// CYBERPUNK

high tech · low life · dystopian decay · augmented reality

Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction set in a near‑future, dystopian world where advanced technology coexists with societal collapse, corporate control, and human alienation. It probes the fusion of man and machine, artificial intelligence, mega‑corporations, and the erosion of privacy. The aesthetic is gritty, neon‑lit, and infused with noir — “high tech, low life” defines its core.

✦ architects of the genre

📖 definitive books

Neuromancer

William Gibson · 1984

The novel that ignited the genre. Console cowboy Case, AI god, and the Sprawl.

Snow Crash

Neal Stephenson · 1992

Hilarious, hyperkinetic vision of the Metaverse, Sumerian mythology, and pizza delivery.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Philip K. Dick · 1968

The inspiration for Blade Runner. Empathy, androids, and the decay of humanity.

Schismatrix

Bruce Sterling · 1985

Space‑faring cyberpunk, political factions, and posthuman evolution.

Hard‑Boiled Wonderland

Haruki Murakami · 1985

Surreal cyberpunk‑noir hybrid: data encryption, unicorn skulls, and parallel worlds.

🎮 influential games

Cyberpunk 2077

CD Projekt Red (2020)

Open‑world RPG set in Night City — mercenary V, Johnny Silverhand, and corporate warfare.

Deus Ex

Ion Storm (2000)

Conspiracy, augmentation, and player choice. “You decide how the future ends.”

Shadowrun Returns

Harebrained Schemes (2013)

Cyberpunk meets fantasy: elves with assault rifles, magic, and deckers.

Blade Runner

Westwood Studios (1997)

Point‑and‑click adventure that perfectly captures the film’s atmosphere.

System Shock 2

Irrational Games (1999)

Immersive sim with cybernetic implants, AI SHODAN, and cosmic horror.

🎬 essential visuals

Blade Runner

Ridley Scott (1982)

Rain‑soaked LA, replicants, and the question “what makes us human?”

The Matrix

Wachowskis (1999)

Simulated reality, jacking in, and red‑pill rebellion.

Ghost in the Shell

Mamoru Oshii (1995)

Philosophical anime about cyborgs, the Puppet Master, and identity.

Akira

Katsuhiro Otomo (1988)

Neo‑Tokyo, psychic powers, and motorcycle gangs – a landmark.

Dredd

Pete Travis (2012)

Brutal, stylized Mega‑City One, and the drug “Slo‑Mo”.

Upgrade

Leigh Whannell (2018)

Low‑budget gem: AI implant, revenge, and body horror.