Glitchpunk, a new top-down shooter title that blends classic Grand Theft Auto gameplay with a Cyberpunk 2077-like setting, is entering Steam Early Access very soon. This intriguing indie game is being developed by up-and-coming solo indie developer Dark Lord and published by Daedalic Entertainment, which is most recently known for handling the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: Gollum.
Set in a dystopian near-future, Glitchpunk puts players in the role of a malfunctioning android rebelling against their programming to challenge the corrupt governments and mega-corporations of the world – as well as any drug-crazed gangs, aggressive police, and reckless drivers along the way. Players will be able to steal cars to flee from enemies, fight with a variety of melee and ranged weapons, and upgrade their playable character's body as they journey through a storyline that deals with themes like transhumanism, xenophobia, and religion. They can also influence the world around them by making new friends and possibly converting enemies to their side through dialogue options and hacking.
According to a press release acquired by Games Press, Glitchpunk will be entering Steam Early Access on August 11, with a playable build consisting of roughly six to eight hours of GTA 2-inspired top-down shooter gameplay. The first available setting is a city called New Baltia, with additional areas set in Outpost Texas, Neo Tokyo, and Moscow to be added later on. Outpost Texas was originally meant to be the first available city, but Dark Lord postponed it for polishing purposes. According to the developer, New Baltia is currently “the absolute best” Glitchpunk has to offer. Other features will include an art style that blends 2D sprites with 3D environments and in-game radio courtesy of various music acts from all over the world, as well as news stations and humorous commercials in true GTA fashion.
The cyberpunk genre has gained a new wave of attention in recent years thanks to the release of CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077. Although that particular game made headlines for all the wrong reasons when it hit stores last winter, the promise of a cyberpunk open world setting has still captured the imagination of many. Cyberpunk 2077 was reinstated on PlayStation Network a few months ago after being pulled due to its massive number of game-breaking bugs and glitches, with CD Projekt Red promising several more improvements throughout the rest of the year. In the intervening time, other cyberpunk-themed games have begun making their own way to digital stores to capitalize on the interest vacuum their AAA counterpart failed to fill itself.
There is plenty of room in the cyberpunk genre for new video games, and Glitchpunk is promising plenty of intriguing new ideas and themes to go along with the post-modern esthetic. Playing as a malfunctioning android could lead to a compelling story of finding one's own identity and place in the world, as the promised Grand Theft Auto 2-style top-down gameplay gives it enough of a unique flavor to help it stand out from Cyberpunk 2077 and the rest of the crowd.
Glitchpunk will be available on PC via Steam Early Access on August 11, 2021.
Source: Games Press