Category Archives: Cyberpunk

CD Projekt Red turns 20 this year, and to celebrate its anniversary GOG is giving away two bundles of goodies (opens in new tab) related to The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077, which include art, comics, soundtracks, videos, and more. You might already have some of these goodies, either thanks to claiming them in previous giveaways or by owning the games in question on GOG, but odds are you don't have all of them. There's a lot.

The Witcher pack includes footage of a concert performance of The Witcher 3's excellent score from a Krakw music festival, high-resolution copies of art and art books, "emoji" interpretations of characters like Geralt, Ciri, and Regis, and comics like Fox Children, which is tucked away in the Thronebreaker goodies pack. Based on a story from Sapkowski's book Season of Storms, it's one of the better Witcher comics.

Meanwhile, the Cyberpunk 2077 goodies pack contains wallpapers, concept art, art from the SteelBook edition's cases, and posters of in-game advertisements, fashions, and gang graffiti. It's not quite as much stuff, but then it's based on one game rather than three RPGs and some card game spin-offs.

Note that this 20th anniversary is the birthday of CD Projekt Red, the game development studio founded in 2002 when CD Projekt the Polish retailer and publisher acquired the rights to Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher and decided to try its hand at this whole videogame-making thing. CD Projekt itself dates back to 1994, when founders Marcin Iwiski and Micha Kiciski, who'd been selling cracked copies of games on CDs in a Warsaw marketplace, decided to go legit. If you're interested in the history, here's how CD Projekt Red climbed to the top of the RPG mountain, then slipped.

CD Projekt Red's last release was another Witcher spin-off, the roguelike deckbuilder Gwent: Rogue Mage, which is the most brutal Witcher game yet. As our own Lauren Aitken says, "One thing I've realised since playing Rogue Mage is that I'm actually not as good at Gwent as I thought. While I've figured out the meta for some of the cards, there are certain enemy types that keep obliterating me and, as PC Gamer's resident Witcher aficionado, I'm not happy about it."

Read more from the original source:

Get free Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 goodies on GOG - PC Gamer

Image: Annapurna Interactive

If youve felt uncomfortable about the rice paddy hats in Stray, you arent the only one. Stray lifts Asian aesthetics to evoke exoticism and danger, but it doesnt engage with the history of the city it appropriates. This is especially problematic because its real-world setting carries painful historical baggage that cant be reduced to neon signs and cramped apartments.

With more than three million people per square mile (which is 47 times more densely populated than Manhattan), the Walled City was the most densely packed city in world history. The streets were lit by neon signs because the buildings didnt allow much natural light to filter in from above. The developers of Stray told USA Today that the Walled City of Hong Kong was the perfect playground for a cat. The artists at BlueTwelve Studios were inspired by how the real-life city was organically constructed and was filled with details and interesting points of view, such as the air conditioning units and exposed pipes. And they werent the only ones who admired the environment. Photographers and architects lauded the ingenuity in the ways people lived without safety codes or a centralized government.

But that organic construction came about for painful historical reasons. The Walled City was originally a Qing dynasty era military base. It became a separate enclave from British-controlled Hong Kong after China was weakened by the Sino-Japanese War. Japan, China, and Britain all tried to lay claim to the Walled City throughout its history. To ease international tensions, both China and Great Britain eventually gave up trying to govern the Walled City after the end of World War II. The ensuing lawlessness fermented organized crime and opium dens. The Triad gangs turned the enclave into the epicenter of Hong Kongs narcotics trade. None of this context is particularly apparent when you explore the dusty streets of Walled City 99.

Jessie Lam, a video game concept artist whose family originates from Hong Kong, explains, [The Walled City] was this super packed city block full of crime and destitutionthanks triads-that it took decades until it was finally demolished. We dont talk about the highrise coffin sized apartment rooms these daysThere is a muted anger there.

The history of the Walled City is inextricably tied to colonial rivalries, but none of it is represented in Stray. In the game, the city was a shelter built to protect humans from the plague. The only sentient beings left are self-aware robot Companions who have built their own society in humanitys absence. I later appreciated their charming personalities, but when I first met these robots, my first thought was: Why are they wearing rice paddy hats?

Screenshot: Annapurna Interactive

Conical rice hats have a troubled history within the Asian diaspora community. Theyre used as a racial shorthand to indicate Asian origins, regardless of the actual context. Clothing retailer Abercrombie and Fitch, for example, once used images of Chinese men in rice paddy hats in its product line. While the existence of farmer hats is not offensive by itself, it becomes astoundingly racist when used in unrelated imagery, such as a racist parody of a laundry business. Protests and angry letters forced Abercrombie and Fitch to pull the offensive t-shirts from their stores.

