After a profitable Kickstarter marketing campaign final yr, pulling in 1.2 million {dollars} and reaching its funding objective in simply 19 minutes, Evening Crew Video games’ upcoming Cyberpunk Legends: Into the Evening cooperative card recreation is getting nearer and nearer every single day to these outstretched, expectant palms of its backers.
As a fan of different related story-heavy deckbuilders, when the group reached out to see if I might be interested by trying out the sport, I threw on my neon shades, grabbed all of the eddies I may scrounge up, and headed to Evening Metropolis. Little did I do know then that I used to be about to attempt what would flip into one in all my most anticipated tabletop video games of 2026.
Cyberpunk Legends pits you and a group of as much as three others into the streets of Evening Metropolis within the far-off yr of 2012, which, at the least within the lore of Cyberpunk, is a reasonably large and essential time, the place your group will probably be working collectively to finish totally different missions and jobs in an increasing and evolving situation. Constructed from an particularly ordered situation deck of playing cards, as a group, you will want to sneak your well beyond safety cameras, take care of pesky patrolling guards, use clues to seek out the place to go subsequent, and even battle your well beyond big robots. And that was all simply within the first situation!
It’s additionally price clearing up any confusion right here, Cyberpunk Legends isn’t the identical factor as WeirdCo’s additionally Kickstarter-backed Cyberpunk TCG. That’s a aggressive, collectible-focused card recreation, whereas Legends is far nearer to a co-op, narrative-heavy tabletop expertise.
The core of Legends’ gameplay is predicated round taking part in poker palms as a group, fulfilling the particular swimsuit or run standards of the situation card, after which dealing sufficient “harm” to finish the occasion. Every participant takes turns taking part in a card from their character’s particular deck down into the “run,” taking over one slot of a typical poker hand of 5 playing cards, with every card that includes a worth, a swimsuit, and probably an added capacity resembling dealing harm or permitting the group to play a further card to the sector. The truth that poker is such a standard recreation, that many individuals perceive the thought of “two of a form” or “straights,” does a terrific job of decreasing the barrier of entry to get into Cyberpunk Legends, letting the gamers focus extra on telling the story collectively than on easy methods to play.
With the foundations behind me, I grabbed my deck—choosing the extra support-focused Netrunner class—and joined my crew, and off we went to sort out the primary situation of the marketing campaign that will probably be included within the retail launch. After a traditional TTRPG begin (you possibly can by no means go fallacious with beginning issues off with a bar battle), our jobs took us from seedy again alleys to scouring by the warehouse district, with a few shut calls, however in the long run, we managed to tug it off. As somebody who loves the Arkham Horror LCG from Fantasy Flight Video games, regularly taking it to my native brewery to take pleasure in some Cthulhu shenanigans with a few associates over our favourite craft brew, this introduction to Cyberpunk Legends scratched a lot of those self same itches which have brought on Arkham to sink its tendrils into me all these years.
The DNA of the tabletop RPG expertise that Legends is predicated round might be felt far and wide, past simply the shared terminology. As I performed with the opposite people on the desk, together with Irene Malatesta (Legends’ Artwork & Advertising and marketing Director), Cal Wendlandt (one of many recreation’s testers), and Emanuelle Viruet, a backer and group member, a pure type of exposition developed as we performed, letting us make our personal little shared canon of the occasions that have been transpiring. The truth that Legends’ guidelines instruct you to not instantly state the contents of your palms or the playing cards you possibly can play to assist in the run impressed us on the desk to tackle a type of persona for our characters and roleplay a bit. This finally would result in me taking part in my Netrunner (somebody heavy on the tech-suited playing cards in my deck however scarce within the extra charisma-based ones) as a persona who is actually dangerous at selecting up social cues and conveys feelings by emojis, or how Irene, our charismatic rocker chick, would name in her finest buddy Drill Lady to assist us out, who we’d all befriend by the top of our journey (because of Drill Lady being a card in our decks).
