You tap into your bioware to send a signal to your cadre you've spotted the guy you're targeting. You then slip into the crowd with the knowledge Taggert has already hacked her way into the local security cameras. You move onto a side street and kick in your cybernetics to get to the other end of the security dead zone he's heading toward. As expected, Taggert forwards you the view of him leaving her field of vision and you pick him up. He moves with confidence down an alley and to the back door of an antique shop.
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GeneFunk 2090 is a 5e based game set in a dystopian future where practically everyone has body hacks of one form or another. This is a more extreme type of a cyberpunk setting. Along with cybernetics there are genetic hacks and nanotechnology that live inside the body, and practically everyone has something, which also connects to the World Digital Sea (WDS)—an advanced of our current web.
I received a PDF version of GeneFunk 2090 for review purposes. The game book was released earlier this past January and was designed by James Armstrong and released through Crispr Monkey Studios.
Setting Overview
The book begins with a brief chronology of events leading up to the Earth of 2090. The world is a dystopian society for those who aren't part of the controlling corporate structure. Of course there are governments, but for all practical purposes they are marionettes dancing on the strings pulled by the executives. Those suits also have strings stretching far and wide into other aspects of society. Staying in a position of power requires activities that can't be done openly, even if everyone knows what's going on. That is where your group plays a part.
Cadres do the dirty work for the suits. These small teams are hired to do those tasks that would dirty the hands of the executives and give a bad appearance for the companies they work for. That means your cadre works on a contract which allows plausible deniability to your employer. Cadres start out small and through continued success can build credibility and experience to get high paying jobs.
Characters
GeneFunk 2090 uses the same structure as the 5e system for character creation. The structure of this section of the book jumps a little. The design structure presented in the initial overview isn't parallel in the structure for where the parts are listed. However, each section has the page numbers referenced for where to find the information. So even if it doesn't flow straight through the sections, you can still find what you are looking for.
Genomes
Genomes are equivalent to races in other settings. There are about 20 genomes to choose from. These go from different types of Engineered, Mutts, Optimized, Transhuman, and Unmodified. Genomes provide a template of the character and how they were modified before play begins. Although genomes may affect characters in somewhat predictable ways, the overruling factor is still the personality of the individual.
If the pre-created genome templates don't provide the style of character you desire, there is a sidebar on how to create new ones. Some genomes are better than others for classes, but like character disposition, any combination is possible.
Classes
There are around 20 character classes. These allow for all the archetypes you would expected from a cyberpunk setting. There are also some designed specifically for the GeneFunk setting.
The classes include pretty much everything you may be looking for, the name may different, and how they operate is adjusted to fit into the setting of this possible future Earth. Some characters even have spell like capabilities as they have learned how to hack another person's bioware.
Additional Information
There is a lot available in this 300+ page rule book. It covers what's needed to run a game or play a character. The book is designed for everyone at the gaming table and there's a section for the game master only. Its referencing makes easy to use to determine what you need to do in this brave new world you and your players are navigating through. This plays well into a setting that everyone is highly connected with the WDS and can access information pretty much on demand.
There are sections for determining missions and creating encounters. This includes non-player characters, creatures, and other entities (robotics) now part of the world. The structure for developing missions for your player's cadre was easy to work through for scaling the adventures as the characters advance in their abilities.
Overall
GeneFunk 2090 provides a good cyberpunk setting combined with the ease of use of the 5e system. James Armstrong has done a great job of providing the setting and having it work with the structure of an established system.
The game setting provides a lot of variability for players who desire to create unique characters. For newer players and those who want to get into the setting faster, there are archetypes available—there is always a time and place for a street samurai.
I've been a fan of cyberpunk for a long time. I read Phillip K. Dick's classic Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (wikipedia link) in the 1970s and watched his story when it was turned into Blade Runner (IMDb link). Genefunk 2090 is one of the better games I have played designed to bring cyberpunk to the tabletop.
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When you get back to your flat, the rest of your cadre is already there. "You identified what he picked up for transport, right?"
"You're not going to believe it." Taggart says as the rest of the crew tells you how she hasn't told anything yet.
You can see she is relishing the moment of having everyone focus on her.
"A toy. It's called a Power Rangers. Whatever suit's backing him is high up in a Corp though. That thing is worth a lot and probably hot."
Everybody turns to you. "Then we better snatch that thing real careful like so we don't have a corporate army coming down on us."
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