Night city beckons: new cyberpunk board game arrives before season 2
The neon-drenched streets of Night City are about to get a little more tangible. As anticipation builds for both the highly-awaited sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 and the second season of the acclaimed Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime, a new cooperative board game offers a thrilling way to dive deeper into the world of chrome and chaos.
A race against time in a familiar world
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners - Hunted, a collaboration between No Loading Games and APEX Ideenschmiede, and officially licensed by CD Projekt RED, isn't a direct continuation of V and Johnny Silverhand’s narrative. Instead, it transplants players into the heart of Night City, tasking them with escaping the city before time runs out. This isn't a simple dash for the border, though. Each game features a randomly revealed objective card (or up to three for increased difficulty), ensuring replayability and unpredictability. The city itself shifts with each playthrough, keeping players constantly on their toes.
The game’s mechanics emphasize simultaneous action, driven by a rapidly depleting sand timer. Players take on the roles of four iconic characters from the anime—Lucy, David, Rebecca, and Maine—each with unique abilities. The gameplay unfolds in two distinct phases: the Edgerunners phase, where players strategize and execute their moves, and the Enemy phase, where forces like the Maelstrom gang or the NCPD relentlessly pursue them. A successful attack from these adversaries accelerates the timer, ratcheting up the tension and demanding swift, coordinated responses.
What sets this board game apart is its commitment to the frenetic energy of Edgerunners. The simultaneous action and the ticking clock create a sense of urgency that perfectly mirrors the anime’s pulse-pounding action sequences. While pre-orders are now open with a release slated for September, the wait is proving relatively painless, especially with the promise of Edgerunners Season 2 on the horizon in 2027—which will introduce a fresh cast of characters and further expand the lore of Night City.
The original anime, a critical and commercial success, even influenced patches and updates to Cyberpunk 2077, proving the power of its storytelling and world-building. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners - Hunted now provides another avenue for fans to immerse themselves in this compelling universe, and a chance to experience the perils of Night City firsthand. The board game's release arrives amidst a surge of excitement for the franchise, a testament to CD Projekt RED’s enduring creation and the captivating narratives it continues to inspire.