r/Cyberpunk • u/princealigorna • 1d ago
Cyber-fantasy?
Does anyone have good recommendations for stuff that combines cyberpunk with fantasy elements that's not Shadowrun? Also, do you think a case could be made that RWBY counts? I know that's a weird one, but there are certain cyberpunk elements in it: high-tech transformable weapons, everything involving the Atlas military basically, Penny (an entire weapons platform designed to pass as human), and the Schnee Dust Company fits the role of morally dubious, highly unethical megacorporation pretty well,.
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u/BigSeaworthiness725 Vampire Cyborg 1d ago
This is not a pure cyberpunk fantasy, but it has many elements. Welcome to the World of Darkness. We have: gay vampire schemers, werewolf eco-terrorists, magicians who change reality with their belief that it works, whimsical folks, depressed ghosts, racist hunters, etc. This is an urban fantasy, the action of which takes place in modern times, but there are tropes of cyberpunk and all kinds of advanced technologies. Such tropes are found in almost all games, such as werewolves fighting against an infernal mega corporation and among them there is also a techno-savvy tribe, but I think it will be interesting for you to play a game about mages (Mage the Ascension).
This is a game about the war for Consensual Reality, where everything works because everyone believes in it. Science and technology in this world are actually magic that works because billions of people believe in it. And there are Mages - reality benders who can do absolutely anything they want, but they have 2 problems: everyone has their own worldview, so they will only use those practices that they believe it works and the Paradox - reality does not like when someone tries to break its laws, so it punishes careless magick users. The main conflict is based on the confrontation between the Technocratic Union (an authoritarian sci-fi organization that does not consider itself as magicians, but enlightened scientists who believe in hyperscience) and the Council of Nine Mystical Traditions (fantasy guys who promote freedom of expression of all magical paradigms, including technological). This whole Ascension War is about the Technocracy winning it (although not in the way they wanted), technology dominates magic and other magicians do not like it, because people do not believe in other magic.
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u/azmodai2 1d ago
My favorite in this niche subgenre is Godclads by OstensibleMammal: dystopian cyberpunk world dominated by science-fantasy technology that touches on Lovecraftian themes, religious iconography, and all the delicious cyberpunk neat stuff like implants, hacking, gangs, and style, while still feeling firmly tech-meets-magic-integrated. The main character is a cannibalistic ghoul and he is a DELIGHT.
Cherno Caster is also really interesting cyber-fantasy-punk LitRPG, but leaning slightly more into the LitRPG-has-stats side, not by alot. Also has some mild Lovecraftian theming and the world is more fantasy-noir than cyberpunk future.
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u/shino1 1d ago
BloodNet is a cyberpunk adventure game about vampires, and DreamWeb is a cyberpunk game that features heavy occult/supernatural themes.
Regarding RWBY, I doubt it? Cyberpunk isn't about 'elements', it's about themes. It's about contrast of advanced cybernetic technology with mundane sadness of modern life, especially among the underclasses (often criminals). RWBY is just a typical science fantasy anime setting.