Thankfully, Stray meets the bare minimum of not racist language to describe the robots (even if its gratuitous use of the Japanese language in fictional Hong Kong is a bit eyebrow-raising). But the games rampant appropriation of Asian history and culture needs to be supported by care in design and implementation. Singapore-based Alexis Ong wrote an excellent Polygon article about Strays accuracy to Hong Kong, while others like Lam are less impressed by how the game portrayed the Walled City.

The graffiti and signage is a huge question mark. Anything in English is clearly player facing but [in-game], who would those tags be for? Lam told Kotaku. Its one thing if its robots passing messages to each other but some overlap each other instead of being written around each other. Which calls into question if said developers also understand graffiti culture and the etiquette. But also...Why deliberately make some robots wear rice hats? When theres clearly no way to go outside or anywhere in game to farm? Headwear such as baseball hats have become ubiquitous to urban fashion, which could explain the companions copying this style, but rice hats have not. These conical hats have been used to denote Asianness in western media, and Stray cannot separate itself from this history.

Since this comes up every time I write a blog about Asian representation: No, I dont believe that BlueTwelve Studios is intentionally racist. Nor do I think that the resulting game is the worst offender when it comes to cultural appropriation. Its foibles are typical of the cyberpunk genre as a whole. Cyberpunk originates from Americas anxieties about Japans economic dominance, but cyberpunk media is often reluctant to populate their cities with Asian characters. I felt the same sense of alienation while I played Stray.

Im sure that the developers werent gleefully rubbing their hands together when they decided not to implement any human characters. But Walled City 99 was yet another cyberpunk city in which people like me werent welcome. Not unless I was a robot in a conical hat. And that doesnt sit well with me either. Asian Robot is a Hollywood troupe that frequently dehumanizes Asian people (Ex Machina, Cloud Atlas, The Matrix). Theres even a genre name for it: Techno-orientalism. In these works, Asia is expressed through an aesthetic sensibility rather than by representing or centering actual Asian characters. Stray falls squarely within this genre.

Screenshot: Annapurna Interactive

[Theres] lots of the same general ideas being recycled a lot across projects and sometimes that extends into the cyberpunk genre, Lam told Kotaku over Twitter messages. The orientalism as a whole isnt new.

I just wanted to play a cute cat game without the techno-orientalism. Unfortunately, Stray does not interrogate its creative influences at all. And from the moment that the developers decided to base their game off an enclave that was created by British colonialism, they had a responsibility to grapple with its history. Stray takes so much care in how it represents cats. I just wish it was as consistent about real humans legacies.

View original post here:

Stray Falls Into The Usual Orientalism Pitfalls Of The Cyberpunk Genre - Kotaku

Forget play-to-earn, how about some play-to-learn? World of Haiku (opens in new tab) is an educational cyberpunk RPG that says it'll teach you the real-world skills needed to become a cybersecurity professional. As you learn coding and hacking while playing, World of Haiku says you can add your new skills to sites like LinkedIn and

I'm sorry, hold on one second. Just what in the hell is going on in the official launch trailer?

And why does it prominently feature a cyberclown?

If World of Haiku wants to teach me real cybersecurity skills then it unfortunately fumbled the ball three seconds into its own launch trailer. It opens with a cyberpunk cityscape and a flying car, which is a good futuristic start. Then a man dressed as a cyberclown steps into frame and I completely forget that I'm supposed to be learning about a game that's supposed to be about learning. All I can think is: clown.

The cyberclown has a cape and a vaguely theatrical collar, which could imply the future but could just as easily imply clown attire. The real distraction is his makeup, which I think is supposed to be a cool skull-shape painted on his face in neon blue? And while I can sorta see what they were going for, it looks like a first attempt you would quickly wipe off before trying again. But they just kinda stuck with it. I honestly think if they'd leaned in a bit more and actually gave him a big round nose like a circus clown he'd look less silly than he does. It could blink, maybe. That would be futuristic.

Anyway, we're only four seconds into the trailer at this point, which is a bad sign because I've watched those four seconds about 10 times. The caped cyberclown pretends to poke buttons on his arm where there do not actually appear to be any buttons and says "Transmitting new intel." A bunch of floating computer screens pop up on both sides of him, and the actor glances toward where I guess they told him the screens would be even though they're not, with the ultimate effect being that he doesn't seem to be looking at the screens at all. Also, if he's the one transmitting new intel, why is he the one examining the new intel? Did he transmit it to himself? If so, why announce it? Also, and I can't stress this enough, why is he a clown?

