Cyberpunk (collectible Card Game)
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''Cyberpunk: The Collectible Card Game'', also known as ''Cyberpunk, the CCG'' and ''Cyberpunk CCG'', is an out-of-print
collectible card game A collectible card game (CCG), also called a trading card game (TCG) among other names, is a type of card game that mixes strategy game, strategic deck building elements with features of trading cards. The genre was introduced with ''Magic: The G ...
designed by Peter J. Wacks, based on
R. Talsorian Games R. Talsorian Games (RTG) is a designer and publisher of role-playing game books and accessories. Originally based in Berkeley, California, the company was moved to Renton, Washington, in 1997. Their titles include the ''Cyberpunk'' series and sev ...
' dystopian near-future role-playing game ''
Cyberpunk 2020 ''Cyberpunk'' is a tabletop role-playing game in the dystopian science fiction genre, written by Mike Pondsmith and first published by R. Talsorian Games in 1988. It is typically referred to by its second or fourth edition names, ''Cyberpunk 2 ...
''.


Publication history

''Cyberpunk CCG'' was designed by Peter J. Wacks, using the ''Cyberpunk 2020'' RPG setting licensed from R. Talsorian. Wacks claimed that "The CCG is built to play pretty much exactly like the RPG." The "2013 Edition" (set in the year 2013) was released in December 2003 as a limited edition. Two months later, in February, 2004, the "2020 Edition" (set in the year 2020) was released.


Setting

The world of ''Cyberpunk 2020'' presents a darker vision of the near future, inspired by
cyberpunk Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian futuristic setting said to focus on a combination of "low-life and high tech". It features futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and cyberwa ...
writers like
William Gibson William Ford Gibson (born March 17, 1948) is an American-Canadian speculative fiction writer and essayist widely credited with pioneering the science fiction subgenre known as cyberpunk. Beginning his writing career in the late 1970s, his ear ...
,
Bruce Sterling Michael Bruce Sterling (born April 14, 1954) is an American science fiction author known for his novels and short fiction and editorship of the ''Mirrorshades'' anthology. In particular, he is linked to the cyberpunk subgenre. Sterling's first ...
, and
Neal Stephenson Neal Town Stephenson (born October 31, 1959) is an American writer known for his works of speculative fiction. His novels have been categorized as science fiction, historical fiction, cyberpunk, and baroque. Stephenson's work explores mathemati ...
, and movies such as ''
Blade Runner ''Blade Runner'' is a 1982 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos, it is an adaptation of Philip K. Di ...
'', ''
Johnny Mnemonic "Johnny Mnemonic" is a Cyberpunk short story by American-Canadian writer William Gibson. It first appeared in '' Omni'' magazine in May 1981, and was subsequently included in ''Burning Chrome'', a 1986 collection of Gibson's short fiction. It tak ...
'' and ''
The Matrix ''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction film, science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in the The Matrix (franchise), ''Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Ca ...
''.


Gameplay

The main goal of ''Cyberpunk CCG'' is to achieve victory by accumulating the so-called Ops points, either by accomplishing missions or 'busting' (destroying) the opponent's location cards. Additionally, each player is required to use a 'Sponsor card' throughout the game. Each of these cards supplies a new victory condition, depending on the premise of the sponsor. Another principal idea used in the game is that cards have their ''style'' factor. A player can also attempt victory by accumulating style. Characters have their ''style'' attribute which is then modified by the
equipment Equipment most commonly refers to a set of tool A tool is an Physical object, object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many Tool use by ...
and
cybernetics Cybernetics is the transdisciplinary study of circular causal processes such as feedback and recursion, where the effects of a system's actions (its outputs) return as inputs to that system, influencing subsequent action. It is concerned with ...
they bear.


Card types


Sponsor cards

Limited to one per deck and played at the beginning of the game. They provide a specific game text and a victory condition. #Biotechnica - cybernetics-oriented; provides the possibility of victory through Empathy loss. #Cops - provides the possibility of victory through busting ''runners''. #Militech - combat-oriented; provides the possibility of victory through controlling offense. #Nomads - provides the possibility of victory through controlling vehicles and ''The Open Road'' location card. #The Mob - provides the possibility of victory through controlling locations. #Your Friendly Local Gangs - provides the possibility of victory through the completion of a ''Punknaught'' (a custom-built vehicle consisting of several other vehicles and heavy weaponry) and raiding the corporate zone (with the use of a special card entitled ''Thrashing the Corp Zone''). #Arasaka - combat-oriented; provides the possibility of victory through controlling defense. It only was printed in the Your First Run demo deck.


Runners

''Runners'' are the characters of ''Cyberpunk CCG''. They are deployed by 'buying their loyalty' in Euro Bucks. Each character has his or her profession or role similar to those seen in the role-playing game (that is ''Solo'', ''Netrunner'', ''Nomad'', ''Tech'', etc.). Each role has its own set of rules and abilities that are explained in the manual apart from their regular game text.


Equipment cards

Equipment cards represent all usable items like
vehicles A vehicle () is a machine designed for self-propulsion, usually to transport people, cargo, or both. The term "vehicle" typically refers to land vehicles such as human-powered vehicles (e.g. bicycles, tricycles, velomobiles), animal-powered tr ...
,
weapons A weapon, arm, or armament is any implement or device that is used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime (e.g., murder), law ...
and gadgets.


Cybernetics

Cybernetics represent one of the basic concepts in cyberpunk visions of the future, i.e. cybernetic modifications of the body. They are responsible for Empathy loss, representing loss of humanity in favour of the machine. Similarly to Cyberpunk 2020 role-playing game, a character whose Empathy breaks 0 becomes a cyber-psycho.


Missions

Mission cards are an indispensable element as, when completed, they give Ops points, which are necessary for victory.


Locations

Location cards most often serve as resource for deploying other cards. They usually have a resource value in Euro Bucks printed on them and by means of 'using' them (
tapping Tapping is a playing technique that can be used on any stringed instrument, but which is most commonly used on guitar. The technique involves a string being fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion. This is in contrast to stand ...
the cards) the resource is spent. They represent common locations like snack bars and hotels as well as high-security government locations. They are also necessary for victory, as each player may decide to raid any of the opponents locations thus depriving them of the resource provided and gaining Ops points.


Event cards

Event cards represent all other situations not connected with abovementioned card types. They are playable any time and may have a significant influence on the course of the game.


Reception

In 2004, ''Game Monkeys Magazine'' found the rules "a bit unclear and complicated at first, utonce you start playing the game it becomes clear and fluid." The rulebook itself was "a bit hard to read, and the small type doesn't make things any easier, but when you finally get going you really feel as if you're playing a RPG in CCG form." The artwork was given a rating of 4 out of 5 because "The look of this game is very unique and it does have a style that reflects the Cyberpunk universe." Value vs Cost was likewise rated 4 out of 5, since "Getting started for reasonable play won't set you back too much." Overall, the game was highly recommended, and given an excellent rating of 5 out of 5.


References


External links

* {{Cyberpunk (game franchise) Collectible card games Cyberpunk games