With the rapid advancement of technology comes the inevitable question: will we turn into cyborgs? Whereas, in fact, most of us are already cyborgs by slapping on a wearable like one of Android’s best smartwatches. But that’s just one part of the cyberpunk aesthetic.
Corruption, constant surveillance, information control, and extreme disparity between the rich and the poor are some of cyberpunk’s cornerstones. It’s a society zombified by technology and political propaganda instead of an actual zombie outbreak.
Cyberpunk 2077 portrayed these themes in most detail and, upon its launch in 2020, led to a massive influx of cyberpunk games on the market. While the trend has died somewhat, the genre is still more popular than ever, even on mobile. This is why we’ve rounded up some of the best cyberpunk games on Android. Enjoy!
Battle Night: Cyberpunk RPG
At first glance, Battle Night bears a close resemblance to Cyberpunk 2077, especially with its prominent use of the color yellow in promotional materials. Both games also happen to take place in 2077, but the commonalities end there.
Battle Night is an idle RPG that combines elements of cyberpunk and fantasy. In the game’s story, you take on the role of a detective and work on assembling a team to investigate a government conspiracy. Create your team, outfit them with futuristic gear, take on humongous bosses, or even let your characters develop while you’re away from your device. Battle Night constantly adds new content via updates in the form of new characters, gear, and new quests.
CyberCode Online – Text MMORPG
Much like Battle Night, CyberCode is an idle RPG, with one standout difference. It’s entirely text-based. Everything, be it exploration, combat, hacking, or dialogue, happens via text. But don’t let that deter you, as you’ll explore an immersive cyberpunk world and fight bosses alongside your friends just as much as any game with graphics.
Like a regular RPG, CyberCode Online features deep lore, characters, weapons, and upgrade trees. And you can interact with other players by raiding dungeons or trading valuable items. And a quick look at the reviews shows that most users give CyberCode a perfect score. That’s a rarity these days, so it’s best to take advantage when you can.
Cyberika: Action Cyberpunk RPG
With bright neon visuals and an open world to explore, Cyberika is probably the closest you can get to Cyberpunk 2077 on Android. In this open-world RPG, you can do pretty much anything. You can explore the city in a futuristic sports car, drop by the ripper doc to install new body augmentations, or simply run out to exterminate the local gang members.
Every district is controlled by a different gang equipped with advanced weapons and technology. In other words, you’ll need every bit of advantage to take on the title’s numerous adversaries. Your journey starts modestly, but you can upgrade your character by purchasing futuristic weapons, such as laser rifles, installing body modifications, or outfitting your avatar with the latest in armor technology.
Cyberlords – Arcology
If you crave something more retro, then Cyberlords could be for you. Visually, Cyberlords looks like a Genesis-era Shadowrun game, including the signature isometric camera perspective. It takes place in a much more distant future of 2173. You take control of a resistance group intent on bringing down the corporate force that seeks to enslave the common folk.
Build a team of up to four characters, each with their own unique specialties, and equip them with futuristic body augmentations and weapons to match the game’s adversaries. Cyberlords will cost you $1.99 for an ad-free version, but you can also gain access by subscribing to Play Pass.
Cyberpunk Hero: Epic Roguelike
Welcome to Night City. Don’t mind the fact that Cyberpunk Hero borrows the name of its setting from Cyberpunk 2077. Cyberpunk Hero is a challenging top-down roguelike in which you only get one shot at victory. Fail, and it’s back to the beginning.
Cyberpunk Hero offers a choice of three characters, each with its own set of abilities and approach to combat. As you defeat robots, drones, and other cybernetically-enhanced enemies, you accumulate coins that allow you to level up your character in order to, hopefully, survive the next onslaught. Best of all, you can control the game while only using a single finger.
Huntdown: Cyberpunk Adventure
From pixelated visuals to non-stop 2D platforming, everything about Huntdown screams “blast processing.” Huntdown is a 2D cyberpunk action-adventure game inspired by the 16-bit era of consoles. Its story takes place in a bleak future where gangs reign supreme while authorities care too little to interfere.
The game was received favorably on home consoles and PC, and was subsequently released on Android and iOS in 2021. Huntdown gives you a try-before-you-buy option by providing a short demo, but you’ll have to fork out $3.99 to unlock the full game. It’s a fair price to pay for 20 levels filled with action-packed destruction featuring three different characters, each with their methods for fighting oppression.
Infinity Ops: Cyberpunk FPS
Infinity Ops is a complete package, with top-of-the-line mobile visuals and a battle royale mode that puts it among the best on Android. Fans of online multiplayer FPS games will find a selection of additional modes, like Team Deathmatch, and four distinct classes to choose from. For those who seek an even greater challenge, Infinity Ops offers a Hardcore mode that effectively doubles any damage dealt or received.
It goes to show that there are no happy endings in the cyberpunk scenario, as society has reached the peak of technological development. The remaining factions vie for power and employ every advantage, including futuristic weaponry and augmentations, to get the upper hand on the opposition.
Whispers of a Machine
Whispers of a Machine treads a fine line between cyberpunk and the scenario in which the world isn’t engulfed in glamorous neon lights. There’s little about the game’s visuals that scream typical cyberpunk, but it nonetheless covers similar themes on the relationship between man and machine.
In fact, it’s a rather tame point-and-click adventure game akin to Beyond a Steel Sky and Syberia titles that focuses on story and puzzle-solving. You take on the role of Vera; an augmented government agent tasked with investigating a series of grisly murders. Vera’s cybernetics will come in handy during the investigation when questioning the game’s numerous denizens, or solving puzzles. Whispers of a Machine comes at an affordable $3.99 price tag or as part of the Play Pass.
Cyberpunk is now
In video games, cyberpunk fiction tends to favor action, but it’s really about storytelling. It’s about the consequences that unsupervised technological advancement and socio-economic disparity eventually lead to. Cyberpunk covers an array of genres, including RPGs, first-person shooters, retro-inspired platformers, as well as adventure games. What’s your most cyberpunk experience on Android so far? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll consider including the game in a future update.