Then he looks into the camera, at me, a man who has now rewound this entrance and watched it at least five or six more times already in the past two minutes. "A worldwide nuclear event is imminent," Commander Cyberclown tells me. "You must stop the launch."

It sounds serious and I would love to take it seriously. If a worldwide nuclear event is imminent, someone must stop the launch, and as the potential person who is going to play World of Haiku that someone is probably me. And look, I promise I'll do everything I can to stop the launch because I am definitely opposed to imminent worldwide nuclear events but first I need a few questions answered about the giant blue circle painted on your face.

I force myself to stop rewinding the intro and watch the rest. The trailer continues in a caf, where a woman logs into World of Haiku and takes on the avatar of a mid-tier cosplayer for "a gamified cyberpunk experience that provides aspiring cybersecurity professionals with fast affordable training for a rewarding cybersecurity career." Some villains appear and everyone starts typing on virtual screens. I am reluctantly starting to learn about the game again but Corporal Cyberclown abruptly teleports into the caf and I literally say out loud, "Yay!"

Corporal Cyberclown nods encouragingly to the avatar, and there's more air-typing on floating screens as Team Clown and Team Evil fight over I've already forgotten. Something was imminent but I'm just too distracted to remember. He has blue lines on his arms, too, and tubes going into the back of his head. I only have more questions now.

I want to be perfectly clear about this: I'm not making any judgments about World of Haiku the game. It says it teaches real life cybersecurity skills and as far as I know, or don't know, that is true, or it's not true, or maybe it's partially true. I have no idea. I have not looked into it for even a second. I have done no research and I definitely haven't played the game.

All I've done is sit here watching the launch trailer 14 times in a row because seeing Corporal Cyberclown delights and puzzles me. And I don't have to stop, because there are actually a bunch of trailers. Let's watch all of them!

For instance, I just learned Corporal Cyberclown's in-game name is, disappointingly, Gungnir. He's a Cybermancer, and he has his very own character trailer where he does a little air-cybering on floaty screens and then flexes to music. Then the music sort of fades out leaving an awkward 10 seconds of silence while he holds his pose. I'm not bashing him: the dude is jacked and if I looked even remotely like that I would be flexing at every available opportunity. It's just weird to stand there in complete silence with straining muscles while nothing is happening. The music eventually remembers, oh yeah, we're in the middle of a character reveal trailer, and sheepishly kicks back in.

Thankfully I get some backstory from his trailer. His real name is Dr. Omen Parks, a name I absolutely accept. He and his daughter (Raf Rose Pathfinder: excellent) created new cyber security technologies which are named Phoenix Scanner, Data Dragon, Tiger Key, Turtle Shield, and Serpent OS. That's some anime-sounding shit, and while I don't even watch anime I highly approve.

I also learn that Dr. Omen "Gungnir" "Cyberclown" Parks operates at "Purity Level 5." I don't know what that means but I immediately believe it. If there's a clown from the future who invented the Turtle Shield and named his daughter Raf Rose Pathfinder, I can't imagine him operating on a Purity Level lower of four or lower. No chance.

I think I'm going to do it. I think I'm going to play World of Haiku! (opens in new tab) I'm not really interested in developing real-life cybersecurity skills, but the idea of adding "Learned to hack from a Cyberclown" to my LinkedIn is too tempting to pass up. Once I watch the trailer a few more times, that is.

Follow this link:

This cyberpunk RPG claims it teaches real hacking skills but I can't get past the clown makeup - PC Gamer

With many great announcements at the TapTap Presents showcase this weekend, a highlight for me is ANNO: Mutationem being announced for mobile. ANNO: Mutationem from developer ThinkingStars has been a joy to play on PS5 since its release this March. It debuted on PS5, PS4, and PC platforms, and I expected a Nintendo Switch port to get announced soon. I didnt think it would come to mobile before that, but here we are. The cyberpunk action adventure game has great visuals and music with memorable characters and some nice cameos. A price point hasnt been announced for the mobile version, but a beta will be available this winter. Watch the ANNO: Mutationem mobile announcement trailer via Gematsu below:

On console and PC, ANNO: Mutationem is available as a standard release, and a deluxe edition version with bonus music, costumes, and more. It is unclear if the mobile version will offer this content from the start, or whether it will come as paid DLC. What stood out to me when I first saw ANNO: Mutationem gameplay, is how it blended 2D and 3D pixel aesthetics. I didnt finish it on PS5, but will definitely do it before the mobile version releases given how good it looked and ran on PS5. If youd like to pre-register for the mobile version, you can do so on TapTap for now. Check out the Steam page for ANNO: Mutationem here for more screenshots and information about the game and its DLC. Have you played ANNO: Mutationem before on PS5, PS4, or PC?

