PLATFORM: PC, PS4, SWITCH, XBOX ONE (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Set in the futuristic neon-drenched vertical city of Nivalis, players are thrust into the shoes of Rania, a delivery driver on her first night in the job. From the safety of her HOVA vehicle (a flying car, basically), Rania is directed to Cloudpunk HQ where she collects various packages to be delivered around the city. Within the opening minutes, mystery surrounds her predecessor’s whereabouts, and things quickly get even more shady when her first task is to drop off a parcel in the Marrow, a seedy maze-like area in the lower part of town which is home to all manner of suspicious characters. But, as per your official instructions, there are only two rules you need to worry about: don’t miss a delivery, and don’t ask what’s in the package…

This all sets the scene perfectly for what’s to follow – Cloudpunk is high on mystery and intrigue, and builds its world tremendously well through interactions between the player and the city’s residents. Heavily leaning into its sci-fi setting, you can clearly see influences of Blade Runner, The Fifth Element and even a bit of Dredd / Mega City One, and fans of the stories found in those films are likely to be equally enthralled by Cloudpunk‘s excellent narrative.

There isn’t much going on besides flying around the city and talking to NPCs – the bulk of the game involves travelling from A to B, having a chat, then moving on elsewhere. But those looking for a sci-fi story-driven adventure are in for a real treat. There are moral decisions to be made (the temptation to break the rules might occasionally prove too much…), mysteries to solve and some incredibly memorable characters and encounters, all wrapped up in a uniquely atmospheric style. As long as you know what you’re getting into, Cloudpunk‘s world is a joy to spend time in.