Summary
The cyberpunk genre has seen a massive surge in the popular zeitgeist in the past few years; and nowhere is this more apparent than in gaming. Tons of releases under its banner continue to come out, making it hard to keep track of how many there are, and of what quality. And no game more exemplifies this sentiment thanCyberpunk 2077.The controversy around its 2020 release, followed by its recent redemption with thePhantom Liberty DLC, embodies the very essence of cyberpunk itself.
As a result,Cyberpunk 2077has overshadowed the conversation within and beyond the gaming industry whenever the term is mentioned. CD Projekt Red dominated the public eye, putting more attention and scrutiny than ever on the genre and gaming as a whole. Another unfortunate by-product of this fallout was some great titles slipping between the cracks.Cloudpunkwas among the slew of cyberpunk games that were released in the same year asCP 2077.
Although similar in key ways, one difference fans should keep in mind isCloudpunkhas no combat.
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Cyberpunk 2077 Fans Should Play Cloudpunk
Cloudpunk & Cyberpunk 2077’s Settings, Stories Are Built For Each Other
Any cyberpunk game worth its salt has to nail the aesthetics.Cloudpunk’s vibrant and grimy city of Nivalis does so in an amazing voxel art style. It looks and feels like it could be part of Night City, even though it’s visually the opposite ofCyberpunk 2077’s ultra-realistic graphical ambitions. What’s more impressive is how they are equally well-realized in their characters and world. Despite the difference in scale and design,Cloudpunk’ssetting is both internally consistent and would fit seamlessly if inserted intoCP 2077.
Where they resemble each other most, though, are their narratives.Cloudpunk’s entire story plays out like many of thegreatest side quests inCyberpunk 2077. Itis a substantial series of incredibly well-written interconnected scenarios. Most importantly, like the best work in the genre,Cloudpunkoffers insightful takes on its thematic foundations in the same mannerCP 2077did with its most engaging and emotional moments. Both games display the same effort in retaining the needed sense of humanity at their heart to balance their darker and more absurd dystopian depictions and achieve it.
Cloudpunk Is Essentially Cyberpunk 2077 DLC
CP 2077was plagued with many issues, but even in some of its harshest criticisms, its story was often pointed to as a standout component. CDPR prides itself on the complexity and nuances of its arcs.Cloudpunk’s cast can stand side by side withCyberpunk 2077’s most beloved and memorable characters. WhileCloudpunkdoesn’t have players beating down psychopaths and PMCs with razor arms and laser rifles, it does have writing to rival it. Rania’s tale would fit right in with V’s sordid adventures, and in many ways feels like it already does.
Along with fixing technical problems, Phantom Libertydelivered on the narrative front. Any fans cravingmoreCyberpunk 2077content, especially in terms of stellar storytelling, owe it to themselves to giveCloudpunka look. Even within the broader cyberpunk category, both stand out. Despite their surface disparities in presentation and style,CloudpunkandCP 2077are of equal quality in crafting cyberpunk stories and characters that truly resonate long after players have seen their conclusions.