Originally posted here:

Cyberpunk Action Adventure Game 'ANNO: Mutationem' Is Coming to iOS and Android TouchArcade - Touch Arcade

[Original message, published on January 13, 2021, can be found here.]

Dear gamers,

We are committed to fixing bugs and crashes and will continue to work and improve the game via future updates to make sure you are enjoying the game regardless of the platform.

We will use this space to inform you about the progress being made on Cyberpunk 2077s further development, including information about updates and improvements, free DLCs, and more.

Below, youll find CD PROJEKTs co-founders personal explanation of what the days leading up to the launch of Cyberpunk 2077 looked like, sharing the studios perspective on what happened with the game on old-generation consoles.

Thank you

CD PROJEKT RED

This video was created in English so only the English version fully reflects our message. Subtitles in other languages were added solely for your convenience.

Updated on February 18, 2022

Dear gamers,

Ever since launch, weve been constantly working on Cyberpunk 2077, steadily improving the game across the board on all platforms, as well as adding new features and content. So far we have released 12 updates of various scopes in total, the latest one being Patch 1.5 Next-Generation Update, released on February 15, 2022.

For players on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, Patch 1.5 marks the introduction of a dedicated next-gen version of the game featuring enhancements like dynamic 4K scaling and ray-tracing features on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, faster loading times, and better reflections, among others. All of this, fueled by the extra power of next-gen hardware, is available to owners of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One version of Cyberpunk 2077 via a free upgrade.

Patch 1.5 also came with dozens of improvements for versions of the game for all platforms: from technical to gameplay, to narrative, and beyond. Overhauled Fixer and Gig gameplay, revamped crowd reaction AI, tweaks to the UI, map and open world, and new character relationship-related interactions are just some of the examples of the changes made.

Furthermore, this latest update also comes with new pieces of free additional content that expands what Cyberpunk 2077 has to offer gamers: rentable apartments featuring unique player character interactions, fresh weapons and gear, new customization options, and more.

So, what comes next? The plan hasnt changed and involves providing support for Cyberpunk 2077 moving forward further optimizing the game, resolving issues that might impact the games performance, stability, and gameplay, and so on. Making sure that each version of the game works best on a given platform will be a driving force in deciding on the scope and range of future updates.

On that note, make sure to follow the games official channels and website to keep tabs on all things coming to Cyberpunk 2077 in the future. And until then, we hope youll enjoy everything Night City has to offer!

FAQ

Q: I own a Xbox One / PlayStation 4 copy of Cyberpunk 2077. How do I upgrade to the Xbox Series X|S / PlayStation 5?

A: Youll find all the information on how to upgrade your Xbox One/PlayStation 4 copy of Cyberpunk 2077 to the next-gen version on the dedicated Next-Generation Update website.

Q: What have you done since launch to make the game better?

A: Our top priority since launch has been to improve Cyberpunk 2077 we have released twelve updates which have fixed numerous bugs, enhanced performance and stability, overhauled in-game systems and gameplay mechanics, introduced dozens of quality of life changes, and more. Additionally, with Patch 1.5s release the game has received dedicated versions for next-gen consoles (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S), which takes advantage of the additional power of the newest hardware.

Q: Why is there such a gap between PC versions of Cyberpunk 2077 and old-gen consoles?

A: Cyberpunk 2077 is huge in scope, it features a multitude of custom objects, interacting systems and mechanics. In the game, everything is not stretched out over flat terrain where we can make things less taxing hardware-wise, but condensed in one big city and in a relatively loading-free environment. We made it even more difficult for ourselves by first wanting to make the game look epic on PCs and then adjusting it to consoles especially old-gens. That was our core assumption. And things did not look super difficult at first, while we knew the hardware gap, ultimately, time has proven that we've underestimated the task.

Q: What was the main issue that made development for old-gen consoles that difficult?