Now, I’ve performed my fair proportion of deckbuilders over time and the occasional hand of poker; having the 2 come collectively on this package deal works surprisingly effectively, nevertheless it additionally took me a bit unexpectedly. Kind of like a peanut butter and pickle sandwich—each confirmed rockstar sandwich toppings, however put collectively raises some eyebrows. Talking with Legends’ designer, James Portnow, I wished to learn how this poker-themed method got here to be. “There was a design objective and thematic objective behind this,” James started. “On the design facet, I wished to ensure that in multiplayer video games there was a robust social ingredient, so making a cooperative poker hand, the place you possibly can solely place one card and have guidelines round how one can talk to verify everybody understands what you’re going for, created an setting the place everybody was speaking, typically even roleplaying, whereas nonetheless preserving it from being a type of video games the place somebody simply takes over and tells everybody what to do.”
James continues, “I additionally had a design objective of constructing turns snappy. We’ve all had moments in video games the place we may go get lunch whereas a buddy is taking their flip, and I wished to ensure that wasn’t the case right here. By laying down a single card at a time and having a deal with communication, everybody will get to take part mainly on a regular basis. Then on the thematic facet, it was only a query of what Evening Metropolis felt like. I began out with a reasonably MtG, math-heavy system, nevertheless it didn’t really feel proper. In any case, what’s Evening Metropolis about? It’s about playing with the one chip you’ve got; it’s about laying all of it down and betting your life on turning into a legend. Poker actually helped embody that.”
As a lot enjoyable as I had touchdown spectacular straights and full homes with my crew, there may be one second specifically the place Legends actually elevated itself and blew me away. As a short setup—relying on selections you make through the situation, you could wind up with these particular “clue” playing cards, which offer you some info that you should utilize to assist clear up issues later. Earlier on within the mission, these clues pointed us towards a contact we have been meant to satisfy with, utilizing the textual content on the related playing cards. Now we get to the second the place my neural implants actually sizzled.
The crew and I discovered ourselves at a crossroads the place we needed to discover an object we have been in search of, and we had cleverly deduced that it was in one in all three potential warehouses. Having already met and handled some guard presence within the space, there was a superb probability that selecting fallacious would show… detrimental… to our livelihoods. Being the brand new blood within the recreation (the others having run people by the situation quite a few instances already), I acquired to choose the place we’d go. Quick-forward a bit, and discovering ourselves riddled with just a few extra bullets than we had half-hour prior, I had picked fallacious. Whereas I might choose appropriately on the second attempt, Irene afterward let me in on a refined element that might be discovered on these clues we had collected—clues that I had assumed had already given up their secrets and techniques as a result of we had learn the textual content and deduced our contact. The paintings itself additionally held clues that, when seen alongside the others, would have led me to the best resolution. I can’t wait to see what different refined clues and hints will probably be within the remaining launch, however even simply this fast style left fairly the impression.
Conserving on the subject of the paintings, for people who’re coming to Legends with solely Cyberpunk 2077 beneath their belts, the designs and path could offer you a little bit of whiplash. Together with happening earlier within the timeline, as I discussed earlier, Evening Crew Video games used Mike Pondsmith’s authentic Cyberpunk TTRPG as reference. The truth is, it was Pondsmith himself who advised the product James was making ought to be a Cyberpunk launch throughout a recreation evening they have been having. That’s why Johnny Silverhand seems extra like a blonde Ziggy Stardust than Keanu Reeves. All of it remains to be quintessential cyberpunk goodness, and for followers of the RPG books, you might be certain to seek out some fairly neat references and callbacks that can spark your implants.
As soon as a situation is full, gamers can spend eddies (the in-universe foreign money) to buy new playing cards to strengthen and additional tailor their decks to their liking. The default decks, roughly a 3rd of every deck’s contents being distinctive, give a superb sense of the playstyle every of the lessons is finest at, however nonetheless really feel open sufficient that you just gained’t must spend a ton of labor and assets to rejigger them into taking part in the way you need. Sadly, I didn’t get to dive into the deck-building facet throughout my demo, however from what James defined to me, on the finish of the situation you’ll open a “booster pack” that can comprise playing cards you should utilize to improve the decks—an fascinating prospect that I’m keen to take a look at!
Regardless of solely a small look, the bit I’ve gotten to attempt has left me chomping on the bit to leap again into the sneakers of my socially awkward Netrunner and see the mission my crew and I began by to its conclusion. I haven’t even gotten to take a look at the replayable “Construct Your Personal Journey” roguelike mode that’s included but both, which James remains to be preserving the large particulars about near the chest. With its intelligent implementation of poker-style hand constructing, stunning and mechanically intriguing use of artwork, and lessons that really feel distinct from each other, if the story the group at Evening Crew Video games is weaving lands (which at the moment I’ve little fear that it gained’t), Cyberpunk Legends could give the Arkham Horror LCG a run for its eddies as my go-to brewery recreation with the blokes. This deckhead is able to get again within the battle.
