Brendon Chung’s jury-lauded hacking game Quadrilateral Cowboy is your archetypal cyberpunk game, right? You operate from a Matrix-like control room; it’s a game about hacking; the word “cowboy” is in the title; hover-bikes are a thing. But unlike sci-fi works that focus on sleek but oppressive tech of the distant future, Blendo Games’ vision of cyberpunk subculture looks backwards to VHS and dial-up modems. What gives?

Speaking to Edge, Chung explained the unlikely blend of futuristic concepts with obsolete technology. 

Tech nowadays is focused on being sleek and attractive. Part of me misses the ugly, clunky interfaces of past decades. I miss pressing buttons. I miss mechanical components, analogue tapes and moving parts. There’s a tactile satisfaction in the click of a meaty mechanical button. 

Gone Home, too, opted for post-it notes and stationery rather than email and text messages. Our current technological advancements don’t always make for the best game experience.