Mean Streets: Ah, good ‘ol Tex Murphy. A point and click masterpiece, Mean Streets features a futuristic (well, for the time) atmosphere, and post-apocalyptic backdrop. Technobabylon is also set in a dystopian future, though it’s not nearly as comedic as Tex. Granted, that’s a tough standard.
Blade Runner: While Ridley Scott’s 1982 classic is renowned, the 1997 video game isn’t nearly as well-known. Although it’s not as revolutionary in gaming as the film was, Westwood Studios’ Blade Runner PC game is an enjoyable action-adventure game. Several scenes in Technobabylon feel plucked straight from Blade Runner (the game and movie), notably those sequences of drab streets populated by neon signs. Plus, Technobabylon plays out like a detective story, much like Blade Runner.
The Longest Journey: The entire Dreamfall series is heavily cyberpunk inspired, and Technobabylon takes a few cues from The Longest Journey. Urban environments in the two games are really reminiscent of one another, though The Longest Journey contains more fantasy elements alongside sci-fi.
Shadowrun Returns: Originally a tabletop role-playing game, Shadowrun has been through several video game adaptations, including 2013’s Shadowrun Returns. This crowdfunded gem is absolutely loaded with grimy, post-apocalyptic urban areas.
Deus Ex: Deus Ex captured cyberpunk in an extraordinary way, and it’s arguably the greatest cyberpunk video game to date. First person shooter elements mixed with RPG gameplay made this a revolutionary game, and the cyberpunk overtones resonated with fervor. The third series entry, Human Revolution, reinvigorated the franchise as well as cyberpunk games.
System Shock 2: A renowned action/horror/FPS/RPG, System Shock 2 is like a cyberpunk version of Half-Life. It’s amassed a well-deserved cult following, and differentiates itself by assuming a more horror-shooter vibe, with a garnish of sci-fi and grit.
Gemini Rue: Gemini Rue is a cyberpunk adventure game from 2011. However, a quick glance, and you’d think Gemini Rue came from 1990 instead. Not surprisingly, its publisher is Wadjet Eye Games, the same publisher as Technobabylon. The two titles differ in plot, but core gameplay and pixelated graphics make for a similar experience.
Did I miss any? Let me know if the comments if there’s any you would include! When you’re done with that be sure to check out our other Technobabylon coverage, it was our selection for the June 2015 “Not Crowdfunded, But…” series. You can read more Technobabylon articles here.