A: The main culprit was having to constantly improve our in-game streaming system for old-gen consoles. Streaming is responsible for feeding the engine with what you see on screen, as well as the game mechanics. Since the city is so packed and the disk bandwidth of old-gen consoles is what it is, this is something that constantly challenged us.

Q: Didnt you test old-gen consoles to keep tabs on the experience?

A: We did. As it turned out, our testing did not show many of the crashes you experienced while playing the game. As we got closer to launch, we saw significant improvements each and every day, and we really believed wed deliver in the final day-zero update.

Q: Why was there a gap between PC and console reviews?

A: We started sending out PC review keys to start the review process in the first week of December. Come December 10th, launch day, we had a really good start with PC reviews, and while its not perfect, this is a version of the game we were, and still are, very proud of. When it comes to the review process for consoles, at the same time PC codes were sent out we were still working hard to improve the quality of the game on old-gen consoles. Every extra day that we worked on the day-zero update brought visible improvement thats why we started sending console codes for reviews on the 8th December, which was later than we had planned.

Q: Are you making the team crunch to work on the patches?

A: The team is working to bring relevant fixes to the game without any obligatory overtime. Avoiding crunch on all of our future projects is one of our top priorities.

Excerpt from:

Cyberpunk 2077 Our Commitment to Quality

Brand-new Android OEMs are few and far between, which is why the arrival of the Nothing Phone (1) is an interesting time for the mobile OS. With OSOM opting to go down a crypto route, it places even greater emphasis on the Nothing Phone (1) here are our first impressions.

Clear tech is making a comeback, and Nothing certainly wants to be at the forefront of that. The Ear (1) earbuds were a fairly safe start for the brand, and although weve spent limited time with Nothings first release, the Phone (1) certainly leaves a more lasting impression for better or worse. The good thing is that once you wipe away the hype, it actually seems fairly solid.

From a sheer design perspective, the Nothing Phone (1) is impressive given its 399 start price here in the UK. The boxy aesthetic is not something I personally like, but due care and attention to detail mean this is a bit better than just standard mid-ranger. Because theres no high-end alternative or Pro version to speak of, Nothing has gone all-out, or as much as they can given associated cost constraints.

Its hard not to see the obvious iPhone 12/13 influence here, but there are certainly more than a few ingredient changes to the design recipe. In black, its a stealthy smartphone that isnt fully transparent, but the clips, covers, cooling pipes, and charging coil are an enticing differentiator from staid mobile designs all across Android.

The eye-catching Glyph lighting is an interesting alternative to an LED notification light, but the fill light capability when using the camera is something I feel is more inherently useful. The white light is softer than a sharp, bright LED, the result is going to be better photos and videos in all kinds of lighting. Nothing has an affinity for little touches of red, and at first, I couldnt spot it. It turns out theres a little red LED that flashes when youre recording video on the rear camera. As I said, there are small details here that dont add drastically to the overall daily experience but are great to see.

While I would love to dig into the camera quality on offer, I havent even had enough time to properly test it out. There are some nice modes available and a clean camera UI, which is always a good start. Again, the camera is something Im hoping to thoroughly test over the coming days. My first impressions of what the Nothing Phone (1) can do in the camera stakes are good so far though.

Nothing OS is lightweight enough that its hard to actively tell the difference from Android 12 on the Pixel 6. It isnt quite as polished, and some things certainly feel unfinished in areas, but its not as janky as I initially expected it could be. Given that Nothing is a startup, its all the more impressive. Ive seen minor performance slowdowns here and there, as things can get bogged down when you download lots of apps during startup or opening apps after a few hours closed. The Phone (1) is not quite as smooth as the Pixel 6 series, but its not lagging behind by any stretch of the imagination.

Some of the changes within the Nothing OS launcher, such as the larger persistent internet toggles in Quick Settings, feel tacked on, but overall my first impressions of Nothing Phone (1) and Nothing OS are mostly positive. Its practically the same as using a Pixel but with a few nips and tucks.

While Ive had little time with the Nothing Phone (1) so far, Ive left with a few Pixel 5-like impressions right away. Its a really similar device at its core in that its a mid-ranger that feels a lot more premium than youd expect, and although aesthetically the two devices diverge quite drastically, its almost like the Pixel 5s cyberpunk cousin. At least at this early stage, that seems like a good thing.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news:

Follow this link:

Nothing Phone (1) unboxing and first impressions: Cyberpunk cousin of the Pixel 5 [Video] - 9to5Google

Cyberpunk 2077 is getting a board game courtesy of a Kickstarter campaign. Cyberpunk 2077: Gangs of Night City is a strange twist on the high-tech, low-life underbelly of the world brought to life by CD Projekt Red and Mike Pondsmith. The game is being published by CMON Games, which have put together board game adaptations of God of War and Bloodborne in addition to other existing IPs.

