Disjunction

Disjunction might be the Cyberpunk game we’ve all been waiting for.

A nice but brutal little stealth game with an enjoyable multi-ending story. Classic Metal Gear fans especially will get some joy out of sneaking around Robocop-style biped robots in this title. The core gameplay and narrative are strong, but an absence of variety makes Disjunction just short of a home run.

It seemed like 2020 was the year of cyberpunk. Fueled by everyone trying to get their genre game out and ride the Cyberpunk 2077 hype wave, we got games like Cloudpunk and Ghostrunner. Running a little bit behind the pack, Disjunction has joined what is feeling like (to this player, at least) a saturated market. Swayed by two of my greatest weaknesses – pixel art and an intriguing story hook – I rolled up my sleeves and got down to work.

Slick, intuitive stealth gameplay serves as Disjunction’s backbone, though the supporting systems and level design could do more to lighten its burden.

Visually, Disjunction is quite impressive to look at. The pixel art is detailed and full of style, as it nails the harsh tone of 2048’s New York. Even the less-detailed character sprites during gameplay tell you everything you need to know about the characters, from their posture to the way they attack foes. The synth-heavy music is perfect for the atmosphere, and the moody tone shifts are reminiscent of Blade Runner’s excellent soundtrack.

Blending genres is a popular trend because, when successful, it can result in a fresh experience with the best of both worlds. Disjunction is one of these hybrid games as it attempts to fuse a stealthier Metal Gear-type title with the top-down action of Hotline Miami. But this Hotline Miami Gear is far less than the sum of its disparate parts because of its imbalanced, tedious, and repetitive design.