Cyberpunk 2077 Perk menus hide references to Evangelion, The Matrix, Akira, and more

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There's a ton of pop culture references hidden within Cyberpunk 2077's Perk menus

Cyberpunk 2077
(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

It turns out that the Cyberpunk 2077 Perk icons are hiding a ton of pop culture references within the game's multitude of Skill Trees.

Just below, you can see that a user on the Cyberpunk 2077 subreddit discovered that one particular Perk icon in the Skill Trees resembles that of Doc Brown, loveable but slightly crazy scientist from Back to the Future. In the replies to the original post though, another user reveals that there's actually a ton more pop culture references hidden within Cyberpunk 2077's Skill Trees.

I found a mini Doc Brown ! from r/cyberpunkgame

By following this link, you can see the reply post to the original Doc Brown image. Someone's put the Cyberpunk 2077 Perk icon images and the material that they reference side by side, so that you can see the game's Skill Trees have icons that resemble The Matrix, Akira, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Star Trek, System Shock, and many more.

Honestly, these references would've completely flown over my head if someone hadn't actually pointed them out to me. I've spent hours methodically combing my way through Cyberpunk 2077's many, many Skill Trees to find the perk Perk to purchase next, but I never realized the many references that were hidden within. I suppose it makes sense, because on the surface Cyberpunk 2077 is so clearly inspired by the futuristic aesthetics of Blade Runner, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Akira, and others.

Cyberpunk 2077 is hiding a lot of hidden content, after all. There's the likes of Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima and musician Grimes to find out in the sprawling open world. To find both celebrity cameos, you can head over to our Cyberpunk 2077 Hideo Kojima cameo page, or our guide on where to find Grimes in Cyberpunk 2077 for more.

If you're still playing through CD Projekt's monumental RPG, you can head over to our Cyberpunk 2077 tips guide for a complete walkthrough of the entire game.

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer
Freelance Writer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.