If the slang-ridden synopsis of the game provided on its Kickstarter page is any indicator, its clear that its creators have some serious reverence for the source material: Cyberpunk 2077: Gangs of Night City is a competitive game in which 1 to 4 players take on the role of ruthless gangs vying for control of the underground in the glittering hellhole that is Night City. Clash with other gangs in the meat or on the Net as your enterprising band of toughs seeks to gain dominance over the criminal underworld that rules the streets. Only the boldest will be remembered, and your Street Cred will pave your way to the top.

The aesthetics and fiction of this game appear to be more closely based on the Cyberpunk 2077 video game published by CD Projekt Red, as opposed to a riff on the source material penned by Mike Pondsmith in the pen-and-paper Cyberpunk RPG. In addition to its trademark crimson and neon-yellow aesthetic, this board game comes packaged with a pile of unpainted plastic miniatures that bear the likeness of notable characters from the video game. Players can expect to see Jackie Welles, Johnny Silverhand, and Judy Alvarez among the two dozen or so plastic minis that are planned to ship with the game.

At the time of publishing, the project has more than tripled its funding goal of $100,000 and is just shy of its final stretch goal with about 10 days remaining in its campaign. Currently, the only funding level available is set at $110 but nets you access to the core box and all the miniatures.

We understand that a hot pile of unpainted plastic is tough to resist, but its worth mentioning that the current timeline for shipping doesnt start until at least eight months after the end of the Kickstarter. And just like Cyberpunks digital version, theres no guarantee that it wont be delayed.

Link:

Cyberpunk 2077 is getting a board game - The Verge

Cyberpunk 2077 is the latest work from CD Projekt, the video game studio responsible for the Witcher series, and with the story of Geralt of Rivia becoming a hit for Netflix, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the streaming service is set to adapt the company's take on the technologically advanced future. Now, with the major event known as Anime Expo set to take place next month, Studio TRIGGER has announced that not only will it be participating, but that it will also premiere the first episode of the anime series, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.

Studio TRIGGER used its Official Twitter Account to share the news that the studio will be attending this year's Anime Expo, which is set to take place early next month in July, and will air the premiere episode of Cyberpunk 2077's anime adaptation, Edgerunners, which will debut on Netflix:

If you want to know which creators will be a part of this upcoming anime adapting the story from the popular video game, Hiroyuki Imaishi (Gurren Lagann, Kill la Kill, Promare) will direct along with assistant director Masahiko Otsuka (Gurren Lagann, Promare), creative director Hiromi Wakabayashi (Kill la Kill), character designers Yoh Yoshinari (Little Witch Academia, BNA: Brand New Animal) and Yuto Kaneko (Little Witch Academia), The screenplay was adapted by Yoshiki Usa (SSSS.GRIDMAN, Promare)and Masahiko Otsuka (Gurren Lagann, Kill la Kill, Promare). The original score will be composed by Akira Yamaoka.

Netflix recently revealed the first clip from the upcoming TRIGGER adaptation that will take viewers into the world of this technologically advanced future:

If you haven't had a chance to dive into the world of Cyberpunk 2077 via the video game created by CD Projekt, an official description of the game reads as such:

"Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world, action-adventure story set in night city, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour, and body modification. You play as V, a mercenary Outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality. You can customize your character's cyberwar, skill set, and play style, and explore a vast city where the choices you make shape the story and the world around you."

Are you hyped for the upcoming anime adaptation that is set to arrive on Netflix that will explore the world of Cyberpunk 2077? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of TRIGGER.

Read the original post:

Studio TRIGGER Will Join Anime Expo With First Episode of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners - ComicBook.com

It goes without saying that the debut of one of the most hyped games in recent history was controversial. Upon its (rather premature) release into the gaming world in 2020, Cyberpunk 2077s laundry list of glitches, bugs and incompatibility issues rendered the game underwhelming, frustrating and costly.

Why? Because to say that the game failed entirely wouldnt be accurate. It raked in a handful of awards, managed to implement the iconic Keanu Reevess avatar (and voice) into the majority of scenes, and generated a buzz rarely rivaled in the gaming world. Its just too bad that wasnt the point, and that the associated anime looks even more promising than the game did.