We Spoke With Evening Crew Video games on Cyberpunk Legends
1) Inform me how Cyberpunk Legends developed from idea into what it turned in the long run? What was the design journey like for it?
Ha! Improbable query! In the course of the pandemic I used to be truly in search of a co-op marketing campaign journey card recreation to play with my associates after we all have been ready to hang around once more…however , life’s busy and never everybody in my group has the time (or the endurance) for video games that take a half hour to setup and an hour or extra to study the foundations. I regarded and regarded for one thing that match the invoice and couldn’t actually discover something, so, in my hubris as a very long time recreation designer, I figured I’d simply construct it.
2) How a lot enter and in what methods did Mike Pondsmith contribute to the sport’s improvement or design?
Humorous you ask that. This wasn’t truly ever supposed to be a industrial product, however shortly after the pandemic ended, I used to be taking part in with Mike and he goes “We must always do that with Cyberpunk!” Twist my arm proper? I’ve all the time beloved Cyberpunk and the R. Tal crew, so I began placing a bunch collectively to take this from my prototype to one thing shelf prepared.
Alongside the way in which Mike has playtested a bunch and given suggestions. His complete group has been superior with all our lore questions and serving to us fill out what the very early years of the Cyberpunk timeline would appear to be.
3) Clarify the choice to go together with Poker palms for the principle recreation system? What about it made it your best option for the sport?
There was a design objective and thematic objective behind this.
On the design facet I wished to ensure that in multiplayer video games there was a robust social ingredient, so making a cooperative poker hand, the place you possibly can solely place one card and have guidelines round how one can talk to verify everybody understands what you’re going for created an setting the place everybody was speaking, typically even roleplaying, whereas nonetheless preserving it from being a type of video games the place somebody simply takes over and tells everybody what to do.
I additionally had a design objective of constructing turns snappy. We’ve all had moments in video games the place we may go get lunch whereas a buddy is taking their flip and I wished to ensure that wasn’t the case right here. By laying down a single card at a time and having a deal with communication, everybody will get to take part mainly on a regular basis.
Then on the thematic facet it was only a query of what Evening Metropolis felt like. I began out with a reasonably MtG, math heavy system, nevertheless it didn’t really feel proper. In any case, what’s Evening Metropolis about? It’s about playing with the one chip you’ve got, it’s about laying all of it down and betting your life in opposition to turning into a legend. Poker actually helped embody that.
4) When within the lore of Cyberpunk does this happen?
The primary marketing campaign for Cyberpunk Legends is about waaaay again within the far way forward for…2012. Which can seem to be an odd selection, however in the event you’re aware of the Cyberpunk timeline you would possibly acknowledge that date as when plenty of the issues that echo down the time happen.
In Legends you’re going to be forging your personal path, you’re not going to be taking part in Johnny Silverhand or the like…however these of you who’ve performed 2077 or are followers of Crimson are going to come across issues in Cyberpunk Legends and go “Oh! Oh no…I do know the place this finally ends up.” As you tangentially cross paths with a few of the most consequential occasions in Evening Metropolis historical past.
5) Are you able to go a bit extra into element into the “Construct your journey” mode that will probably be included within the launch model together with every other modes of play that will probably be included.
Oh, man it makes me so joyful you requested about that, however we’re truly simply transport the beta model of that as a kickstarter unique. The true model will in all probability hit retail six-eight months after launch.
That mentioned, because you’ve given me the opening…
- There is a mode that’s going to ship with the core field. It’s a bit of little bit of a spoiler however while you end the situations you’re going to open an improve pack…with a algorithm in it that train you easy methods to convert the sport to roguelike deckbuilder.
- The Construct Your Personal Journey mode is type of my child, so I’m going to speak about it a wee bit. Be happy to make use of this bit as you’ll!
Cyberpunk Legends is performed in opposition to a central “Situation Deck” that serves very very like an previous D&D module. It’s the run you’re doing, the journey you’re happening. I’d prefer to allow anybody to create these.
