Summary
CD Projekt Red’sCyberpunk 2077was released in 2020 and still happens to be one of the most popular games in the world. All thanks to the influences it wears on its sleeves to create one of the most genuine living, breathing cities of gaming history, Night City. Players must go through the city to save the main character, V, from an untimely end, during which countless Easter eggs and homages can be seen.
Ghost in the Shell, one of the referenced IPs, originated in 1989 as a manga written by the legendary Masamune Shirow. The series contains a dense and complicated story that deals with cybernetics, identity, the impact technology will have on the future, and the nature of identity, all of which are themes that are explored thoroughly inCyberpunk 2077as well. Given that both franchises touch similar themes, it was only natural forCyberpunk 2077to amalgamate the two and include loving references to the earlier manga and franchise.
Some Ghost in the Shell Easter Eggs in Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077is a game loaded with Easter eggs and loving references to all kinds of franchises and games, ranging from things as simple as a Batmobile to elements and models inspired byGTA: San Andreas,Breaking Bad, andBlade Runner, among others. However, to incorporate references to a franchise likeGhost in the Shellthat uses similar dystopian themes, makes all the more sense. For instance, one of the bikes in the game is named Yaiba Kusanagi CT-3X, which is a direct reference toGhost in the Shell’s protagonist, Major Motoko Kusanagi. Interestingly, this bike actually serves two homages as its name is inspired byGhost in the Shell, and the design comes from thelegendary bike fromAkira.
There are even more references toGhost in the Shellhidden in plain sight inCyberpunk 2077, with some players never even realizing what they’re seeing. The profile picture of one of the main supporting characters,Judy Alvarez, is a literal ghost coming out of a shell. This kind of clever and subtle design shows the amount of reverenceCyberpunk 2077holds for its predecessors.
The Mission Series is Also Packed With Ghost in the Shell References
Cyberpunk 2077has a rich open world packed with various missions for players, and one of those activities is given early on — tasking players with tracking down and eliminating “cyberpsychos,” which are people who slowly lost their sanity as a result of cybernetic enhancements. This mission as a whole can be seen as aGhost in the Shellreference, since its premise wouldn’t be out of place in New Port City. Plus, one of thecyberpsychos inCyberpunk, Lt. Mower, looks almost exactly like Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the arena provided for the fight looks similar to a famous scene from the film, too.
The Similarities Between Ghost in the Shell and Cyberpunk 2077
It won’t be wrong to say that theworld presented inGhost in the Shellserves as a kind of soft blueprint forCyberpunk 2077’s Night City. Although both stories are set in dystopian futures,Ghost in the Shelldeals with the threat of corporations and corporate control first, indicating the route the world could take if these companies’ control ran unchecked. In addition, both stories show how human bodies could eventually integrate technology and augmentations to become cyborgs, beings who are more than human.
The Influence of the Cyberpunk Genre
The Cyberpunk genre is a major influence on both series, and both have played a role in its genesis and continued evolution. From the genre’s inception in the 80s, films like Ridley Scott’sBlade RunnerandAkiraprovided a blueprint forcyberpunk-themed gamesand universes.Ghost in the Shellthentook this even further while painting a picture of the tortured New Port City over the course of the entire manga and its various adaptations, eventually becoming one of the most important cyberpunk-themed worlds.Cyberpunk 2077incorporated many elements from all of these franchises to create Night City.
Cyberpunk 2077
WHERE TO PLAY
Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action-adventure from the creators of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt Red.Set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification, you play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality.Upgraded with next-gen in mind and featuring free additional content, customize your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades.The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be?
