After years of waiting and delays, the long-anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 has finally arrived, and with its arrival has sparked universal interest in its unique dystopian society. The game boasts an experience like no other that allows players to immerse themselves in this fully-realized world and become one of the many denizens of Night City. While the game offers an interactive experience with the world, the rich history of Cyberpunk‘s universe beckons a deeper exploration. As a companion piece to the game, Dark Horse Books has released The World of Cyberpunk 2077 art book to offer players even more insight into the dense world that is Cyberpunk 2077.
The World of Cyberpunk 2077 offers a astoundingly detailed glimpse into the game universe. The book compiles a well-balanced mixture of game art as well as lore that fully realizes the universe — it’s as much a lore compendium as much as it is an art book. The book does offer some excellent game stills and concept art, but the rich lore and history is the main attraction here.
Dark Horse Books
The book itself is divided into six chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of Cyberpunk 2077’s world. The first chapter presents a rough history of the universe spanning 80+ years, this is then followed up by an examination of the technology that lies at the heart of this technologically-advanced world. After offering this sketch of the building blocks to the world, the latter four chapters focus on the game’s central hub: Night City. Throughout the next chapters, readers are treated to journalistic examinations of the myriad of cultures and social strata of Night City alongside interviews with its inhabitants. The book’s structure allows the vibrancy of the game world to translate to text form effortlessly and offers a level of immersion not found elsewhere.
Dark Horse Books
Every page of the book contains some form of stunningly realized artwork that draws one into the world. Whether it’s concept art for the Maelstrom gang, in-game stills of Night City’s skyline, or rich maps detailing the city’s infrastructure, all the art pieces work in sync. This becomes especially prevalent in such sections that focus on the different warring gangs. Readers are treated to detailed information of each gang’s central locations, driving motivations, distinguishing factors, and much more. Also littered throughout the book are fictional advertisements ripped straight from this world. Such attention to detail shows off the level of care and intricacy that lines the game world.
Another striking aspect of the book lies in its frightening relationship to our own society. The real-world parallels one can note throughout the book become more and more striking as one delves deeper into this universe. At times, these overlaps are humorous, but more often than not they point out the pitfalls our society risks succumbing to in our increasingly technological, corporate world. This adds a level of realism to the Cyberpunk universe and gives it a sense of tangibility despite the fictional scientific advancements.
Altogether, The World of Cyberpunk 2077 delivers a standout collection of lore and art in the Cyberpunk universe. Its exploration of the urban jungle that is Night City offers readers an extensive look into all the moving pieces that make up the game universe. While it can come across dense at times, this book was made for the hardcore Cyberpunk enthusiast whose interest in this universe knows no bounds.
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