Tabletop RPG · since 1988 · #11 most discussed

Cyberpunk RED

Edgy mercenaries and fixers fight for survival in a corporate-run dystopia, with lifepath characters and fast, lethal firefights.

InterlockCyberpunklifepath creationtactical gridhigh lethalityclassesfaction playCampaignsNeeds a GM

5.2

Geek rating

From 20 firsthand play reports in 5 r/rpg threads. The threads alone average 5.1.

Player rating— / 10

No visitor ratings yet.

Discussion7.6 / 10

456 r/rpg posts named it, October 2023 to October 2026.

Rules weight

Medium. Hype 3.9 for its age.

Have you played it?

Rate Cyberpunk RED from 1 to 10. One rating per browser and device; you can change it any time.

Didn't work for usOne of our best

What players say

At the table

Cyberpunk RED gets a lot of firsthand reports, and they split. Tables mostly like the setting and the quick d10 core, then disagree on whether the rest of the rules hold up over a long campaign. Some groups have run it happily for years. Others quit or are ready to move on.

What works

Resolution is one d10 plus stat and skill, which GMs and players pick up fast. The core book alone gives characters that feel distinct and capable. (thread)
The setting, style and cyberware flavor are widely praised. (thread)
Subsystems like rent, dating and permanent injuries are fun. Roleplay-heavy roles such as Rockerboy and Exec give good scenes. (thread)
Free adventures and tools are plentiful, and a well-liked unofficial companion app helps. (thread)
Characters are competent from the start. One GM said the low floor and mid-level ceiling kept both an optimizer and a low-crunch player happy. (thread)

What tables struggle with

The book layout scatters rules, and character creation sends you jumping between chapters. (thread)
Combat is described as predictable and clunky, with weak cover and movement rules and negative exploding dice. (thread)
The netrunner minigame leaves everyone else waiting. Solo and Netrunner become the protagonists, while Nomad and Media wait for tailored scenes. (thread)
New players froze in front of the cyberware and weapon lists. One Tech built almost nothing. (thread)
One GM found heist prep dull and DIY-heavy, and ran only one campaign. (thread)

Who it suits

Groups that want a fast, simple core and a strong setting, and enjoy minis and maps.
GMs willing to house-rule and to steer new players through the gear lists.
It fits less well for tables that want balanced spotlight or tightly built rules.

In players' words

"CPRed is pretty fun, my players love it." (thread)
"Rules are a mess, the rulebook is horrid in its design." (thread)
"I played the netrunner and I felt kind of bad that the spotlight was on me for so long" (thread)

The threads behind it

Each thread is rated for the play it describes, from the firsthand reports in it. Load one here or read it on Reddit.

5.0

Is Cyberpunk Red a good system, what are it's pros and cons?

The thread is mostly about alternatives (Cities Without Number, Cy_Borg, Shadowrun) and Red's book design. The people who actually ran or played Red are split: some say it's fun, simple and easy to run, while others found it clunky, undercooked and hard to look rules up in, and some quit. 9 firsthand · 47 comments

Open on Reddit

5.5

My group played 2 sessions of cyberpunk red

People who played or ran Cyberpunk RED mostly love the setting, style and cyberware flavor, but find the mechanics dated and clunky. Fights are predictable, classes are unbalanced, and the netrunner minigame spotlights one player. Some GMs still run it, usually with house rules, and a multi-year GM is ready to move on. 6 firsthand · 23 comments

Open on Reddit

3.0

Crunchy cyberpunk systems that aren't Shadowrun or Cyberpunk RED?

The thread is mostly about alternatives to Cyberpunk RED, so little of it is firsthand play of the named game. The two relevant reports are negative: the OP found heist prep dull and DIY-heavy, and one commenter ran a full campaign that the table didn't enjoy. 2 firsthand · 101 comments

Open on Reddit

4.0

Best Cyberpunk RPGs that aren't Cyberpunk RED?

The thread is mostly about alternative cyberpunk games, with little firsthand play of Cyberpunk RED. The one detailed report is the OP's table, which bounced off RED because the gear and cyberware lists left players with analysis paralysis. One commenter who GMed it says they love it but gives no specifics. 2 firsthand · 64 comments

Open on Reddit

8.0

Looking for a fantasy system that's like Cyberpunk RED

The only firsthand account is the original poster, a GM new to the hobby who ran a Cyberpunk RED campaign and liked how it played. They are ending it because they ran out of stories to tell in the setting, not because of rules trouble. The rest of the thread recommends other fantasy systems, and those recommendations are ignored here. 1 firsthand · 31 comments

Open on Reddit