Right out of the gate, Cloudpunk made me feel like I was playing The Fifth Element: The Game. The flying cars (or HOVAs as they’re referred to in Cloudpunk) seem to owe a good debt to the design aesthetic of that movie, even down to the flow of traffic patterns. It’s a striking resemblance, but one that works in Cloudpunks favor.
It also hearkens back to the flying car sequences of Beyond Good and Evil.
But it is the neon nightlife — as well as the digital billboards emblazoned on the towering, seemingly floating buildings — that really invokes Blade Runner: the advertisements that seem to leap forth and come to life, the blistering fuchsias, electric blues, and blazing yellows that pierce through the rain to light up the concrete-and-steel facades and balconies.
The warm beckoning of lit-up noodle bowls and hamburger logos, the various hotels and shops and quick-cash lenders. Even the wandering denizens with their hip yet sensible futuristic attire.
There is even a slight Star Wars vibe, as you see various droids going about their work schedules, emptying trash and visibly washing the decks of the HOVA parking areas. The attention to detail is spot-on here, drawing you into Nivalis, the game’s mega-city location.
I’m also getting Death Stranding vibes, but that is mostly because so few games put you in the literal role of package deliverer and entirely build their worlds around that central conceit.
The few oddball NPCs that I’ve randomly met are a nice touch, making you feel like these characters exist and serve a purpose in this world without then shouldering you with a fetch quest. You simply chat them up a bit and then move on. And the missions themselves offer a decent glimpse into the curious caliber of characters that inhabit this charming, curious, futuristic cyberpunk world.
I have only scratched the surface of Cloudpunk, but what I’ve experienced so far has left a strong impression. I definitely look forward to venturing deeper into the game’s story and setting.
