Disclaimer: I received a free pre-release copy of the PDF to review.
New from R. Talsorian Games, Inc. (RTG) comes an RPG way ahead of its time. No seriously! Cyberpunk 2020 was released in 1990, and now 30 years later, in the same year as its namesake, we get an all-new RPG in the line by way of Cyberpunk RED, which fast-forwards the timeline to 2045. Nevertheless, old-time fans can rest assured that the core of what made the previous iterations of RTG’s Cyberpunk games is still intact. For one thing, the familiar Interlock system of 1d10 + Stat or Skill + modifiers remains untouched, though some subsystems (most notably combat) have been tweaked and streamlined to bring the game more in line with modern game design sensibilities. Perhaps even more importantly though, the rock n’ roll, fight-the-power Punk feeling of the game can still be found in spades.
Setting
As previously mentioned, Cyberpunk RED takes place in 2045, a few decades in the future from the timeline of previous games in the Cyberpunk line. This move gave RTG the freedom not only to take the existing setting and lore in interestingly new directions but also Cyberpunk RED to serve as a sort of prequel tie-in for the highly-anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 video game.
The game takes place in the Time of the Red, a generation after the end of the Fourth Corporate War detailed in previous editions. For those unfamiliar, huge megacorporations literally went to war and nuked the hell out of each other, leaving large swaths of the planet decimated. The game’s namesake, “The Red,” comes from the red tint to the sky resulting from the nuclear fallout. As you can see, even a generation later things still suck. A lot of the digital infrastructure that tied the world together was destroyed and localized networks now dominate the setting. This is interesting not just from a worldbuilding perspective but also from the perspective of the game itself – localized networks mean you can’t just hack your enemies from halfway around the world, you actually need to get into fairly close proximity (which understandably creates a certain baseline of risk) in order to try to work your cyber-magic.
Cyberpunk RED Characters
Unlike previous editions, Roles in Cyberpunk RED are more about self-defining labels than they are actual descriptions of jobs. They speak to the core of your character’s identity and have a notable mechanical impact in the form of Role Abilities – special abilities that are only available to a character of a given Role. Beyond that, the Roles should be pretty familiar to long-time fans; you can be a Rockerboy, Solo, Netrunner, Tech, Medtech, Exec, Lawman, Fixer, or Nomad.
After selecting a role, you go through your Lifepath. This allows you to flesh out your character’s background, personality, and relationships. These decisions often come with both narrative and mechanical elements, such as your Cultural Region, which not only gives your character a narrative ancestry (and might influence their appearance) but also influences which language your character might know. These Lifepath options can be selected at random or can be chosen at will by players with the GM’s consent.
After going through the Lifepath, players then determine their character’s stats and skills. These decisions can be made in one of three ways. The first way, the Streetrats method, entails using templates based on your Role that come with some pre-set options rather than rolling individual numbers. The second way, the Edgerunners method, uses the same sets of numbers as the Streetrats method but allows you to roll individually for the set from which each stat comes rather than taking the entire set wholesale. Finally, the third way, the Complete Packages method, is basically a point-buy system that allows you to invest in each stat and skill individually.
Finally, you determine your starting gear, including your weapons, armor, outfit, and cyberware. These can all be determined using the methods above, with the first two methods giving you set options, and the third allowing you to buy all your gear from scratch. The first two methods do give you a limited amount of Eurobucks to spend on extra gear entirely of your choosing, but the third option is given the largest amount of money and freedom to buy whatever they want. Once this is done, your character is pretty much good to go.
Final Thoughts
Cyberpunk RED is an exciting addition to the genre. It has a compelling setting that oozes with Punk flavor, and the mechanics have enough crunch for the tactically-minded player while still streamlined enough to prevent the game from getting too bogged down. In my opinion, no other game in the genre (and I’ve played a few) nails the Cyberpunk feel like Cyberpunk RED does. It puts the “Punk” firmly back into Cyberpunk. Why so many other games have either failed to realize or ignored this aspect of the genre is still a mystery to me. But if you, like me, like your Cyberpunk games the same way you like your Cyberpunk novels, you won’t be disappointed.
Do you have thoughts or questions about the article or suggestions for future content? Leave a comment below or drop me a line at jtdimino@d20radio.com.
J.T. Dimino
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