CD Projekt Red has been sleeplessly attempting to win back fans affections with several initiatives, including addressing and cutting out flagged issues with every update and issuing apologies left and right. Remember the overpriced T-2077 blockchain watch released in honor of Cyberpunk 2077s anniversary? Not many fans really do. The hit to Projekt Reds reputation, and the amount of money lost, was substantial indeed, so maybe its best to let sleeping dogs lie to lick their wounds. Or is it?

These days, it seems that fans cantand wontaccept the word goodbye. A slew of retired and beloved TV shows have either resurrected a side characters story arch or completely rebooted the franchise, in order to satiate starving audiences who obsessively wait for a bone thrown down from the studio executives that be. If you find yourself lumped into that group (as I unabashedly do), Lady Luck has shown us mercy. Cyberpunk 2077 gets a second chance in the form of an anime adaptation.

From what we know so far, Studio Trigger will gift us with Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, a ten-episode series that will debut in early 2023. According to Netflix, the premise is seemingly straightforward: In a dystopia riddled with corruption and cybernetic implants, a talented but reckless street kid strives to become an edgerunner: a mercenary outlaw.

The response to the trailer has been ecstatic, similar to the adulation of praise that its source material garnered prior to its release. Even the writers/executive producers of Cyberpunk 2077 admit that the anime takes viewers to places that were previously impossible in the video game. Showrunner and Executive Producer Rafal Jaki states, via Cyberpunk 2077 on YouTube, in the video game its all about the immersion and the power fantasy of being in Night City for the show, we explore things and topics that were not possible in that specific experience of a video game.

A successful spin-off is a balancing act: the content must be lovingly adapted to the medium of choice, while simultaneously appeasing the source materials sensitive fan base. In Studio Triggers case, its obvious that they are fans of the game. They have spared no expense in capturing the dystopian essence of Night City, but have also dug deeper in portraying the emotions of the characters through the (often very graphic) action that will be seen throughout the series.

It is not clear at this stage why Studio Trigger was tapped, or what the backstory of collaboration involves. We can only speculate as to what the end result will be based on the studios previous work and their accolades. Judging by the team in charge, it cant lose.

Director Hiroyuki Imaishi (Neon Genesis Evangelion, Full Metal Alchemist, Kill La Kill), and character designer/drawing director Yoh Yoshinari (Little Witch Academia and more) are both on board to ensure the animes success, per RPG Site, as well as Japanese composer Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill series OST). From the precious few seconds shown in the action-packed trailer, it is clear to see that Studio Trigger has injected new and timely lifeblood into the weary bones of Cyberpunk 2077.

Not only were fans given a teaser trailer to meticulously unpack, but an exclusive 54-second clip featuring the Maelstrom gang. Players will immediately recognize the gangs threatening face-plates and various body modifications that seem even more intimidating, thanks to Yoshinaris art direction. The other tough-looking group in the clip are revealed to be the eponymous Edgerunners.

A thrashing metal soundtrack opens the scene and enhances the tension between the Maelstrom gang and the Edgerunners eyeing each other in an intense standoff. A Maelstrom gang member opens a refrigerator to reveal a terrified person stuffed inside. The camera then cuts to crackling neon electricity shooting up a characters spine. The next second, the captive person vanishes, much to the dismay of the Maelstrom. A smirking young person in a yellow jacket materializes, holding the prisoner in his arms. Its same to assume that this is the aforementioned street kid; the protagonist of the series, whose use of speedy modifications seem to be for good (at least in this scene).

A bloodbath ensues, resulting in the death of all Maelstrom members by way of nanowire and heavy guns. After the melee, the street kid and his fellow Edgerunners grin widely, giving each other a round of thumbs up. The juxtaposition of gore and goofy bonhomie is a classic anime trope, one that fits like a glove here without seeming too over the top.

Its worth mentioning that anime is an ideal vehicle to fully showcase the power of the sandevistan. Its something akin to bullet-time, where a player can outmaneuver other characters through the use of slow-motion. In the Cyberpunk 2077 game, V can equip the cyberwear modification to enhance his speed, strength, vision, etc. It also really comes in handy in getting those critical head shots.

The anime is slated to be released this September, but now that weve had a taste, it seems like forever. Hopefully, Studio Trigger, CD Project Red and Netflix will provide a smattering of clips, interviews and goodies to us in the interim.

