Editing Cyberpunk (role-playing game) (section)

==Reception==
In Issue 37 of ''[[Challenge (game magazine)|Challenge]]'', [[Julia Martin]] commented, "the game has style. While it is a game with some ragged edges, ''Cyberpunk'' recreates the atmosphere of the literature and movies from which it draws admirably." Martin had issues with the combat system, especially the organization of the rules, some ambiguous rules, and the lack of super-advanced weaponry. She also grumbled about typos, noting, "Quite frankly, I don't think I've seen this many apparently careless, minor errors since [[Judges Guild]] went defunct some years ago." She also found the netrunning system far too general. Despite all these problems, she confessed, "I really like this game. It has lots of problems, [...] but it has a great many redeeming points also. [...] The characters and the world view are the heart of Cyberpunk, and they are the best of it." She concluded, "It is a marvelous creature which can be molded into a tremendous campaign by a referee with experience. It is definitely worth the money (and you might even like the combat system). Go check it out."<ref name="challenge37">{{cite magazine|last=Martin|first=Julia |authorlink=Julia Martin| date=1989 |title=Reviews|magazine=[[Challenge (game magazine)|Challenge]]|issue=37|pages=76–77|url=https://archive.org/details/Gdw-Challenge37/page/76/mode/2up|access-date=November 18, 2022}}</ref>

[[Stewart Wieck]] reviewed ''Cyberpunk'' for ''[[White Wolf (magazine)|White Wolf]]'' #14, rating it 3 overall, and stated that "Cyberpunk is a fine game set in an environment which is very conducive to role-playing."<ref name="WW14">{{Cite magazine |last= Wieck|first= Stewart|author-link= Stewart Wieck|date=February 1989 |title= Review: Cyberpunk|magazine= [[White Wolf Magazine]] |number=14|pages=58 |url=https://imgur.com/a/T7JVIyw}}</ref>

In the May 1989 edition of ''[[Games International]]'' (Issue 5), Paul Mason found the rules disorganized and lacked an index. He also found lots of typos, "the sign of a rushed production." Although Mason found the concept behind the game "quite appealing," he thought that the combat system, which was supposed to be an improvement on the usual non-descriptive hit point system, was too constricted by data tables to be very descriptive. He concluded by giving this game an average rating of 3 out of 5, saying, "All in all, ''Cyberpunk'' does the job. If you want to run a game in this genre and you want a single source of rules and background, then this game will be adequate to the task [...] It doesn't contain any ideas radically new to rolegaming, however, and so won't be much use to anyone else except inveterate collectors."<ref name=gi>{{cite magazine|last=Mason|first=Paul|date=May 1989 |title=Role Games|journal=[[Games International]]| issue=5|pages=44–46}}</ref>

In the September 1989 edition of ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' (Issue 149), [[Jim Bambra]] liked the production values of the original edition, but found many typos in the various books as well as a missing encounter table. Bambra found the setting "does a superb job of capturing the flavor and atmosphere of a disturbingly plausible and realistic future. The development and presentation of the Net is stunning and can be used as a basis for countless numbers of adventures. No other game has succeeded in portraying computer hacking in such a vibrant and absorbing way." He concluded that this was not for everyone: "Gamers brought up on heroic-fantasy or shiny science-fiction games may find the gritty realism of the ''Cyberpunk'' game not to their liking... To decide if this is the game for you, read a few of the Cyberpunk style novels. If you like them, don’t waste any time — rush out and buy the ''Cyberpunk'' game. Welcome to life on the edge."<ref name=dragon149>{{cite journal |last=Bambra |first=Jim |author-link=Jim Bambra | date=September 1989 |title=Roleplaying Reviews|journal=[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]|publisher=[[TSR (company)|TSR, Inc.]]|issue=149|pages=85–86}}</ref>

In his 1990 book ''[[The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games]]'', game critic [[Rick Swan]] commented that this game "remains the purist's choice, the RPG most successfully capturing the genre's grim atmosphere." He found that "Combat is chart-heavy but playable, and extremely dangerous for player characters; one well-placed shot is all that it takes to wipe out a careless Nomad." Swan concluded by giving the game a rating of 3 out of 4, saying, "''Cyberpunk''{{'}}s gritty realism may not be everyone's idea of a good time; characters tends to lead short, intense lives, flashy heroics are in short supply, and cynicism abounds. A terrific game for pessimists."<ref name=swan>{{cite book | last =Swan  | first =Rick | author-link=Rick Swan |title =[[ The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games]] | publisher =St. Martin’s Press | date =1990 | location =New York | pages =56–57}}</ref> 

