Disjunction Review

Even though that other cyberpunk game didn’t turn out to be the absolute gem that everyone anticipated it being, it’s hard to imagine that the genre itself will be fading into obscurity anytime soon. There’s something about a futuristic dystopian setting that just works well in video games, from dungeon crawlers to pixelated open-worlds to even point-and-click-adventures. Disjunction - from developer Ape Tribe Games - is just the latest title set within the cyberpunk genre with its pixelated, top-down gameplay and focus on stealth. Disjunction has its flaws, but is ultimately an enjoyable game, allowing you to play with whatever playstyle suits your fancy.

Disjunction takes place in the not-so-distant future of 2048 New York City. The haves and have-nots are separated by the tall buildings that pierce the clouds, with the latter taking refuge below in the shantytowns that make up what once was Central Park. A new underground drug known as Shard makes its way throughout the city, while government conspiracies run rampant as major corporations jockey for power and control of the city.

You’ll take on the role of three different characters in Disjunction, all of whom have individual motivations and storylines, but all wind up being connected in the grand scheme of the narrative. Each character also has their own unique abilities and playstyles, offering up different ways of approaching each enemy encounter. For example, Frank - a private investigator who also happens to be part cyborg - can use his gadgets to stealthily get around enemies, or use a more guns ablazin’ approach with his pistol. Joe, a former heavyweight boxer, on the other hand, can let his fist do the talking, resorting to his damage-dealing shotgun should things get a bit too hairy. Finally, Spider, a hacker, can use her gadgets (such as a holographic projector or her cloaking shield) to play tricks on enemies as she moves past them undetected.

As you progress through the story, you’ll be able to upgrade each character’s abilities or give them entirely new ones. These range in everything from upping your offensive firepower or boosting the amount of damage you dish out, to more defensive or stealth-focused abilities such as increased health or decreasing your chance of being detected while you’re sneaking around the levels. That is, of course, only if you actually decide to sneak around.

Disjunction allows for, really, any style of play, whether you stay in the shadows and avoid combat, or if you take everyone head-on in a flurry of bullets and blood. Depending on your choice, the story will react accordingly, which ultimately results in multiple endings being available to you.

I often utilize a healthy combination of both playstyles, since my Metal Gear Solid-like stealth skills aren’t quite what they used to be and I wind up getting caught by an enemy or camera most of the time. Honestly, though? Besides the effect it has on the ending, most of the playstyles remain kind of similar throughout the game. Stealth is pretty self-explanatory (and is a lot of fun when you’re successful). You’re also able to take out enemies in non-lethal ways and then hide their bodies. I find that any upgrades don’t really do much to the foundational mechanics of head-on combat, however.

The intensity gets really dialed up when you get detected, forcing you to blast your way out of the situation regardless of which character you’re controlling - whether it be with Frank and his pistol, Joe’s shotgun, or Spider’s machine gun. Funny enough, Spider - who is basically the character who least wants to get into a firefight - and her machine gun can really rip through enemies if that’s where you decide to spend your upgrade points. I digress. In these moments of throwing caution to the wind, it really doesn’t matter who you’re playing as, since you’ll be shooting at enemies and likely dying from your small amount of health, eventually restarting from the checkpoint.

I love the world of Disjunction. Perhaps it’s because the likelihood of such a dystopian society isn’t as outside the realm of possibility as it used to be. Mainly, though, I think it’s because Ape Tribe Games put a lot of care into actually building out the world. The characters themselves are a bit cliche, but throughout each level, you can read bits of lore that fill you in on the state of the world and everything that’s going on behind the scenes. Additionally, major story beats are highlighted yellow in the text boxes. It’s an optional feature to be explored and presented in a way that’s not in-your-face, but it’s just another way to provide even more insight into the world. I’d love it if more games did this sort of thing. “Here’s an important thing you may want to know about. Read more about it in this quick blurb.” That would definitely be a feature I would use to help me care more about in-game lore (something I’m admittedly bad at).

A stealth game above all else, Disjunction is a fun journey through a dystopian world. Its head-to-head combat woes can be generally overlooked because stealth is such a major component. It’s clear that Ape Tribe Games put a lot of effort into building up the game’s cyberpunk setting, successfully making Disjunction a game that needs to be played by fans of the genre, or even OG Metal Gear Solid fans.