Thanks to the release of CD Projekt Red's divisive Cyberpunk 2077 and the subsequent mainstream attention that it has received, the cyberpunk genre of gaming has found itself in the gaming industry's attention once again. The resurgence was a long time coming, as after a strong showing in the 90s with games like System Shock 2 and Rise Of The Dragon, the genre began to fade and had a noticeable drop in relevancy during the 2000s.
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The 2000s may not have been densely packed in terms of pure cyberpunk releases, but there were a few excellent games that implemented cyberpunk themes and are certainly worth revisiting for anyone who has recently gained an interest in the genre's unique, futuristic settings.
8 Messiah
Messiah was released in the year 2000 and offers one of the most unique cyberpunk experiences available. Players control a putto named Bob, who is sent to earth by God to try and save the earth from its crime-ridden cyberpunk state.
Messiah won't have players controlling the flying putto for the game's entire 8-hour runtime, as the religious figure can possess other life forms, predominantly humans, frequently turning the game into a third-person shooter.
7 Fear Effect
Fear Effect was released in February 2000 on PlayStation 1 by Eidos Interactive. The game is best known today for its implementation of cel-shading graphics, becoming one of the first video games ever to incorporate the style.
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The cel-shaded graphics, along with the game's well-written script and memorable setting, made Fear Effect one of the most cinematic experiences of its year. Anyone wanting to try the game for the first time is in luck, as a teaser trailer for a remake was revealed on YouTube in 2017.
6 Jak II
Platforming games had a huge drop in relevancy during the 2000s, far more than that of the cyberpunk genre. Mascot characters like Crash and Spyro struggled to perform on sixth-generation consoles, and mainstream audiences were predominantly opting for titles that provided a sense of realism. One platforming title that did find success on PlayStation 2 was Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy which truly felt like the next generation of platforming in 2001.
However, the series wouldn't stick to old-school platforming in wholesome settings for long, and the franchise so took a sharp turn into a more gritty world with gun-fighting action. Naughty Dog clearly still had its younger audience in mind with Jak 2, so the cyberpunk themes aren't explored in as much detail as other games, though the cartoony setting offers a different perspective of the cyberpunk genre that is worth playing for fans.
5 Perfect Dark
In 1997 Rare released one of the most influential first-person shooters of all time with GoldenEye 007. The game revolutionized multiplayer gaming on home consoles and influenced numerous games over the decade after its release. Consequently, there were enormous expectations when Rare announced that its next first-person shooter was releasing in 2000: Perfect Dark.
Like Jak 2, Perfect Dark doesn't explore its cyberpunk themes in as great of detail as some other games on this list, though the classic shooter is still worth considering for its gameplay alone.
4 Mirror's Edge
Mirror's Edge implements a unique interpretation of the cyberpunk genre visually, with the dark, gloomy tones of most cyberpunk games being replaced with bright, colorful environments that look almost dream-like.
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Electronic Arts' Mirror's Edge immediately turned heads when its first trailer was released. Along with the visuals, gamers were encapsulated by the fluid, freerunning movement and immersive first-person perspective that looked unlike anything seen before. Mirror's Edge didn't reach the groundbreaking heights that many were expecting it to, but it's still a solid 6-hour adventure that will keep players engaged throughout.
3 Anachronox
Role-playing game Anachronox was released in 2001 and put players in the shoes of a struggling private investigator who is forced to find work in crime-ridden areas. The game stands out with its excellent storytelling, humor, and voice acting that makes the RPG an engrossing experience.
Unfortunately, the game suffers from some performance and graphical issues that harm the overall product and were likely responsible for the game not surpassing an 80 score on Metacritic.
2 Deus Ex
Deus Ex sits alongside System Shock 2 as the most iconic name in the cyberpunk genre's gaming history. Along with its incredible cyberpunk setting, the game is fondly remembered for its fantastic action RPG elements that go above and beyond many games from its time period and make players feel as though they're truly having an effect on the world around them.
Deus Ex's quality didn't go unnoticed following its release, exemplified by the game's excellent Metascore of 90 and numerous award wins, including Excellence in Game Design from the Game Developers Choice Awards.
1 Deus Ex: Invisible War
Considering the Deus Ex franchise's influence on the cyberpunk genre in gaming, it feels unfair only to include one of the series' games on this list. Deus Ex: Invisible War hit stores just over three years after its critically acclaimed predecessor, and although it didn't quite manage to reach the high expectations set upon it, it's still a fantastic cyberpunk game that is often underrated due to comparisons with its other entries its iconic series.