Table Top RPG “Cyberpunk RED” has been available for sometime as both a Physical book and a PDF for purchase worldwide. It shares the same worldview as Cyberpunk 2077, and at the same time, it acts as a sequel to the original Tabletop inspiration game “Cyberpunk 2020”, all while introducing in-depth and never before seen information about the world of Cyberpunk. You can purchase the game from Talsorian Games. This is a summary of what this game is about and why you might be interested in it.
Cyberpunk Red – The Red Age
According to information presented in the book, the work is set in the year 2045 A.D., in the period between “2020” and “2077”. Johnny Silverhand disappears in 2023, and after that the world becomes devestated to the point of civilization’s collapse due to the influence of the “Fourth Corporate War.”. Wildfires raged in the Us, detonation of Nuclear weapons and emission of toxic particles into the atmosphere, which led the sun to glow with a brilliant red at the times of sunrise and sunset, and cause an occasional blood-rain containing contaminated particle manner to fall, hence the name “Red“.
The “Red Age” is a time of reconstruction where buildings seen in 2077 were still new and shiny, but logistics were still disrupted and it was hard to acquire food, daily necessities and weapons. Because of this, it’s not impossible for new comers to get into Night city and make a name for themselves. The bigger point to take though is what actually happened to Johnny Silverhand, and weather there will be new information about him in this book. Tdlr: Yes there is something that will be “Breathtaking.” for Cyberpunk 2077 fans.
Johnny Silverhand and Edge Runners
Cyberpunk Red contains three short novels about Johnny, the first of which: “Never Fade Away” tells the story of Johnny and Alt, the incident that started the storyline of Cyberpunk 2077. The second novel “The fall of the Giant Tower“, chronicles Johnny’s attack on Alaska Tower in 2023, leading up to his murder by Adam Smasher. This novel reveals that there is a considerable discrepancy between Johnny’s memories as relived by the protagonist V in “Cyberpunk 2077” and the novel’s depiction.
The novel, now told in third person, will provide the answers to some mysteries that were not known from Johnny’s point of view. The third novel “Black dog“. is not the story of Johnny himself, but of a group of edge runners searching for a phantom song he left behind. The novel features Trace, Santiago’s son who appeared in “Never Fade Away,” and Samantha, a female firefighter with a full-body prosthesis who helped Johnny in “Chrome Book 2,” a supplement to “Cyberpunk 2020.
There are more interesting reveals that will be a spoiler territory, so it’s better to check it out for yourself, not to mention. half of the book (close to 460 pages) is dedicated to world information and timeline, so it’s a must have for any fan who is enthusiastic about the game. Also it seems the publishing company that holds the right to the Tabletop games intends to pursue creating more TRPGs for this mysterious time period. You can check more about these stories on the wikia.
The World of Cyberpunk Red
Cyberpunk Red, built in the same manner as its predecessor, Cyberpunk 2077, portrays a world similar to Dungeons and Dragons but more adjacent to reality. There are no monsters or evil gods, and there is no magic. It’s a lawless devastated world that is controlled by humans who has evolved beyond what could be described using the word “Mad”. Of course, this is all according to the original creator Mike Ponsmith, is an extended projection of present day events into the future, with the problems of modern society such as organ trafficking and political corruption.
The basic rules are the same between both games, but in Red the rules have become lighter and easier, and time consuming processes like calculating defense points for armors were stripped down to match modern trends, and prioritize playability over reality. Another major change in Red is the restructuring of certain elements regarding character roles or classes, and expanding on them, making them more fun to play, and more able to work with each other.
There are 10 different roles to choose from, and it’s possible to “Multiclass” and create a character with multiple abilities by combining these different roles. There is also a reason the information is portrayed as fragmented in the video game “Cyberpunk 2077” and missing in places, and that’s because in the TRPG you have a “God” worldview, and are allowed to observe and learn about more details that you couldn’t know (or were falsified in Johnny’s case) through the detailed rulebook.
There are many many DLCs to the game, both free and paid, like Pre-generated characters and NPCs, systems and rules and locations, even rules and lore for the in-universe popular MMO of Night City: Elflines Online. There are also many planned expansions in the works like Tales of the Red, Danger Gal Dossier, and other things with focus on the Edge Runners (The main topic of the upcoming anime, and other specific economy aspects during the Red Era). So there is a never ending amount of content for players who were looking for more to get from the experience from Cyberpunk 2077.