Moody Dark Sci-fi Games Similar to Blade Runner

[Pixel_Crusher]

After watching the first Blade Runner film, I went over to GOG and purchased the digital release of the point and click game with the same name. After beating the game multiple times, I was really surprised on how well the developers nailed the atmosphere and mood of the first film and felt enchanted by those very same elements (loved the Vangelis soundtrack and the dark, oppressive atmosphere).

I was so pleased with the overall experience that I needed more in my life. So far, I found incredibly similar experiences in the likes of Snatcher, DreamWeb and Gemini Rue... but I'm craving for even more like this! XD


So, outside of the aforementioned titles, are there anymore games with a Blade Runner kind of feel that anyone can recommend me?

[Deleted]

I'd say a good place to look is the Shadowrun series. I've only played the SNES RPG but it is really quite good and has a very dark setting that combines cyberpunk with fantasy.

[jackcaeylin]

I don't know, if that counts, but there is a game with the name "Observer". It is moody, but maybe a bit too edgy from a visual point of view. Rutger Hauer did some lines.

store.steampowered.com/app/514900/observer/

There is another game that has more similarities with Blade Runner. The name is "The last night", but is not released yet. It is 2D like Dex.

store.steampowered.com/app/612400/The_Last_Night/

[teroknor]

Dynamix' Rise of the Dragon goes all in on this with its setting of a polluted future Los Angeles and a down-on-his luck hardboiled detective as protagonist.

Very different regarding gameplay, but also full of those drab future aesthetics is Bullfrog's Syndicate.

Both are available on GOG.

[jorpho]

Beneath a Steel Sky, and its new sequel?

Bloodnet also comes to mind, but by all accounts it is absolutely terrible. Same goes for the Tekwar game.

And there's good ol' Canabalt, but that's just an endless runner.

Maybe Tales of the Neon Sea? Some people seem to like it.
store.steampowered.com/app/828740/Tales_of_the_Neon_Sea/

Not to be confused with The Last Night, the other cyberpunk game with pixel graphics (whose creator said stuff).

And Anachronox is probably worth mentioning. Maybe Omikron: The Nomad Soul? Or Messiah, for that matter?

Or VA-11 Hall-A?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VA-11_Hall-A

The old computer game based on Neuromancer also has some fans, now that I think about it.

[lurker]

[ReyVGM]

I love the SNES Shadowrun. It's a little rough nowadays, but it has great atmosphere, and I love the isometric miniature look the game has.

[toei]

The Genesis Shadowrun is great too. It's more non-linear and it lets you do things you can't do in the SNES game (which is also good), the only thing is it's a bit hard to get started cause you're so weak at first. Survive long enough to do a run or two (ie jobs) and buy a better gun and you're good from that point on, though.

[magic89]

Tex Murphy series?

[dsparil]

I almost put that, but they're a lot closer to traditional film noir than Blade Runner. Apart from Martian Memorandum which is awful, they are a good choice for a sci-fi tinged detective story, but they don't have the same atmosphere.

I think the Steel Sky games don't fit very well at all. Beneath a Steel Sky has been freeware for years and runs in ScummVM, so it's worth playing regardless, but I thought the recent sequel was pretty bad.

Observer is a good choice, and the main character is voiced by Rutger Hauer so it's more than just a cameo or small role. 

The 16-bit Shadowrun games are good too. The SNES game is a follow up to Nightshade so it's more of an adventure/RPG hybrid while the Genesis game is an RPG. A few new games where made in the last few years and are supposed to be good.

There's also 2064: Read Only Memories which is a Snatcher clone with totally different atmosphere so it's already a few steps away. It's well regarded, but I thought it focused too much on the most played out elements of its story rather than the more relevant ones. The Switch version has extra content, but it's rarely on sale.

[ReyVGM]

Revenge of the Dragon for the Sega CD is a pretty competent Snatcher clone.

[Tony]

Other than Blade Runner, my other favourites would be:

Snatcher
I have no mouth but I must scream
The Silver Case
The 25th Ward
Dreamweb