The main features of the cyberpunk genre can be summarized by its defining motto,
"high tech, low life," which juxtaposes advanced technology with societal decay.
- Dystopian Future Setting: Stories are typically set in a dark, gritty, near-future Earth, in sprawling urban landscapes characterized by pollution, urban decay, and perpetual rain. The aesthetic features a sharp contrast between towering mega-buildings and crowded, neon-lit streets.
- Dominance of Megacorporations: National governments are often weak or "wimpy," their power supplanted by colossal, secretive, and corrupt multinational corporations (zaibatsus) that control most aspects of life, resources, and industries.
- Advanced Technology and Cybernetics: The world features rapid technological change and innovation, including artificial intelligence (AI), advanced robotics, virtual reality (cyberspace/the matrix), and extensive cybernetic enhancements (implants, artificial limbs).
- "High Tech, Low Life" Dichotomy: There is a vast social and economic gap, with a wealthy elite enjoying the peak of technological luxury, while the majority of the population lives in poverty and squalor, using "street tech" in ways unanticipated by its inventors.
- Marginalized Anti-Heroes: The protagonists are typically "marginalized, alienated loners" and anti-heroes, such as hackers ("console cowboys"), mercenaries, or street hustlers, who live on the edge of society and operate outside the law.
- Exploration of Humanity and Identity: A central philosophical theme is the blurring line between human and machine, raising questions about identity, memory, and what it means to be truly human in a world of advanced cybernetics and AI.
- Neo-Noir Atmosphere: The genre often borrows elements from film noir and hardboiled detective fiction, featuring cynical characters, complex conspiracies, moral ambiguity, and a general atmosphere of paranoia and nihilism.
- Ubiquitous Information Network: Cyberspace is a common element, described as a vast, immersive digital realm that characters can "jack into" using neural interfaces, often a place of both opportunity and danger.
- Social Critique: Cyberpunk serves as a cautionary tale, offering a dark reflection and critique of contemporary concerns regarding consumerism, the impact of technology on human ethics, and the potential for unchecked corporate power and surveillance to lead to societal collapse and dehumanization.
