The cyberpunk genre has been facing a major dilemma in recent years: On the one hand, its aesthetic is still impressive; on the other, seeing the same visual language over and over has begun to feel tiresome. Rainy night streets, neon signs, and individuals lost in the shadow of mega-corporations... This formula now makes most players say 'another cyberpunk game.' At exactly this point, No Law, which I came across at Gamescom, offers a new perspective on the genre. Developed by Swedish studio Neon Giant, the game goes beyond being a first-person action title, carrying the potential to be one of the clever examples of the immersive sim genre.
The segment we watched during the preview was enough to understand the game's ambition. No Law is not just a cyberpunk shooter; it is also a creation that takes player choices seriously, cares about environmental storytelling, and maintains consistency among systems. In this article, I will discuss the design decisions that make the game so promising, its striking world, and the question marks left in my mind.
A Solution to Deus Ex's Biggest Design Contradiction
Those who have played the recent Deus Ex games will remember a structure that constantly pushes the player to collect points. Whether it is picking a lock, neutralizing a knocked-out enemy, or sneaking into a room, the game awards experience points for every little success. The most frustrating aspect of this system is that these rewards contradict each other. For example, since knocking out an enemy and killing them can both yield the same kind of points, even a stealthy playthrough can gradually turn into ruthless decisions. This leads to an optimization race that undermines the player's desire to role-play.
No Law, on the other hand, ties XP to major goals rather than small actions. In the presentation, you gain points for entering a building; the method you used to unlock the door does not matter. This makes every approach equally viable. Whether you sweep through the hallways or move through the shadows, you get a similar reward as long as you reach the same objective. This seemingly small change is an important step that reinforces the core philosophy of the immersive sim genre.
Moreover, the relationship between character development and the world moves away from classic XP menus. It was stated that collectible magazines are scattered throughout the world for specialization. Even though we could not see one in the demo, this kind of progression system can encourage players to explore the map and read the environment more attentively. Thus, the reward becomes not just a statistical upgrade but also part of the exploration experience.
Grey Harkner: Retired Soldier, Plant Lover, and Action Hero
No Law's protagonist, Grey Harkner, resembles nothing like the young, distant cyberpunk heroes we are used to in the genre. He is a burly, hairy, and slightly old-fashioned action hero. As a retired soldier, Harkner just wants to water his plants in peace. But his past won't leave him alone, and he finds himself back in the middle of violence and scheming. The mystery that brought him to this point forms the central question of the game's story.
This character choice gives No Law an aura that pays tribute to the action films of the '90s. The foreground is filled with a Van Damme-style ruggedness, a posture far removed from the cool, reserved hero of Keanu Reeves. This energy is reflected in the game's action sequences as well. The world can be dark and dangerous; however, the character's witty tone aims to pull the player into a brisk narrative instead of a constantly overwhelming atmosphere. Grey Harkner might be much more layered than a pure power fantasy.
Port Desire: A World Outside Classic Cyberpunk Clichés
The city where No Law takes place, Port Desire, makes just as big a difference as the XP system. The genre's classic American gaze erases the old world and replaces it with corporate architecture and ad bombardment. No Law carries that visual language over to Europe. The pastel facades we saw in the preview, old apartment blocks still inhabited today, and futuristic constructions squeezed between them give the city an atmosphere that feels both familiar and alien. Drones gliding over buildings appear to be a layer that opens onto the future over Mediterranean streets.
Nature has not been entirely shut out of the cyberpunk nightmare, either. Unlike its counterparts dominated by concrete and asphalt, trees and green shoots find their place in No Law. According to the developers, there is an ongoing war against nature in Port Desire. This adds an aesthetic tension to the city. The streets being clean and colorful reinforces the game's contrast with its darker themes. For an observer, that unusual visual identity is one of the strongest urges to get lost in this world.
Chain Reactions of Small Systems
No Law's real ambition lies in the small details rather than broad systems. When you enter a market, you can grab the energy drinks from the shelves one by one and place them in your inventory. You can pay and walk out, or fill your pockets and dash away. The party trick is removing the security sensor at the door and turning it into a grenade. If you pick a fight with the shopkeeper and kill him, the shop remains closed the next day. Consequences like this make the world feel as if it genuinely responds to player actions.
Getting around the city is likewise left to the player's attention. Every building has a real street number and signage. You can switch off the HUD's guiding arrow if you like. The developers note that in this mode, you will have to take your own notes in a notebook. The idea is a welcome alternative to our modern dependence on direction markers. This approach, which requires players to truly read the environment, can deepen the sense of discovery.
The dialogue system follows a similar understanding of freedom. Instead of the feeling that the controlled character plays whatever tone the preset response options have, in No Law the manner of speaking shifts based on play style. During the presentation, Grey came across as more conciliatory while sneaking around, but after an armed raid the same character adopted a menacing tone. The player's choices influence not only the direction of the story but also the personality of the character. That detail pushes the role-playing experience one step further.
One Mission, Two Different Approaches
Two versions of the same mission were featured in the Gamescom presentation. Approaching the building in daylight meant more guards, so a stealth-focused route was preferred, making use of rooftops and metal ledges. Rather than bargaining with a squat apartment manager for the key, classic immersive sim methods came into play—for instance, uncovering a password hidden in the restrooms. Inside, the player quietly tried the code 0451 on a safe, incapacitated a security officer, and gathered evidence. Throughout this stretch, it was clear that the player's chosen method did not block progression.
The rainy night version, however, had fewer guards, but weapons did the talking. An electric bomb set off a chain of explosions that scattered enemies. In these moments, you could see traces of the team's earlier work on Bulletstorm. No Law might not have Bulletstorm's frantic energy, but it carries the essence of that legacy. Action moments, in contrast to the stealth sections, take on a much more brutal and bloody tone. The game thus turns both playstyles into an internally coherent experience.
It is also worth noting that No Law's non-lethal weapons are far from boring. The electroshock pistol not only knocks enemies out; if you hold the trigger longer, the voltage rises and your target can burst into flames. In that way, the harmless-weapon experience can turn into a fun, even comedic tool of violence for those who want it. It illustrates how flexible the solution-oriented design is.
No Law's Promises That Stand Out So Far
If I were to put the impressions from the showcase into a single frame, No Law's strongest aspects come under these headings:
- Goal-driven progression that removes the XP contradiction of Deus Ex-like games
- Port Desire, a cyberpunk city with a European feel, free from clichés and intertwined with nature
- An interconnected simulation of elements such as shopping, security systems, and shopkeepers
- A dialogue style that changes according to player behavior
- Systems that aim to make both stealth and action equally satisfying play experiences
It Is Still Early, but on the Right Track
It must be admitted that it is too early to evaluate No Law as a complete game. The segment shown was a roughly half-hour vertical slice. The true magic of the immersive sim genre hides in long-term exploration, the habit of note-taking, and branching stories. However, the first impression makes you feel that Neon Giant can bring its bold ideas to life. In particular, Port Desire's streets and the XP system offer strong signs that the game will not just shine in a demo.
No Law is a hopeful start for those tired of the monotonous rituals of cyberpunk games. If Neon Giant can spread the promised freedom evenly across the entire game, No Law could become one of the year's most talked-about surprises. For now, the right move is to keep a close eye on this title. After all, games that aim to break the genre's conventions often begin with presentations like this.