Construct Your Personal Journey mode serves as design legos for anybody who needs to create their very own runs or modify what we’ve put on the market. If we do it proper it’ll help you construct no matter you dream of. In fact that’s a frightening design job…possibly an unimaginable one. So we’re working the primary iteration of this by the group to assist playtest and provides us suggestions earlier than we launch (many people come from the videogame world, so it is a beta within the truest sense).
But when we are able to pull it off, it’ll be one thing I’ll be extremely happy with as a result of the toughest a part of GMing is all the time taking a look at a clean slate, and this provides you some scaffolding to start out from. I’m hoping this helps extra folks to inform their very own tales on this world.
6) Taking part in with 4 gamers final evening was plenty of enjoyable, however I am curious how the sport modifications or balances itself with decrease participant counts and the smaller collection of playing cards by which the group can pull from to finish situations (20 potential playing cards with 4 gamers, however in a two participant recreation you’d solely have 10).
Wonderful! You’ve already hit the crux of it!
So, in Cyberpunk Legends gamers go round clockwise, every placing one card into The Plan (the poker hand used to beat obstacles) till you hit the plan restrict (often 5 playing cards). Much less gamers means much less choices to select from, however every particular person participant may have extra management over the plan. With 4 gamers solely the chief will get to place 2 playing cards into the plan. With three gamers 2 folks do. This extra management is highly effective in a world the place each selection can imply the distinction between the Plan coming collectively and the Plan falling aside.
This implies the sport autobalances. You don’t have to study any new guidelines or regulate the sport in any method to play with much less gamers. It mechanically does it by itself…
Until, in fact, you’re taking part in single participant. During which case, it’s all the identical besides you’re going to play two decks, one in all which is a ‘merc’ and, not being in complete management of the merc, each time you go to make a plan they’re going Leeroy in, you’re going to flip the highest card of their deck and that’s instantly going to be put into the Plan. Now you must construct round no matter they resolve to do!
(This makes single participant a bit extra of a strategic puzzles for the reason that social components are eliminated.)
7) Are you able to go into element in regards to the artwork design course of for the sport? The artists you labored with for the challenge, what did you’re feeling was essential to deal with, the aesthetic and really feel you have been aiming for.
I like the artwork in plenty of trendy card video games, however generally I fan out a set and I’ve a tough time actually selecting out particular person items as a result of they’ve acquired such robust artwork path. They’ve so many guidelines round how the artwork is finished that all the things will get a bit of bit homogenized. Now don’t get me fallacious, that is unimaginable, however Cyberpunk is a bit of little bit of a wilder world. We wished to let the artists actually lean into their very own kinds, so, whereas there’s a cohesive aesthetic, it jogs my memory of earlier Magic units the place you would possibly see all the things from psychedelia to artwork nouveau.
Now all of those have their locations (for instance all the things that occurs in Our on-line world is a little more summary), however this method allowed for lots of expression, which I like.
Additionally, Cyberpunk is, in fact, a horny world. You wish to keep away from it being leering, however there ought to be plenty of abs, muscle tissue, and smolder within the characters. So we tried to be true to that with out creating issues that you just’d be embarrassed to slam down onto the desk at your native recreation retailer.
Lastly, Cyberpunk isn’t all darkness. I really feel like plenty of merchandise miss this, however the world of Cyberpunk is so lively, full of individuals dwelling to the fullest. They might be lifeless the subsequent day, however on this second they’re actually, actually alive. It’s additionally a world of hope. Within the midst of all these Corps and conspiracies, amidst all of the issues that appear up to now out of the peculiar particular person’s management, there’s hope. There’s the rockerboys and edgerunners and everybody who would possibly, sometime, trigger the system to return tumbling down. We actually tried to ship on that within the artwork, as a result of it’s such a key piece to Cyberpunk.
8) Have you ever guys labored with or are there any involvements with CD PROJEKT RED on this recreation?
Actually we’ve labored a lot nearer with R. Tal. CDPR has been form sufficient to assist promote the challenge a bit, however Mike’s actually our go-to man on the sport facet.
9) Put up Kickstarter supply, what’s the type of launch cadence you might be hoping to have with this recreation system sooner or later?
We’re hoping to get a situation out 1 / 4, a full new marketing campaign out annually, and different smaller releases peppered all through there. And naturally Construct Your Personal Journey releases…as soon as it’s actually prepared.
Scott White is a contract contributor to IGN, helping with tabletop video games and information protection. Observe him on X/Twitter or Bluesky.
