Cyberpunk 2077 can now be played with a comprehensive, remarkably accurate VHS-style filter applied thanks to the efforts of a very dedicated modder. CD Projekt Red’s seminal first-person action RPG has always been on the forefront of graphics rendering technology, but some people seem to believe the next step for Cyberpunk 2077 is looking back at how things were instead.
Cyberpunk 2077 had a terrible launch only for CD Projekt Red to successfully turn things around years after the fact. In the process of doing so, the game was effectively revitalized as a terrific experience. A particularly vibrant modding community had sprung up around Cyberpunk 2077 by then as well, with graphics, gameplay, and asset mods releasing almost on a daily basis. As the game has always looked great, some modders have made it their job to rework Cyberpunk 2077‘s visual style from the ground-up, and the VHS mod is a prime example of this.
Cyberpunk 2 Should Take the Leap of Faith That Cyberpunk 2077 2.3 Couldn’t
While many features were added to Cyberpunk 2077 post-launch, there’s one big addition that will have to wait for the sequel.
Cyberpunk 2077 VHS Mod Turns It Into a True Retro Experience, Warts and All
TapePunk is the title of Tuliz’s custom VHS-style ReShade preset for Cyberpunk 2077. Having first been released in January 2026, it has since been updated with an array of further improvements and customizations that make it downright uncanny to witness in motion. Whereas some mod makers prefer to simply add simple gadgets to the game, like Cyberpunk 2077‘s excellent flashlight mod, Tuliz has gone for a total recontextualization of the game’s graphics as VHS tape recordings. “A simple tool for those seeking a cinematic, nostalgic atmosphere based on real-world media study and our memories,” they explain.
TapePunk comes with the warning that its visual effects, having been specifically designed to emulate the look of old camcorders and worn-out VHS tape playback, can induce motion sickness in some players. Though Tuliz’s VHS mod will function as a standalone ReShade installation just fine, players using Emry’s Cytropolis 2.0 or the paid Dreampunk mod have options for further integration into them. These mods are a far cry from simpler feature additions, like Cyberpunk 2077‘s third-person mod. Dreampunk in particular makes Cyberpunk 2077 almost photorealistic, and applying TapePunk on top of it should make for a very impressive playing experience.
Players looking for an excuse to replay Cyberpunk 2077 may well find one with TapePunk in tow. There’s an argument to be made that effectively downgrading Cyberpunk 2077‘s level of visual fidelity just to simulate VHS footage from the 1980s is an extreme waste of processing power, but it’s hard to deny that Tuliz has put out a charming ReShade preset. Tuliz has avoided any over-the-top effects that sometimes plague similar projects. The focus is instead on edge sharpening artifacts, color noise, lens effects, and chroma bleed, making TapePunk a much more measured project than it might otherwise seem.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Anyone not interested in modding Cyberpunk 2077 will have to wait a while before a new piece of CD Projekt Red content comes out. Keanu Reeves indicated he’s interested in Cyberpunk 2, so it might not all be over for the rockerboy just yet. It’s going to be curious to see whether CD Projekt Red chooses to build directly on top of what it did in Cyberpunk 2077 for the inevitable sequel, or if the story might go in a totally different direction. Whatever option they choose in the end, the audience is clearly there.
- Released
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December 10, 2020
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
