Looking for a Cyberpunk Genre Game

[Cergorach]

I think my biggest problem is the cyberpunk game I want to run is set in Night City and I really want it to be Cyberpunk 2020. I feel as though I'm pining for something that simply cannot be. i.e. I think I'm my own problem.

We're all our own problem!

I'm from the Shadowrun side of things and have similar issues as you have with Cyberpunk. I do not like the new Shadowrun 'world', I would prefer to keep it 2050-2060. There were issues with the old rules, and issues with the new rules. So IF I ever run SR again, I'll disconnect the setting from the rules and even that from rules options.

So why not make a Night City guide for your players and yourself from the old CP2020 material and then search for a rules set where you remove all it's own fluff from and replace it with Night City? With PDFs these days that should be easier then ever! Heck, we're playing with Foundry VTT these days and disconnecting rules from fluff/adventures has never been easier!

Have you looked at the Blade Runner RPG by Free League? To me it's atmosphere seems closer to old CP2020, don't know about the rules though.

Blade Runner RPG - Free League Publishing

freeleaguepublishing.com

 

[MGibster]

So why not make a Night City guide for your players and yourself from the old CP2020 material and then search for a rules set where you remove all it's own fluff from and replace it with Night City? With PDFs these days that should be easier then ever! Heck, we're playing with Foundry VTT these days and disconnecting rules from fluff/adventures has never been easier!

I've thought about doing that with Savage Worlds. It's not going to play the same though, which is just something I'll have to accept.

 

[Umbran]

2) You can rely more on fictional positioning, and maybe have fairly generic stats, but encourage players to describe their specific gear and its peculiarities - again not aware of a game that actually advocates for this, rather surprisingly,

The game you are looking for in this slot is Shadowrun Anarchy.

 

[aramis erak]

I used to love Cyberpunk 2020 back in the day and was exciting to jump on Cyberpunk Red. Unfortunately my players and I were disappointed with Cyberpunk Red and resolved that we had no interest in playing it ever again. I've got an idea for a cyberpunk campaign but thought I might expand my horizons a bit instead of going back to 2020. Maybe it's time I move on, right?

The Motherboard setting frame in Daggerheart is another one.

If you're masochistic (or actually like) Rolemaster/Spacemaster, ICE's Cyberspace is good option.

The GDW versions of 2300AD had the Earth/Cybertech sourcebook. It's conceptually a Traveller game, but not an OTU game, and it's spaceopera with sci-fi added in the supplment.

There are decent cybertech supplements for Justifiers, TORG, GURPS, Hero System, Savage Worlds. All of which are available in PDF, save TORG 1e, AFAIK.

 

[MGibster]

If you're masochistic (or actually like) Rolemaster/Spacemaster, ICE's Cyberspace is good option.

While I remember seeing Rolemaster products for sale in the late 80s and early 1990s, I don't know if I've run into anyone who has actually played it!

 

[RealAlHazred]

Shadowrun Anarchy is really good, but for an even more narrative approach, I'll recommend one I haven't seen mentioned (which makes me sad) -- CBR+PNK. This is a hack of Blades in the Dark, and is supposed to represent a group of runners doing One Last Big Score, which is a great vibe. Check it out (there are 437 community copies if you want to look for free) and then check out the scenario Mind the Gap, which is fabulous. In fact, check out that scenario even if you don't use the system. There's a fan-created soundtrack for it as well.

And if it turns out it floats your boat, there's an add-on for campaign-style play called CBR+PNK: ReSerialized.

 

[RealAlHazred]

If you're masochistic (or actually like) Rolemaster/Spacemaster, ICE's Cyberspace is good option.

I seem to remember Cyberspace as being a streamlined version of the rules. Not exactly narrative, but considerably more streamlined that RoleMaster. For even more streamlined rules based on the same mechanic, check out the TolkienQuest gamebooks (later rebranded as Middle Earth Quest, but I believe they used substantially the same mechanics?).

 

[aramis erak]

While I remember seeing Rolemaster products for sale in the late 80s and early 1990s, I don't know if I've run into anyone who has actually played it!

I like RM, but only with spreadsheets for experience and levelup. It's not really complicated, but it is math-heavy. I won't run it if people don't have calculators (NOT cellphones - too much temptation!).

SM is literally the same engine, but with Sci-Fi classes and races. My core box came with an interoperations guide to be able to freely mix-n-match.

 

[aramis erak]

I seem to remember Cyberspace as being a streamlined version of the rules. Not exactly narrative, but considerably more streamlined that RoleMaster. For even more streamlined rules based on the same mechanic, check out the TolkienQuest gamebooks (later rebranded as Middle Earth Quest, but I believe they used substantially the same mechanics?).

It's literally the MERP engine, reskinned to CP.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

The game you are looking for in this slot is Shadowrun Anarchy.

Aha I shall look into this! In fact it rings a bell - maybe I have it on PDF somewhere!