Cyberpunk 2077 may be approaching its sixth birthday and CD Projekt itself has ruled out further content, but modders are very much keeping the game alive — and this latest effort hit me right in my 80s fan feels.
TapePunk, from Tulired, emulates a VHS aesthetic that “provides a gritty, analog-inspired look for Cyberpunk 1977, avoiding over-the-top effects.” It’s described as “a simple tool for those seeking a cinematic, nostalgic atmosphere based on real-world media study and our memories.”
Tulired said they spent “countless” hours over the last few months learning about VHS and camcorders in order to update the mod, having released a demo video that “seemed to trigger something nostalgic in many of us.”
“One comment in particular stuck with me: ‘I can’t explain it, but this is what nostalgia feels like. The exact feeling is this kind of ‘filter’ overlaid onto old memories,’ Tulired explained. “That is exactly what this project is at this moment: not a 100% perfect technical recreation, but an idealized version, just like our memories.”
Reaction is very positive, with some trying to wrap their head around why this filter makes Cyberpunk 2077 look even more real. “I think cause my brain expects lower visual fidelity of VHS, it hides the video-gameness of the graphics and tricks my brain into filling in the gaps and makes it look more ‘realistic’ in a roundabout way than photorealism graphics,” one fan suggested.
“Somehow makes the game look more realistic,” another said. “Yep. It definitely tricks the brain the same way as Backrooms VHS videos and games. It’s weird tbh,” Tulired suggested. “I think it’s because the less detailed video format hides imperfections,” another fan added. “It’s a lot less hard to notice low-res textures and be taken out of the experience when even everything has a VHS filter over it and things like these textures are effectively hidden.”
Whatever the case, TapePunk is proving popular, with over 2,000 downloads so far from Nexus Mods. And it’s easy to see why. Cyberpunk 2077 is set in the Cyberpunk universe, a dystopian, high-tech, and low-life alternate history created by Mike Pondsmith for a tabletop RPG. Its very name, Cyberpunk, is the subgenre it’s a part of, which hit the popular culture in the early 80s William Gibson’s influential debut novel Neuromancer, and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. In many ways, this mod and Cyberpunk 2077 are the perfect fit.
Tulired has some fun ideas for what to do next with the mod. “I was thinking I should start roleplaying as a tourist YT channel,” they said in a reddit post. “Holidays in Night City. Night City Tapes or something.” But it’s perhaps not the best mod to actually play Cyberpunk 2077 as intended. “Yeah it’s best for roleplaying as a tourist in the big city,” Tulired added. “Haven’t even tried any missions with it. It is possible with a 4:3 ratio to see the HUD too, but yeah much more suited just for aesthetic walks.”
It’s exactly this kind of mod that shows Cyberpunk 2077 still has plenty to offer, even if CD Projekt is focused on other games right now. Last month, the developer insisted it had “no plans” for further Cyberpunk 2077 DLCs or expansions amid reports of a secret DLC for The Witcher 3. That sparked a degree of disappointment from Cyberpunk 2077 fans who are still clamouring for more content despite the age of the game.
It suggests fans will indeed have to wait for Cyberpunk 2 to return to CD Projekt’s much-loved dystopian universe. And the wait looks like it’s going to be significant; Cyberpunk 2 is further behind The Witcher 4, and CD Projekt co-CEO Michał Nowakowski has suggested Cyberpunk 2 won’t be out until at least 2030.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
