The game is renowned for its "Friday Night Firefight" combat system, which is gritty, lethal, and tactical. Unlike the high-fantasy heroics of Dungeons & Dragons , Cyberpunk Red is about survival. Characters are not necessarily heroes; they are edgerunners—mercenaries, hackers (Netrunners), rockers, and techs—trying to make a name for themselves on the edge of society.

The Core Rulebook is a massive tome, often running over 450 pages. It contains everything a player needs: character generation, combat rules, netrunning mechanics, and a deep dive into the lore of Night City. It is a dense, essential resource, making the desire for a digital, searchable PDF understandable.