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The deluxe edition of The World of Cyberpunk 2077.
Dark Horse Press
Cyberpunk 2077 it’s finally here. So far it has been a mixed release, but it has been very popular. You or someone you know with access to a decent gaming console or PC is likely to spend some time on this game during the month of December. This is a hugely successful release for a year where they have been a very rare thing. Of all the things that have hit the market about the game, one of my favorite things is The world of Cyberpunk 2077 from Dark Horse Press. I was hoping for a great art book that would collect the concept art that we have seen during the development of the game. What Dark Horse Press sent me for review was so much more.
Cyberpunk 2077 exists at the end of a story. The story began with the innovation of Mike Pondsmith. Cyberpunk 2013, toured the classic role-playing games Cyberpunk 2020, continued during the recent smash hit Cyberpunk red before becoming a video game. The book provides a useful timeline for players of any of these games. It is much more than a visual resource; it is a worldwide document of how Nigh City was born, died, rebuilt and is in danger once again.
The book offers an excellent introduction to the concepts of the environment, such as the technological advances that empower the main character called cyberware. The book includes a guide to the different generations of cyberware and the pros and cons of reliable old robotic arms versus the sleek style of new technology. He also talks about brain dance; engraved mementos that can be bought and sold in the world. Weapons and cars are also viewed based on their importance to the game.
Night City gets a bit of history and is then divided into the different districts that can be explored in the video game. This is the most useful item in the book for table players. These sections are short, informative, and tastefully presented. Major corporate players like Arasaka and Militech get one-page dossiers that could easily be given to players as a summary of what they know about a company before they decide to work for them … or run a heist against them. The same goes for the many colorful gangs in Night City, although I do admit to a slight disappointment that some of the classic Night City 2020 gangs like the Bozos or the Vampires Philharmonic apparently didn’t survive until the 2070s.
Speaking of disappointment, I was disappointed in the deluxe version bonus content that Dark Horse Press sent me for review. The book comes in a cool container, similar to a puzzle, with an additional material folder. Of the bonus material, the Johnny Silverhand poster was the best. Postcards with pictures of various cool cars were fine, while temporary tattoos were disappointing. Given the amount of technology in the game, it might have made more sense that these were stickers to apply to laptops, phones, and other devices to bring a little bit of 2077 into our world. The deluxe version is a cool gadget, but fans who want to save their money on cool new gadgets can probably get away with the basic book for information.
What convinced me about the book were the little touches. The introduction explains why a physical book would exist even in 2077. (The short version? The books cannot be hacked and the information they contain is important) The advertisements scattered throughout the book help to define well the corporate hell of 2077 of a way that reminds me of ad breaks in the dark future classic Robocop. Some of this art appears in the video game, while some reuse the concept art in exciting ways.
The world of Cyberpunk Makes a great gift for video game fans as well as board game fans of those who Cyberpunk 2077 jump. It’s a look at the world from inside the world, taking advantage of concept art in a way that I haven’t seen since West End Games used discarded Lucasfilm concept art to expand the Star Wars galaxy. Cyberpunk DJs will find it useful for inspiration and players can immerse themselves in the world in a mechanics-free book. It’s a win-win for all who love Cyberpunk And there’s not much of those these days, choomba
PS: Fans of the original RPG should also check out this Humble Bundle for almost every book in the line that runs through the end of December.