[[Stewart Wieck]] reviewed the 2nd edition of ''Cyberpunk 2020'' in ''[[White Wolf (magazine)|White Wolf]]'' #24 (Dec./Jan., 1990), rating it a 4 out of 5 and stated that "A definite improvement over the first edition, ''Cyberpunk 2020'' revamps the first cyberpunk genre game and deserves the attention of all cyberpunk genre gamers."<ref name="WW24">{{Cite magazine |last=Wieck|first=Stewart|authorlink=Stewart Wieck |date=December 1990 – January 1991 |title=Capsule Reviews |magazine= [[White Wolf Magazine]] |number=24 |page= 35}}</ref>

In the September 1992 edition of ''Dragon'' (Issue 185), [[Allen Varney]] found ''Cyberpunk 2020'' just as stylish as its first-edition predecessor, but he found even more typos in this edition than in the first edition. Varney liked the new streamlined combat system, but criticized the duality of modern combat, where "unarmored characters become pools of blood in 10 seconds of combat, but those in flak armor can shrug off submachine-gun fire." Varney also felt that the Netrunning system was much improved, calling the rules system "elegant and original." Varney thought the second edition's biggest flaw was lack of an index, but he also criticized the dichotomy of a system where "you can break into Eurobank and embezzle five million bucks, but you better pay your phone bill on time or you’re in big trouble." He accused the game of being "in the curious position of advocating rebellion, but only in socially acceptable ways." Nonetheless, Varney concluded that "The ''Cyberpunk'' game’s second edition surpasses its first edition on every count. With its smooth action, 'pure' cyberpunk atmosphere, easily accessible setting, and medium-low complexity, this game tops my list as the field's best route to dark near-future adventure."<ref name=dragon185>{{cite journal |last=Varney |first=Allen|author-link=Allen Varney | date=September 1992 |title=Roleplaying Reviews II|journal=[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]|publisher=[[TSR (company)|TSR, Inc.]]|issue=185|pages=83–84}}</ref>

In a 1996 reader poll undertaken by ''Arcane'' magazine to determine the 50 most popular roleplaying games of all time, ''Cyberpunk'' was ranked 10th. Editor Paul Pettengale commented: "''Cyberpunk'' was the first of the 'straight' cyberpunk RPGs, and is still the best. The difference between cyberpunk and other sci-fi is a matter of style and attitude. Everything about the ''Cyberpunk'' game, from the background to the rules system, is designed to create this vital atmosphere. ''Cyberpunk'' is set in an unforgiving world where betrayal and double-crosses are common, trust is hard to find and paranoia is a useful survival trait."<ref name="Arcane14">{{cite journal|last= Pettengale|first=Paul|date= Christmas 1996 |title=Arcane Presents the Top 50 Roleplaying Games 1996|journal=Arcane|publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]]|issue=14|pages=25–35}}</ref>

In November 2020, ''[[Forbes.com|Forbes]]'' found ''Cyberpunk Red'' to be a consistent continuation of the themes from ''Cyberpunk 2020''. Contributor Rob Wieland praised the system for character generation, stating, "One of the signature elements of the game, lifepaths, went through a great refinement. Lifepath is a chart where players roll to determine elements of their character’s history. It creates lovers, friends, rivals and more for GMs to hang plot hooks on. ''Cyberpunk'' thrives on the personal connections between characters. Lifepath makes player buy-in easier; players are going to be much more interested in a job given to them by an old flame than a random NPC."<ref name="ForbesNov2020">{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/robwieland/2020/11/13/cyberpunk-red-looks-back-to-the-dark-future/?sh=1e7d9e617625|title=Cyberpunk Red Looks Back To The Dark Future|last=Wieland|first=Rob|author-link=Rob Wieland|date=November 13, 2020|work=Forbes.com|access-date=March 10, 2021|archive-date=April 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427003626/https://www.forbes.com/sites/robwieland/2020/11/13/cyberpunk-red-looks-back-to-the-dark-future/?sh=1e7d9e617625|url-status=live}}</ref>

In his 2023 book ''Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground'', RPG historian Stu Horvath noted this game's influence on the genre, saying, "The moral ambiguity introduced here eventually becomes a significant part of the language of urban science fiction and fantasy, paving the way for games like ''[[Shadowrun]]'', ''[[Nightlife (role-playing game)|Nightlife]]'', ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'', ''[[Unknown Armies]]'', and more in the edgy '90s."<ref name=mahg>{{cite book| last = Horvath| first = Stu| title = Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground| publisher = MIT Press| date = 2023| location = Cambridge, Massachusetts| pages = 184–187 | isbn =9780262048224 }}</ref>