This game was so good that I kept asking myself how they put so much story and character into each minute of gameplay. The answer turned out to be that there were only about 7 hours to the game, but the 7 hours were absolutely fantastic. The main character was likable (thank god because she's talking a lot), the secondary characters are compelling, and the choices you make do matter to the story. I was very surprised when it ended and I really would like to see more. If you're thinking of buying the game, ask yourself how much you would pay for 7-10 hours of stellar gameplay. I got it for $20 and it was totally worth it.

Cloudpunk is a beautiful game that, given it's voxel-style graphics, evokes the feeling of playing in some mastermind Minecraft builder's cybepunk world, and being given a story and collectibles to give me a reason to explore the detail and beauty of this cyberpunk world.

The game loop is straightforward; fly-drive your cybercar called a HOVA to different overworlds, walk around contained zones within them, and in each zone collect objects and interact with NPCs - all while the main plot and side stories guide the player through the world. That means no combat, no twitch reflexes beyond piloting your car, and no life-sim survival mechanics (which their next game might have). That means minimal stress while playing, outside of having to pay repairs for playing bumper HOVAs and being confronted with a few moral dilemmas. It does also means that you may only find this title enjoyable if, like me, you desire a simple and concise gaming experience with a sometimes intriguing story and a visually interesting world to enjoy from your couch with a controller.

In Cloudpunk, the player is represented by Rania, who has newly arrived to the city and started work as a delivery driver for the eponymous Cloudpunk organization that delivers packages to anyone who pays, no questions asked. While I still haven't completed the main narrative at 10 hours, there have been moments where I tuned out the story to experience the cyberpunk vibe and aesthetic, but then paying attention for the moments I found interesting. I do enjoy playing as Rania, who is a very likable protagonist if maybe sometimes "too good" - for which something could be said for how it is a meta-commentary of how different Rania is, as she grew up outside of the megalopolis experiencing the sky while the majority in Nivalis do not. As my playtime has gone on, I have found the main plot become interesting enough once it gets past the opening to the actual plot about a AI named CORA who runs all the city's systems and is now malfunctioning, even if I found it's points is sometimes a bit too on the nose.

There are also side stories that can be found by interacting with named NPCs in each zone. These stories are sometimes worth listening to, and some of them lead to moral questions that have to be answered by the player. When I didn't want to focus on the story or really get lost in the world, I would turn down or mute the voices so I could look around while listening to an amazing soundtrack. Cloudpunk is fully voice-acted, but at times I found it a bit grating, and some characters lacked emotion in the voices, which while understandable for androids is less so for other human characters. I do appreciate that it's in there, as it was well done at times. The music on the other hand is great, and I found it enjoyable throughout. Alternatively, it's not hard to mute the music for your own soundtrack.

I do think I'll eventually complete the game, but I have the OCD gamer problem where I need to collect all the items, especially with it's map icons with which the game tells you to visit and explore every nook and cranny for the weirdest knick knack. The main map also lacks basic open world functions like placing way points and showing the route, but I assumed this was a conscious choice based on wanting to maintain immersion in the world. However, it ended up with me switching back the map often, even with the minimap. Outside of maybe one resource that is needed at a few points (electronics) and quest items, I have not seen a use for many of the items besides selling them. Cash is also abundant however because it is rewarded upon visiting new areas and completing missions, and the only reoccurring costs are repairs and gas which are not a burden at all. There are car upgrades that somewhat help and are not too expensive, as well as clothing for Rania.

Overall I think Cloudpunk is a fun and cool experience, and the DLC adds more story and some racing which appears to be well received and I will likely get next sale. While I am interested enough right now to continue with the story, I may burn out since there's not much else to distract from the collecting and the flipping back and forth on the main map to find everything. However, I am glad that I experienced the world as much has I have so far and I look forward to what this team does next,

As someone who is a big sucker for Cyberpunk style games, this is right up my alley! Love the atmosphere, the rainy city nights and the syth music. Only thing about it is that it does get repetitive with all the missions.