City of Broken Dreamers Review: Cyberpunk VN, Books One and Two

In short

What it is: a story-first cyberpunk visual novel about a bounty hunter, told across 15 chapters in two books.
Who it's for: players who want plot, action and a built-out setting, with adult scenes as part of the package rather than the whole point.
Price: $19.98 for both books on Steam (regular prices, September 2026); Chapters 1-4 are name-your-own-price on itch.io.
Platforms: Windows, macOS and Linux. The developer lists an Android version as a Patreon reward.
Big pro / big con: a finished story with real choices and a hidden anger stat, but the official site and itch.io page are out of date and confusing.

What kind of game is it?

It is a choose-your-own-adventure style visual novel with explicit adult content, from PhillyGames, the developer of Depraved Awakening. The game started on Steam with Book One on August 7, 2020, and ended with Book Two on November 14, 2024. The Book Two store page calls it "the final installment".

What sets it apart from most adult visual novels is tone. The Steam page pitches it as "a visual novel with a bit more edge", where story and characters come first. You get gunfights, betrayals and a lore glossary alongside the romance routes.

Community opinion is good. On Steam, Book One sits at Very Positive from 1,632 user reviews and Book Two at Very Positive from 60, as of September 2026.

Gameplay

You read and choose. The developer's promise is that "every choice has impact" and that no choice is there just for show. There are no wrong answers either, so the game is more about shaping your version of the story than about passing or failing.

The systems behind the choices

Score and lust value. Each woman in the cast tracks two values, and depending on the character these open up new scenes and options.
A hidden anger stat. The protagonist has a stat for his anger that changes dialogue and how he reacts in some situations. It is the most interesting system here.
Hidden bonus images. A notification tells you when a clue is nearby; finding the image is optional.
Replay theater. Adult scenes are added to a replay menu once you have seen them.
Lore glossary. A glossary of terms explains the setting as you go.

A masked gunman in a dark corridor: action scenes are a regular part of the story

Skipping adult content

The Book One content notice says almost all of the sexual content can be skipped, while warning that it "is a large part of the game". That makes it one of the few adult visual novels you can play mainly for the plot.

Story

You play a Ghost, a bounty hunter for hire. Ghosts often have the backing of the rich and powerful, which makes them nearly untouchable by the law, and you are one of the best. Behind that is a man running from his past. Your next target is hiding a troubling secret, and going after her forces him to face his own.

A tense dialogue scene with Ellen, one of the many characters the Ghost deals with

The cast is large, with allies and enemies whose loyalties shift. The Book Two page frames the ending around those shifting alliances and a final push to protect the people around you. All characters are adults.

How many chapters are there?

Fifteen, split across two books:

Part	Chapters	Steam release	Playtime (Steam estimate)
Book One (base game)	1-7	August 7, 2020	7 to 9 hours
Book Two (DLC)	8-15	November 14, 2024	Around 8 to 10 hours

Content warnings

The Book Two content notice lists explicit sexual scenes, violence including fist fights, gunfights and explosions, some alcohol use and characters who use a fictional drug.

Main features

A complete two-part story with choices that pay off later.
Book One content (per Steam): 5,300 renders at 1920x1080, 274 animations at 30 fps and 28 licensed songs.
Book Two content (per Steam): 8,500 new renders, 543 new animations and 12 new licensed songs.
Steam extras. Steam Achievements and Family Sharing on both parts.
Language. English only.

Chandra under neon signs: the city is lit in pinks and teals throughout

Visual style

The game uses 3D renders, but the lighting is what you notice. Scenes lean on neon, shadow and color, which suits the cyberpunk setting better than the flat daylight of many adult visual novels. The animations are used in non-adult scenes too, which helps the action land.

A quiet, dimly lit moment with Kate, one of the romance options

The licensed soundtrack, with artists like Titan Slayer and We Are Astronauts named on the store page, is another step up from the usual stock music.

