I'm just going to put this out there in the open: I love cyberpunk. I love the darkness, the cold cities, the hacking, the secrecy... everything. And, one can't get a much better cyberpunk universe than Shadowrun, a top-tier futuristic dystopian world that's been played for decades, from pen and paper to videogames.

Shadowrun Online is a turn-based action MMORPG in that Shadowrun universe. I love games like this. It's a bit like Crusader, Syndicate, and X-Com had a Matrix baby.

I've backed this game on Kickstarter and if it looks like something you'd like to play, I hope you do, too. Right now they've only got 11 days left to make their target and they're just a little less than halfway there.

Two things are holding them back, methinks: a terrible Kickstarter video and lack of awareness. There's obviously a demand for this game since even with very little marketing, the Kickstarter has made it up over $220k. I think this will be a case of people discovering it after the Kickstarter is over and wishing they could have contributed.

If you're interested in Shadowrun Online, take a look at their Kickstarter page and share it with your friends.

Slave Zero

Platform: PC, Dreamcast
Developer: Infogrames
Release date: 1999

It's a shame that a sequel has not yet been made for this game. Even though Slave Zero received relatively poor reviews from critics at the time, it's actually a great game with a really cool futuristic style reminiscent of Blade Runner or Syndicate. The game is an action shooter, played from a third person perspective.

In Slave Zero you are a captured Slave: a 60-foot tall mechanoid creature built from a cybernetic embryo. The ruling, oppressive government, Lu Chen AKA SovKhan, built Slaves to fight and defend the control of power in Megacity S1-9. Resistence fighters known as the Guardians have captured you and converted you to fight on their side in a desperate attempt to wrest control from SovKhan.

The level design is great, boss battles are cool, and the soundtrack fits the game really well.

Slave Zero is a great shooter that's often overlooked.

Pick it up for Dreamcast or PC.