Otherwise known for its themes of dystopia, Bernband has a different view of the cyberpunk genre. Revealed at the PC Gaming Show 2025, the latest outing for the Sokpop Collective swaps black markets, nefarious activity and omnipresent dread for funny aliens, thoughtful world-building and a gorgeous low-fi sci-fi setting that begs to be explored from pillar to post.
First conceived way back in 2014—as what developer Tom van den Boogaart now describes as ‘old Bernband’—this new iteration of Bernband brings the idea forward while asking the question: “can you figure out what the city has to offer and how everything is connected?”
The best way to answer that is to simply explore, by wandering around the futuristic metropolis’ sky-scraping heights, shadowy depths, neon-lit bars and packed commuter trains, absorbing the alien world’s lovely sights and sounds as you go.
In keeping with Bernband’s themes of future-facing time travel, let’s now instead head in the opposite direction to September 25, 2014, when PC Gamer’s own Shaun Prescott was first wowed by Bernband’s first jaunt around the alien block.
Shaun said: “At first the city of The Pff seems like a pretty drab and linear affair, but eventually you find whole nightclubs worth of aliens, and it’s really quite nice to watch them mingle.
“Adding to the sense of place is how minimal the interface is – there is no welcome or menu screen. Instead, when you boot up the game you’re unceremoniously plonked in The Pff with no guidance. You have as little sense of direction as the silent NPCs you’ll encounter. You might as well be one of them.”
Bernband today is all of this and more, prettier and more polished—and available to wishlist on Steam right now.
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