GTA 2-inspired cyberpunk action game Glitchpunk hits Early Access on August 11

This top-down action game is inspired by Grand Theft Auto 2, the weirdest GTA. Set in a neon-lit dystopian city, it's a game about driving cars, brawling with gangs and cults, and causing chaos in the colourful urban sprawl of a dark, distant future. Today, publisher Daedalic revealed that the game would be hitting Steam Early Access on August 11—and it accompanied the announcement with a new trailer, which you can watch above.

It all looks very chaotic and action-packed, but developer Dark Lord promises there's more to Glitchpunk than just explosions and futuristic shootouts. "[The game] also tells a compelling story of transhumanism, xenophobia, and religion," the studio says. "You can influence the world around you, make new friends, face off against more enemies than you can count—and perhaps, just perhaps, convert an enemy's aversion to affection."

(Image credit: Dark Lord)

Glitchpunk sees you playing as a "glitching android" rebelling against its own programming "and challenging the tyrannical governments and megacorps of the dystopain near-future." On your journey you'll encounter drug-crazed gangsters and aggressive police, who you can fight with a choice of melee weapons and guns. Pretty standard cyberpunk videogame stuff by the sounds of it, but the pace and brightly coloured violence of the combat looks pretty fun.

Glitchpunk's initial Early Access release will contain two cities—Outpost Texas and New Baltia. Then, further down the line, Moscow and Neo Tokyo will be added. That's pretty ambitious for an indie game. Other features include the ability to hack into stuff, including the minds of pedestrians, and 10 levels of police escalation, putting GTA 2's six to shame. The developer is also promising GTA-style radio stations with a mix of music and fake commercials.

Andy Kelly

If it’s set in space, Andy will probably write about it. He loves sci-fi, adventure games, taking screenshots, Twin Peaks, weird sims, Alien: Isolation, and anything with a good story.