Thanks to the upcoming series, many fans interest in Cyberpunk 2077 seems to have officially been renewed. Though only snippets have been revealed at the time of writing, the anime looks to deliver on all the non-stop flashy action and intrigue that the game couldnt quite hit to its potential. Regardless of its losses in the past, I think a lot of fans will agree that Cyberpunk 2077s future hasnt looked this bright in some time.

Excerpt from:

Cyberpunk 2077 Anime Looks Better Than The Game - DualShockers

Two out of two Blade Runner films are box office bombs. But the key difference between Blade Runner (1982) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017) is that one received mostly positive reviews upon release. It was not the first one. Unlike its recent successor, Blade Runner not only failed to sell enough tickets to justify its existence but was also drubbed by critics. 40 years later, it's a sci-fi classic that brought an entire subgenre to the mainstream. What changed?

Blade Runners story is pure sci-fi noir. Ex-cop Deckard (Harrison Ford) is charged with hunting down artificial humans called Replicants, only to realize hes in love with a Replicant named Rachael (Sean Young). As Deckard closes in on his prey, he reflects on his own humanity and stares into the middle distance long enough to make us wonder if he too is a Replicant. In what is now considered the definitive final cut of Blade Runner, thats all but confirmed. Deckard, it appears, has had memories and dreams implanted in his mind, making him and Rachael the same and rendering his entire reason for hunting and retiring the supposedly soulless Replicants questionable.

Harrison Ford in Blade Runner, looking quite sad.Sunset Boulevard/Corbis Historical/Getty Images

Sounds awesome, right? But because of its style, and perhaps stiff competition from ET and The Wrath of Khan, Blade Runner suffered the twin curses of poor box office returns and bad press. According to Paul M. Sammons book Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner, the film made 14 million against a budget of 28 million. And although not all reviews were bad, most were, including legendary critic Pauline Kael writing this for the New Yorker:

Although this critique is savage, whats hidden in Kaels negative assessment is the key to why Blade Runner survived. Despite having an intriguing story, despite asking big questions about the human condition, and despite wonderful performances from Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer, and Edward James Olmos, the movie works because of its style.

Blade Runner is all aesthetics, and the influence of those aesthetics is how it survived all these years to enter the mainstream. In the end, it didnt really matter that only a fraction of the population had seen it. Arguably, relative to other big sci-fi movies, that is still true. Youre still far more likely to find someone who has never seen Blade Runner than someone who has never seen Star Wars. And yet the trappings of the cyberpunk genre are more pervasive in real life than the aesthetics of 2001 or A New Hope.

Speaking to The Paris Review in 2011, cyberpunk novelist William Gibson said:

Gibson, of course, is famous for many sci-fi novels, but specifically for Neuromancer, a novel published two years after Blade Runner hit theaters. The world Gibson creates is very reminiscent of Blade Runner despite the fact that Gibson had started writing it before its release, and the fact that Blade Runner is based on a 1968 Philip K. Dick novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which doesnt really contain any of the cyberpunk aesthetics.

Los Angeles in 2019, as depicted by Blade Runner.Sunset Boulevard/Corbis Historical/Getty Images

Neuromancer is sometimes credited as the novel that began cyberpunk. Ditto Blade Runner, but for films. Essentially, prior to Neuromancer and Blade Runner, seeing this kind of urban-focused, dirty techno future wasnt common in science fiction. Or, if it was, it lacked style. Gibson and Ridley Scott were aesthetic pioneers within science fiction which, in terms of impact, is only second to the storytelling.

Much of the production design of Blade Runner can be credited to designer Lawrence G. Paull and legendary futurist Syd Mead. But Scott himself hand-drew sketches of many of the basic concepts for what we would see in the film. Both he and Gibson were world-builders just as much as they were storytellers. Writing teachers like to say the characters are the story. For Blade Runner, the characters are the story, but the environment, the city, is a character too.

Within the world of science fiction, it's easy to see how Blade Runners aesthetics changed everything. From The 5th Element to The Matrix, to quieter films like Ex Machina and almost everything about Black Mirror, what Blade Runner did was create science fiction shorthand. A dreary, tired future, one that felt familiar and made you long for being depressed about hard rain and robot romance. Blade Runner, with its noir influences, romanticized a specific kind of sci-fi melancholy. In the future, you could be sad and worrying about Replicants. But everything was also going to be effortlessly cool.

Blade Runner: The Final Cut is streaming now on Netflix.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY.

Read more:

40 years ago, Harrison Ford's biggest sci-fi flop inspired a cyberpunk revolution - Inverse