy if you find walking simulators or modern adventure games fun. I’m referring to the types of games like Firewatch and What Remains of Edith Finch because this game doesn’t offer a whole lot in the realm of actual gameplay mechanics. In this game, we’re taking the role of a Cloudpunk driver, a delivery system that’s known for its discretion when it comes to questionable packages and customers.

You’re just another driver who had taken on their first night on the job where you’ll fly around the bustling city making deliveries. Again, this is all about the story here as you drive from one destination to the next. Likewise, depending on the choices, the narrative will have different consequences. We understand that this is not a game for everyone, but for those that are after narrative-driven titles, this could be one of the better cyberpunk titles to play right now.

#13 Superhot

Superhot was released in 2016 and yet it’s still one of the most highly recommended indie titles today if you enjoy FPS action. Chances are you’ve played this game already, however, if this somehow slipped by then this is a cyberpunk title that we highly recommend checking out. Within the game, you’re tossed into a variety of different scenarios where you’ll need to fight your way out of the situation. With a very simplistic art style, you’ll be dropped into a world where each level is mainly bright shades of white and grey. Meanwhile, different interactive weapons are black and the enemies you’ll have to fight against will be bright red.

You’ll need to use whatever object you can get your hands on such as a gun or bat, and attempt to take out the enemies with a single hit. Here’s the reach catch to this game and what makes it as popular as it is. Time only moves when you do. This means that if you’re incredibly slow or not moving at all, the time progresses extremely slowly. You’ll see bullets within the air or your enemies practically standing still. However, the faster you move the faster time moves so it becomes a strategic battle knowing just how fast to move and to where. While you might be in a room with several enemies firing their guns at you, the protagonist can easily make dodges and take out each enemy one at a time.

#12 Katana Zero

Katana Zero is a bit like a collage of some previous titles we mentioned on this list. In this game, we’re put into the future where we step into the role of a skilled assassin taking on different jobs. Armed with a katana, players will enter each job by taking out a wide range of different enemies that are lurking around. Being incredibly nimble, our protagonist can zip around and slice up a target with ease or you can use a few different tools to help get the job done. There’s even a time slowdown mechanic to help players get a better edge on a fight.

Meanwhile, there is a narrative to follow along as well and with people, you meet up with the game will provide players with a few different dialogue options to keep the storyline more interactive. You’ll find that this is a platformer as well with some retro-style visuals, but since it was released in 2019, fans have been praising this game.

#11 Deus Ex Series

A game we can’t really single one title out but instead would offer players to look into as a whole series is Deus Ex. This is an RPG series that first got started in 2000 and over the years we’ve received a total of six video game installments. Within this series, we’re tossed into a world centered around secret factions looking to take over the world with also heavy influences regarding the transhumanism philosophical movement. Similar to the world of Cyberpunk 2077, Deus Ex is also a game world where people commonly have augmentations to further enhance their bodies in different ways, but it’s also a bit of a controversy in that particular world setting.

Players will follow Adam Jensen as he investigates these conspiracies centered around Illuminati but doing so will often require stealth or some augmentations to help get the job done. If you’re after the latest installments and not fond of going back to some earlier video game releases then you can get away with playing the latest mainline installment, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided as it does have a recap video within the settings to help give players a bit more understanding of the events before where the game will pick up from.

#10 VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action

Another game on our list that’s more based around a narrative is VA-11 HALL-A. This is a bit of a visual novel set in a dystopian cyberpunk world. Here players are taking the role of a bartender just doing their job, fixing drinks, and listening in on the character’s problems. It’s a bit like Coffee Talk if you’re familiar with that game. Likewise, this won’t be the only game where we’re taking the role of a bartender, but more on that later.

In VA-11 HALL-A, players will be fixing up drinks for the patron’s request and while most visual novels will have some gameplay options to send out a response, this title triggers responses by the drinks you make. Again, similar to Coffee Talk, this game will have different drinks and you’ll need to make them correctly. Sometimes the drinks you make to appeal to a customer may help trigger an event later on. Again, like some of the other titles on this list, it might not be for everyone, but those that enjoy a slow burn narrative-driven game may find this title appealing.

#9 Ruiner

If you’re looking for a more brutal gameplay experience then Ruiner is a title worth looking into. This is a top-down action RPG where you’re a highly skilled assassin of sorts that are trying to save their kidnapped brother. It’s here that you’ll be going through chaotic mayhem as you fight off all kinds of enemies in your way. Seeing this kind of game it wouldn’t be surprising to go in assuming that you’ll be met with a one-hit kill type of scenario but you do have a health bar which means you can take a bit of damage. Not much damage, but enough to let you keep on chugging along until you clear the area or get taken out.

Meanwhile, the game tosses a ton of weapons your way so the chaotic mayhem only increases as you progress as you experiment with the different guns thrown your way. Likewise, you do have a skill tree so you can make some upgrades and adjustments to the gameplay.

#8 Snatcher

Snatcher is a classic cyberpunk video game that you may or may not know about. Developed by Hideo Kojima known for the Metal Gear Solid IP along with the more recent release of Death Stranding, Snatcher is a game that acts quite a bit like the cult hit film, Bladerunner. In this game, players are set in a futuristic world where androids or otherwise known as snatchers have begun to kill humans and have used their skin to hide among the human world.

