No Law was one of the most exciting games I saw at Gamescom year: a cyberpunk immersive sim that solves one of Deus Ex’s biggest problems
At Gamescom, Eurogamer's preview highlighted No Law, a cyberpunk first-person immersive sim from Swedish studio Neon Giant, as one of the show's standout titles. The game distinguishes itself from genre touchstones like Cyberpunk 2077 by casting players as Grey Harkner, a retired soldier drawn back into conflict, and by rejecting the typical dystopian American aesthetic in favour of a distinctly European setting where nature actively encroaches on the technology-laden cityscape.
The demo, shown hands-off by a Neon Giant developer, followed a mission to track someone down in Port Desire, a fictional city with a Mediterranean feel likened to Nice or Monaco. Interactive details on show included a shop system letting players individually pick up and pay for (or steal) items, with theft consequences such as shops closing if the owner is killed, plus real street addresses and signage supporting an optional mode that removes HUD guidance in favour of manual note-taking. The sequence was demonstrated twice, in day and night versions, with enemy presence and the optimal stealth approach differing between them.
In short
- No Law is a cyberpunk immersive sim from Neon Giant shown at Gamescom.
- It favours a green, European aesthetic over the usual dystopian American look.
- Detailed systems include realistic shopping, theft consequences, and HUD-free exploration.
Explained simply
At Gamescom, Eurogamer's preview picked out No Law, a first-person "immersive sim" from Swedish studio Neon Giant, as one of the standout games at the show. Immersive sims are a genre known for giving players multiple ways to tackle each situation, and the studio is best known for its earlier game The Ascent; this new project is set in a cyberpunk world, the kind of near-future setting built around advanced technology and often gritty city life, popularised by games like Cyberpunk 2077.
No Law follows Grey Harkner, a retired soldier pulled back into conflict, and takes place in Port Desire, a fictional city with a Mediterranean feel rather than the more familiar dystopian American look of similar games. The preview was based on a hands-off demo shown by a developer, meaning journalists watched gameplay rather than playing it themselves.
The story matters to readers who follow upcoming game releases, since early previews like this shape expectations for a title that has not yet launched and help explain what makes it stand out in a crowded genre.
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