Platforms and how to get it

Store	What you get	Platforms	Price
Steam: Book One	Chapters 1-7 (base game)	Windows, macOS, Linux	$9.99
Steam: Book Two DLC	Chapters 8-15	Windows, macOS, Linux	$9.99
itch.io	Chapters 1-4 (v0.4.2)	Windows/Linux, Mac	Name your own price

Steam prices are regular prices as of September 2026. Book Two is DLC, so you need Book One first.

Book Two and the game guide

Book Two is where the story ends, and it is the only way to get Chapters 8-15 on a store. Steam also sells a separate City of Broken Dreamers game guide DLC for Book One at $2.99 (regular price, September 2026). It is optional.

Mac, Linux and Android

Mac: both Steam parts list macOS, and the itch.io download includes a Mac build of Chapters 1-4. See our guide to playing adult games on a Mac for setup tips.
Linux: listed on Steam for both books.
Android: there is no City of Broken Dreamers Android build on Steam or itch.io. The official site lists an "Official Android Version" as a Patreon supporter benefit; we could not check that build ourselves.

Is City of Broken Dreamers free?

Only partly. Chapters 1-4 are name-your-own-price on itch.io, so you can pay nothing and play roughly the first half of Book One. The full story costs $9.99 for Book One plus $9.99 for the Book Two DLC on Steam (regular prices, September 2026).

The itch.io release is a good free trial, but note that the page has not been updated since Chapter 4 and still says "In development". Our list of free adult games covers games that are free in full.

Is it safe to download?

Stick to Steam, the PhillyGames itch.io page, the official site and the developer's Patreon. Avoid re-upload sites offering "all chapters free": they are not official and we cannot vouch for the files. Our guide on downloading adult games safely from itch.io explains what that store does check.

Latest version and updates

The story is finished: Book Two, with Chapters 8-15, is the final release, and it came out on Steam on November 14, 2024. The official site and the itch.io page were not updated to reflect that, which is why some sources still call the game ongoing. Steam is the most current official source.

Screenshots

Pros

A complete story in two parts, with Book Two confirmed as the final installment
Strong cyberpunk setting with action, lore and a licensed soundtrack
Hidden anger stat and relationship values make choices matter
Most adult content can be skipped, per the developer
Windows, Mac and Linux on Steam; Chapters 1-4 name-your-own-price on itch.io

Cons

Two purchases for the full story
Book Two has few Steam reviews so far (60)
The official site and itch.io page are outdated
Android only through Patreon
English only

FAQ

Is City of Broken Dreamers finished?

Yes. The Steam page for Book Two, released November 14, 2024, calls it the final installment and says it contains the last eight chapters.

Do I need Book One to play City of Broken Dreamers Book Two?

Yes. Book Two is sold as Steam DLC, so Book One is required.

Is there a City of Broken Dreamers Mac version?

Yes. Steam lists macOS for both books, and itch.io offers a Mac download of Chapters 1-4.

What is on the itch.io page?

Chapters 1-4 (version 0.4.2) for Windows/Linux and Mac, as name-your-own-price. The rest of the story is only on Steam.

How long does it take to finish?

Steam estimates 7 to 9 hours for Book One and around 8 to 10 hours for Book Two, so roughly 15 to 19 hours for the whole story.

Is City of Broken Dreamers worth it?

If you want an adult visual novel with a real plot, action and a finished ending, yes, and the free first four chapters let you check first. If you mostly want frequent adult scenes, the story-first pacing may feel slow.

Final verdict

This is one of the better story-first adult visual novels, and one of the few that actually reaches an ending. The cyberpunk setting, action scenes and anger stat give it more personality than the usual slice-of-life premise. The confusing official pages are its biggest practical problem: ignore them and buy the Steam books. For more story-led picks see our visual novel genre guide; for another finished, drama-heavy game, read the Acting Lessons review, and for a free alternative with a supernatural twist, our Eternum review. The game catalog has everything else.

City of Broken Dreamers Review