- Joined
- Feb 19, 2021
So here's what I think is a hot take. *AHEM*
This, is Deus Ex.
I recommend it without hestitation. It's an excellent game. Lives up to just about all of it's hype. It's intelligent. It's fun to play. I like the characters. It's even got that Paul Verhooven effect of becoming more relevant as the years pass.
This, is Blade Runner
Good movie. Easy to see why it was influential. Script is a bit lumpy, but it does the job. A lot of the shots could be considered master works of art. Also don't hesitate to recommend.
But nowadays, I don't consider these things "Cyberpunk". Near-future sci fi, for sure. But not Cyberpunk.
Why?
I started playing this
most vidya sorts already know about this game and the well deserved rep is earned.
It's discordant.
It's unpleasant to look at much of the time.
Life is cheap to the point where death has little meaning.
It has a feel of hopelessness.
It has almost as much a feel of misguided anger.
People are slaves to technology.
Getting new tech into your body makes more than human, but also more of a tool.
People are numb to death around them.
Murder is just another tool for capitalistic gain.
Wealth is Godhood.
(And the big one for me...) Cybernetic assassins are not ultra cool enforcers, they're miserable, disposable losers with rotting bodies grinding to eek out an existence by doing dirty-as-fuck work to make someone else wealthy.
This screams both Cyber and Punk to me far more than cool synth tracks, shiny weeaboo terrained cities, and square jawed super chill gun porn loving trenchcoat wearing square jawed/big tittied mercenaries. I still like my synthwave nipponphile big gun slinging settings, don't misunderstand, but while it has some "Cyber" it lacks even a shred of "Punk."
Is it time to edit the genres?
This, is Deus Ex.
This, is Blade Runner
But nowadays, I don't consider these things "Cyberpunk". Near-future sci fi, for sure. But not Cyberpunk.
Why?
I started playing this
most vidya sorts already know about this game and the well deserved rep is earned.
It's discordant.
It's unpleasant to look at much of the time.
Life is cheap to the point where death has little meaning.
It has a feel of hopelessness.
It has almost as much a feel of misguided anger.
People are slaves to technology.
Getting new tech into your body makes more than human, but also more of a tool.
People are numb to death around them.
Murder is just another tool for capitalistic gain.
Wealth is Godhood.
(And the big one for me...) Cybernetic assassins are not ultra cool enforcers, they're miserable, disposable losers with rotting bodies grinding to eek out an existence by doing dirty-as-fuck work to make someone else wealthy.
This screams both Cyber and Punk to me far more than cool synth tracks, shiny weeaboo terrained cities, and square jawed super chill gun porn loving trenchcoat wearing square jawed/big tittied mercenaries. I still like my synthwave nipponphile big gun slinging settings, don't misunderstand, but while it has some "Cyber" it lacks even a shred of "Punk."
Is it time to edit the genres?
