Marcin Batylda

A comprehensive companion to one of my favorite sci-fi worlds of all time! The game itself is a violent and dark adrenaline rush with an intensely human core, but it was hard to get a good picture of the world's history and this book definitely provides that. I love how it read like a compilation of various sources, each covering a certain aspect of Night City: historical origins, political and social climate, types of tech, interviews with major players, and even breakdowns of the gangs and corporations that run everything. The art was top-notch as always, down to the flashy and often raunchy ads scattered throughout. I also found it interesting that the world of Cyberpunk 2077 starts in an alternate version of the 2020s (much higher-tech than we are now), which wasn't super clear in the game. I haven't come across many alternate timeline sci-fi's before, so it was a pleasant surprise to see how well this was set up. Definitely a fine example of worldbuilding done right.

Some quotes that I really liked:

"We live in a dystopian world, my friends, filled with crime, corruption, and poverty - ruled by mighty, power-hungry corporations and heartless, brutal governments... in today's world, knowledge and the ability to distinguish truth from fake news are the real superpowers."

"Regardless of their origins, they [the celebrities] will shine brightly for a period of time until some new star outshines them, or they're cast aside by their fans' ever-changing tastes. Until then, they will be admired and worshipped, living filthy-rich lives in fabulous estates and villas, whimsically coasting about in limos, private jets, and luxury boats - the embodiment of the public's dreams and desires. Demigods among mere mortals."

"There is always a way down from rock bottom."

"[Cyberpunk style] was about standing up against corporate-dictated order, about defying authority and playing it out with style. To live on the edge, with a capital E. You wanted to be where the action was - to be the action."

"If cyberpunk has a chance to reconnect to its roots, it would be in a place like Night City. Maybe there's hope for second-wave cyberpunks after all."

"Friendship... has its price. It can mess up your life. It can be a burden. Doing pals favors for old times' sake can lead to messy situations."… (meer)