Is life in a city aglow with neon lights tough? Live the dream as a business owner in the cyberpunk management adventure *Nivalis Nights*!!

There are all kinds of games set in a cyberpunk world. The sight of characters with their entire bodies enhanced with high-tech gear as they battle their way through a corporate-controlled underworld is cool—it’s something anyone can get hooked on. Currently, many such games have been released and are gaining popularity.

However, there are surprisingly few games that let you actually live within that cyberpunk society.

For those looking for such a game, *Nivals Nights* is definitely worth checking out. Developed by the Germany-based indie game studio ION LANDS, it was released on Steam on September 29, 2026, by publisher 505 Games.

Billed by the development team as a “cyberpunk slice-of-life simulation,” this management adventure game vividly depicts daily life and economic activities within a cyberpunk society.ION LANDS is a team that has focused on life in a cyberpunk society, having previously developed *Cloudpunk*, a game set in a cyberpunk world where players work as taxi drivers.

In this article, we’ll share a playthrough report of *Nivalis Nights* and highlight what makes it so appealing!

What Is “Nivalis Nights”?

Nivalis is a cyberpunk city aglow with neon lights. Due to CorpSec crackdowns and a series of mysterious murders, the city has long been shrouded in an atmosphere of unease.

Amidst this, start out with a small ramen shop and eventually aim to become the owner of a popular restaurant or a high-end nightclub in the city. Featuring a realistic weather system, this daily life simulation set in a cyberpunk world lets you choose how to spend each day.

Expand your business, befriend the city’s eccentric residents, grow ingredients legally, or sabotage your rivals during curfew nights. From running your ramen shop to managing your relationships, every action you take builds your influence.

When you’re in the mood for a change of pace, you can cruise around the city by boat, freely customize your home, or even take on a chess tournament.

In *Nivalis Nights*, your choices shape everything.

Life as a Cyberpunk Business Owner, Starting with a Ramen Shop

One morning, you wake up with a foggy head and hazy memories. As you’re feeling confused, your AI assistant, Ava, speaks to you in your mind.

“Today, Sadus has promised to hand the shop over to you.”

Without understanding what was going on, you head to the agreed-upon location, where you find a ramen shop. Sadeus explains that due to some serious circumstances, he’s fleeing the city of Nivalis and will be disappearing.

You’ve become the master of your own domain. According to Ava, the district where we currently live has been cut off from the outside world to apprehend a serial killer. However, this has led to a concentration of consumer activity among residents, attracting attention from outside and resulting in a constant stream of intruders. In other words, this is a once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity.

*Nivalis Nights* is a game set in the cyberpunk city of Nivalis, where you take on the role of a shop owner and navigate life in this cyberpunk world. The game is presented from a first-person perspective, allowing you to truly become a member of cyberpunk society and participate in its economy.

The ramen shop you’ve inherited from Sadeus comes with a hefty debt, and you’ll need to make daily payments. Above all else, you must make money. Hire staff for your ramen shop, set your menu, stock up on ingredients, and get your business up and running.

However, how you choose to make a living from here on out is entirely up to you.

Once you’ve progressed far enough in the game, you’ll be able to leave the ramen shop entirely in the hands of your staff—you could even spend the whole day lounging around at home without any issues. Of course, you can also work at the shop yourself to keep labor costs and procurement prices down. However, this game is designed on the premise that you’ll leave the shop to your staff.It’s important to note that, unlike many work-simulation games available today, this game doesn’t realistically simulate cooking, nor is it a game where you enjoy the hands-on work.

Above all else, what players need to focus on in this game is expenses and revenue. “Nivalis Nights” features a price fluctuation system, so prices change from day to day. Additionally, selling prices vary depending on the shop, the area, and the player’s trading level.To source ingredients at lower prices, you’ll need to put in the legwork. Of course, the ingredients you purchase have a shelf life, and if left unused, they’ll spoil and become unusable. However, if you sell unused ingredients before they spoil, you can minimize losses to some extent. Since purchase prices fluctuate, selling prices naturally do as well, so being proactive when selling items will also improve your efficiency.

Adjust your menu prices, staff working hours, and wages accordingly to maximize your profits. Furthermore, because you can fully automate store operations, you can take the next step toward managing multiple locations. There are several vacant storefronts in Nivalis, and if you rent these to expand your business, you can expect even greater profits.The highlight of this game is the experience of being a shop owner in a cyberpunk society.

Of course, you’ll need to install new fixtures in your new stores and hire new staff. Leaving purchasing entirely up to your staff is risky, as they tend to buy more than necessary. Careless investment is a step toward ruin. The cyberpunk world mercilessly crushes the weak, so proceed with caution.

And precisely because you’re a shop owner who isn’t tied down to a single location, you can fully immerse yourself in the cyberpunk world of Nivalis!

Although the area has been cordoned off due to a murder case, preventing free movement, players can gain access to various regions by obtaining a counterfeit tourist pass.This game features not only “Lowtown,” where you have your own apartment, and “Meridian Market,” where you’ve inherited a ramen shop, but also the “Industrial District,” “The Stack” (where gangs hold sway), and “Calypso Island,” where the wealthy enjoy their vacations—and many more. You can set up your own shops there or, conversely, use the existing ones. Traveling between these areas by taxi or train really adds to the sense of everyday life.

Each area is fairly large and multi-leveled, and since all 18 areas are connected by a transportation network, the city is truly massive. The scenery is meticulously detailed even in the distance, with neon signs and cyber advertisements packed tightly together, and the weather system—which changes the city’s appearance depending on the conditions—is also fantastic.If you’re a fan of cyberpunk, just being able to wander around this meticulously crafted world is sure to get your heart racing.

Of course, business isn’t the only thing that gives each area its value. Each area is home to a variety of characters, and you can get to know them and interact with them. These interactions trigger various quests, and as you progress through them, you’ll begin to uncover the true nature of this world.

Completing quests not only earns you items and money but also sparks your creativity, helping you come up with new recipes for the menu. Deepen your interactions with people and keep expanding your shop.

The quests vary widely in nature—from lighthearted ones, such as offering career advice, to illegal activities like harassing other shops under a late-night curfew, to chasing down a serial killer, and even dangerous missions where you’re caught up in a shadowy organization’s illicit dealings and must choose between life and death.

Of course, it’s also possible to steer clear of dangerous quests and live a peaceful life. How you progress through the game and navigate this cyberpunk society is entirely up to you. An incredible number of quests await, and watching the number in your quest journal swell to 20, 30, and beyond is part of the game’s appeal. You can experience Nivalis from a variety of perspectives.

Furthermore, as you complete quests, you’ll acquire items like a boat, a greenhouse, and a fishing rod, expanding the scope of the game. Growing crops in your greenhouse can drastically cut down on your purchasing costs, and catching plenty of fish might even lead to requests from the black market.

You can choose to work tirelessly at your shop, or leave it to your staff and spend the day fishing. If you rake in more than enough profits, you can even move from your starter apartment to a luxurious home for the wealthy. The freedom to live as you please in this cyberpunk society is the game’s defining feature.

Will you find success in Nivalis? Or will you be swallowed up by the dark underbelly of society and lose everything? The key lies in your business acumen and your ability to sniff out shady deals.

If you’ve ever wanted to experience life in a cyberpunk world, head to Nivalis! This city offers both the harsh reality of living in debt and endless opportunities.