How Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Succeeds Where the Game Failed
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is receiving some glowing reviews from reviewers and fans alike, with the anime adaptation releasing its first season on Netflix that introduces the young protagonist David as he navigates a technologically advanced work mired with crime and receipt. The new anime adaptation can carve out an exciting story and in doing so, can sell the Cyberpunk universe better than the video game it was based on, which isn't a detriment to 2077, but goes to show how Edgerunners was able to capitalize on what came before it.
In Cyberpunk 2077, the game allows the user to step into the shoes of an avatar, with Keanu Reeves' character, Johnny Silverhand, acting as both the angel and devil on your shoulder as you experience a multitude of characters and quest lines that are taking place in Night City. The world is your oyster in the CD Projekt red entry, but in streamlining the vision of the universe, Edgerunners is able to keep the energy frantic and fast-paced, cramming large amounts of action and characterization in a short amount of time. This isn't a knock against the work that CD Projekt has delivered in Cyberpunk, but there is a level of animation that TRIGGER can utilize that ratchets up the energy in the anime adaptation.
David's story might not break the mold in terms of a "coming of age crime noir" but it's laser-focused on following him as he tragically loses his mother, comes into contact with advanced technology essentially transforming him into a speed demon, and TRIGGER can never skip a beat or hold things at a lull. For a franchise that attempts to explore a futuristic take on a criminal underworld, 2077 might give you the option of doing anything that you want, but this approach may muddy the trajectory of a story that feels as though it hits harder through David's eyes.
It's almost impossible to not love Keanu Reeves in any role he takes on, but David's crew are lovable oddballs that have such unique characteristics and aesthetics that they pop off the screen. While we don't have hundreds of hours to learn how they tick, TRIGGER can tell viewers everything they needed to know in a relatively short amount of time.
At the end of the day, Edgerunners feels like the perfect entry point into the universe of Cyberpunk, and if you're looking for more, Cyberpunk 2077 is there to allow you to dive as much as possible into CD Projekt's lore.