Heart of the Machine

But this game takes it to the next level in terms of playstyle.

The story, worldbuilding, and sense of agency are what kept me engaged.

The learning curve is steep, and the game does little to hide that fact.

While the visuals lean toward clarity and functionality rather than spectacle, the art direction effectively sells the cyberpunk atmosphere: dense urban sprawl, corporate strongholds, shadowy slums, and the constant sense that power is unevenly distributed.

Don't let the hours I've logged fool you, I left the game on overnight several times (which didn't cause any glitches or crashes as doing such would often do for other games, so bonus points, dev).

Fantastic soundtrack and atmosphere (the main theme is so good I always listen to the full thing every time I launch the game), interesting aesthetic, and an intensely gripping concept.