In which I pick out a few choice tunes from the game's expansive soundtrack...
So we're close to a month into the release of CD Projekt's long-awaited action RPG Cyberpunk 2077. It's been a shaky launch to say the least, but I've been enjoying the immersive world and expansive possibilities for stealth and combat customization. I'm playing on the Xbox One and, bugs aside, I've been happy with the performance.
Now, granted, it's been a strange season to dive into a dystopian cyberpunk world. These futuristic visions are largely a product of prior decades, and they don't always mesh with modern values and anxieties -- not matter how much nostalgia we hold for past installments in the genre. So it's weird and, anytime I engage with cyberpunk genre ideas these days, I find myself second guessing a lot of what's there -- and a lot of what is hidden in its trappings.
But all this being said, I want to share a rather non-controversial opinion on Cyberpunk 2077: The soundtrack is absolutely awesome. To be clear, the game score by Adamczyk et al is highly effective as well, but the rest of the music -- generally experienced through in-world radios and while driving around the open world of the game -- is splendidly curated.
I've not had a chance to dig through all of it yet, as the game kind of limits when you can listen to it AND there's just so much of it. If you're listening to it all on Spotify or another digital music source, you're dealing with four volumes of music that cover various genres, from hip-hop and dance hall to death metal and of course an array of industrial sounds. You'll find everyone from Run The Jewels to Grimes on this thing -- though oddly no 3TEETH. So please dive in for yourself, but here are a few tracks that have stood out to me:
Selva Pulsatil by Deafkids and Tainted Overlord: A raw, grinding track that reminds me of Broken-era Nine Inch Nails. A killer vibe that has me checking out more from these artists.
History by Gazelle Twin and Trash Generation: I've been a fan of Gazelle Twin's twisted futurism since her 2011 debut The Entire City and this track delivers the expected mix of uncanny writhing and fleshy circuits.
On My Way to Hell by Poloz and Tinnitus: Another driving electronic track that's perfect for plunging at high speeds through a future garbage city -- though I can't find anything else on these artists, so perhaps it was something created internally for the game. Either way, great track:
Check it all out for yourself. Plus, even if some of the tracks are not necessarily my favorites for out-of-game listening, it all works well for the in-game radio experience. Very well done.
Comments