Cyborgs. Despite a number of humans exhibiting traits of being such “cybernetic organisms”, it is the many realms of fiction within which the majority reside. Modern videogames in particular have taken the concept to complex new levels; the inherent personalisation that cybernetic modifications require is well-suited to the flexible, customisable nature of modern sci-fi game mechanics.
So, after five days of thought-provoking articles in Wired.co.uk’s Transhuman Week, we thought we’d explore our favourite cyborgs in modern gaming.
Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments — we’re picking five, but there must be hundreds to choose from.
Matthew Kane (Quake IV)
Originally a human marine, Matthew Kane is the protagonist from Quake IV, fighting a warring and technologically-advanced alien race known as the Strogg. Eventually captured by the Strogg, Kane is forced to undergo extensive — and memorably visceral — medical surgery against his will, to receive cyborg body parts and neural upgrades. The result, as is the case for many fictional cyborgs, is superior strength that ultimately aids his mission in life.
The Combine (Half-Life 2)
Who can forget the transhuman military from Valve’s Half-Life sequel? The Combine blend human, alien and mechanical elements to form artificially-intelligent beings capable of merciless assaults in many physical dimensions. Their facelessness masked non-existent identities, and as such the Combine remain one of the most notably mysterious examples of a cyborg army in a video game.
Jack (BioShock)
Like many cyborgs in a videogame, Jack did not intend on becoming a cyborg. He was plunged by a plane crash into the underwater steampunk city of Rapture, which has suffered a complete societal collapse. A remaining civilisation is being torn apart by an addiction to extreme genetic modification, and Jack turned to altering his own genes in order to survive.
Barret Wallace (Final Fantasy VII)
Representing the J-RPG cyborgs is Barret — the man with a gun for an arm in then-Suqaresoft’s 1997 epic, Final Fantasy VII. Barret’s original lower arm was shot off by soldiers during a literal cliffhanger moment. Handless, the ecoterrorist did what any sane rebel would do: he grafted a machine gun into the vacant extremity.
In real-life, Barret is one of Final Fantasy’s most iconic characters in the franchise’s 25-year history, largely as a result of his unique cyborg characteristic.
JC Denton (Deus Ex)
It would be difficult to list videogaming’s greatest modern cyborgs without mentioning the dystopian classic, Deus Ex. The world of Deus Ex is in chaos, with a medical pandemic sweeping through society. JC Denton is one of many “nano-augs” — one who has been modified with nanotechnology on a biological level — and is tasked with helping restore order to the world. The most recent game in the series, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, acts as a prequel to the 2000-released original and expands on many of the transhumanist elements of the game.
Your turn
Let us know what cyborgs from gaming history you’d add to this list. We’ve focussed on modern games, but we welcome examples from any gaming generation
