Shadowrun

Near-future Seattle, where megacorporations tower over the streets, magic mixes with technology and you scrape by in the gray zone as a hired shadowrunner — Shadowrun on the Mega Drive is one of those titles that cyberpunk devotees pass around like a secret password.

It is an open-world action RPG in an isometric view, an adaptation of the famous Shadowrun tabletop system. Instead of a linear story you get freedom: you take jobs, hire companions, arm yourself and gradually uncover a conspiracy hidden beneath the city's surface. The atmosphere of a gloomy, rainy future breathes from every screen.

The most enticing part is hacking the Matrix — a virtual space you jack into, where combat of a completely different kind takes place than on the street. This dual track between the physical world and cyberspace gives the game a depth that few things on consoles of the era could offer.

Interestingly, the SNES version is an entirely different game with a different approach and story — and fans to this day carry on friendly disputes about which one is better. The Mega Drive variant scores precisely with its openness and its emphasis on player freedom.

Both adaptations today rank among the most revered treatments of the Shadowrun setting ever, and this console version has earned a firm cult standing among lovers of cyberpunk and classic RPGs alike.

Why play: An atmospheric cyberpunk RPG with an open world and Matrix hacking — a cult gem for anyone who loves a neon-lit future.