Players are stepping into the role of Gillian who is suffering from amnesia along with his wife. They only know that their past is tied to these snatchers. Hoping to regain their memories, Gillain joins the JUNKERS, a company that is tasked with finding snatchers and taking them out. With this game releasing back in the late 1980s, the gameplay is a bit simplistic with more dialogue with point-and-click mechanics. While Snatcher has gained a cult following itself, the video game is pretty tough to come by and rather expensive which has prompted players to go through this game via emulation.

#7 Invisible Inc

Invisible Inc is a bit of a light cyberpunk-style game. In this title, you take the role of agents that had their HQ raided by an evil corporation. Now, on the run, the game gives the player just 72 hours to get ready for a raid of your own into this diabolical company. Of course, before you’re ready to take on the biggest fight of your life, players are forced into raiding smaller buildings and earning gear and other necessary perks to flesh your team out. With that said, every time a player enters a building, this will eat up the time towards your big assault so use your time wisely.

You’ll find that this is a turn-based title as well with players having to strategically use their spies throughout the level, avoiding alarms and guards. Meanwhile, you’ll have a variety of abilities to help make the job a bit easier to manage. Fortunately, the game can be easier to manage for all players with a wide range of settings to adjust towards your play style.

#6 The Red Strings Club

As mentioned in our VA-11 HALL-A point, another game that has a good portion centered around being a bartender is The Red Strings Club. In this title, you’re a bartender living in the futuristic world. When the government has issued a new order to release a method that would prevent depression, our protagonist views this move as a means of brainwashing rather than helping society. This triggers the game to focus on finding out useful information from patrons that come into the bar looking for a drink.

Using your skills as a bartender, you’ll slowly get useful info to further help your cause of foiling this government plan. It’s a very narrative-driven game with some easy-to-control mechanics such as making drinks or carving out some genetic implants. This game came out in 2018 and since then there has been a positive response from fans who gave this indie title a shot. If you find VA-11 HALL-A a relaxing and story-rich journey, then you will want to give The Red Strings Club a shot as well.

#5 Observer

Bloober Team has made a name for themselves as a horror team. They have released quite a few hits in the horror genre, with the latest being The Medium. However, if you dive a bit further back in the catalog brought out by this studio you’ll stumble upon Observer. This is a detective psychological horror game set in a cyberpunk-style world.

In this title, players are stepping into the role of detective Daniel Lazarski. Daniel possesses a unique tool that makes his investigations extremely easy as he’s able to tap into the minds and memories of anyone. This is also a relatively short title coming in at about seven hours. If you haven’t played this gem then this is a game worth checking into. Also, this is a game worth going into with as little information as possible as this detective story will have some thrills waiting for players.

#4 Shadowrun Returns

Shadowrun is a pretty old game as it came out back in 1993 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, however, we did receive an overhaul in 2013 with Shadowrun Returns. It’s a bit of an interesting concept that almost acts a bit like Cyberpunk 2077. In this world, your a mercenary taking on the different jobs to keep yourself alive, but the difference here is that cyberpunk mashes with fantasy as magic has flooded the world turning out new creatures and creating a new mess for the world to deal with.

This is a tactical game where you’ll need to plan out attacks and making your way through the level layouts without drawing too much attention. Meanwhile, you’ll meet with plenty of NPCs and it will trigger some dialogue options. If you enjoy this game, then there are a couple of installments released, which kick off a trilogy.

#3 State of Mind

Another game that focuses a bit on transhumanism is State of Mind, a title from the development team Daedalic Entertainment. As you can expect, this is a very narrative-driven game, one that is set in the year 2048. The world has become more and more reliant on advanced AI and robotics to take care of our needs or resources. While more people are quickly embracing this move to a new digital paradise. However, one person that is not so willing to take on this new norm is our protagonist Richard Nolan, a journalist who has been quick to write out his criticisms over this move.

After waking up from an explosion with his wife and child missing, Richard Nolan begins to unravel a grand conspiracy. For players, this is more of an adventure game as you explore areas, interact with environments, and dialogue with characters to progress the story.

#2 The Ascent

The Ascent is a seriously cool cyberpunk game with an excellent premise. Like most cyberpunk games, The Ascent is set in a dystopian future where everyone is owned by mega-corporation The Ascent Group. Except in The Ascent the mega-corp has collapsed, plunging the world into chaos. The Ascent has “mostly positive” reviews on Steam and Kotaku described the game as “The Ascent makes good on Cyberpunk 2077’s promise” which is about as high praise as a cyberpunk game can be given.

The Ascent is available now on PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.

#1 Detroit: Become Human

Lastly, another game we would suggest checking out in this list is Detroit: Become Human. This is the latest game from developers Quantic Dream, the folks behind Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls. In this title, we’re thrown into the future where mankind has crafted up incredibly advanced AI to make our lives easier. There’s an android readily available for just about every need.

However, in this game, we find that some androids have started to gain their free will and it’s here that we follow a few of these androids as they progress through their daily routine or start to drift towards their own will. A massive part of this game is making choices that will alter the narrative and it will result in multiple endings. While you’re making choices, there’s plenty of exploration, interacting with characters, environments, and QTEs.