It seems like Dark Lord, the dev team behind Glitchpunk, is taking potshots at Cyberpunk 2077’s current standing.

Daedalic Entertainment (which is in a publisher role here – they are developing The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, which has been delayed to 2022, as we mentioned recently!) and Dark Lord announced a game that is both retro and futuristic and retro. It’s retro because it resembles Grand Theft Auto 2 (top-down view gameplay), while it also looks into the future with its cyberpunk setting. Glitchpunk is doing something interesting off the bat, and we can’t write this name without smiling…

Here’s what the press release says about the game: „In Glitchpunk you play as a glitching android going against your programming and challenging the tyrannical governments and megacorps of the dystopian near-future. Forge your path in several cities full of drug-crazed gangs, aggressive police, and irresponsible drivers that make each mission and playthrough unpredictable. Steal cars and lead your enemies on a merry chase, fight them with a variety of melee and long-range weapons, and upgrade your own body with tech. But Glitchpunk isn’t just about blowing things up, it also tells a story of transhumanism, xenophobia, and religion. You can influence the world around you, make new friends, face off against more enemies than you can count – and you might even find love.

Brutal top-down action with a massive arsenal of weapons to choose from. [A] hacking system allowing players to control the minds of pedestrians and affect various devices. Many different ways of locomotion, including trains, tanks, motorbikes, buses, trucks, and tons of cars. Frantic police chases and up to 10 escalations of mayhem-inducing wanted levels. 12 gangs with their own stories, quests, and culture. 4 different cities, from the desert remains of the USA to cyberpunk Soviet Russia in a post-nuclear winter. [A] mature story with several endings. Rare art style mix of 2D sprites in a 3D environment. In-game radio with music by artists from all over the world, together with news stations and absurd commercials,” the press release claims.

Glitchpunk will be available in a demo from February 3 to February 9 during the next Steam Games Festival. The early access release will follow in the first half of the year, and Glitchpunk is planned to exit early access by the end of 2021. You can find an image gallery here.

Source: Marchsreiter / Daedalic press release