Fans had long awaited the release of CD Prjekt Red’s new title Cyberpunk 2077, especially after the spotlight they have received since the success of Witcher 3. Sadly, the launch went horribly due to performance issues and lawsuits, and fans were left massively disappointed. However, after a lot of patches and the new release of the next generation console versions, it seems like CD Projekt has a new opportunity and that the game is receiving the launch it should have had over a year ago. Cyberpunk 2077 feels like one of the best ARPGs ever; it just needed a bit more time and to get rid of some bugs and kinks. The games performance is better than ever on PC and new generation consoles. It is the best time to experience Night City in all of its glory.
The Fate of V
Playing as V has been not only a unique experience but also an emotional roller coaster of multiple ways to get screwed over. V and Jackie experience a job gone wrong, so wrong, in fact, that, without too many spoilers, in an attempt to get an important relic from Arasaka V, it ends up installing the relic into their head when it was damaged. The relic ends up with Johnny Silverman’s engram implanted into it, and Johnny is simultaneously alive in V’s body. V ends up at death’s door as the relic slowly kills them and desperately tries to find a way to survive with the help of the other new personality in their head. As you play along in V’s story, players will find many choices that they are faced with that can change the outcome of rewards and standing in Night City. There is also the issue of not knowing who to trust, what choices are the best for you, and building solid relationships with people you would not expect.
Night City is Riddled with Excitement
Aside from the fact that this city is massive, there is so much content riddled within the streets and the outskirts of Night City. Roaming the streets day and night allows you to stumble upon gang fights and cyber psychos that can be found in crowded areas or even alleyways tucked behind random buildings. Side quests and gigs will often come as new handlers and acquaintances will call or text you with information and jobs, requesting you to meet in remote locations like motels or even the most popular clubs. As a bonus, you can even get your hands on new vehicles to collect outside of the story quest to add to your arsenal. One of the great things that this city has to offer is you can really do whatever you want, whether it be drinking, sleeping with escorts, and more. There is no limit to the amount of fun that awaits you in this game.
A Skill Tree Variety and Gratifying Gun Play
Cyberpunk has so much to offer when it comes to customizing your playstyle with your character. Perks are given to different branches that offer a boost in a certain playstyle, and each branch comes packed with skill sets that cater to that class. Players can also mix and match whether they want to increase their hacking, stealth, combat, and more. I found myself really drawn to the Cool and Intelligence perk due to the fact I love fighting with stealth combat, but I also utilized hacking abilities a lot and needed a ram boost. As I dumped the most points into Cool, I ended up with a tough choice in what abilities and buffs I needed between stealth and cold blood due to the fact that I liked the build up bonuses for Cold Blood attacks, but also loved the movement and damage increases with stealth attacks and silencers.
Gun play feels silky smooth when it comes to combat, especially when using sniper rifles. While it takes a bit to really wrack up some damage, it becomes bread and butter as you gain more skills and buffs through your perks. The controls are standard and comfortable on controller and keyboard and, of course, customizable through the menu. The modifications you can add to the guns also go a long way between added scopes and damage or crit increases depending on the weapon and rarity of your modification. Many mods are purchasable, can be crafted, or dropped by random enemies or bosses. I find myself constantly looting or crafting most of my weapons and mods as opposed to spending my hard earned cash.
Implants Make All the Difference
Implants can help so much when it comes to combat, and every part of the body adds specific bonuses to your character. The frontal cortex implants, as an example, usually specialize in ram increases for your character but sometimes will add little bonuses to health and crit damage. Vs immune system implants are usually a big go-to when it comes to immunity to status effects like poison. All of these implants can often be live saving in certain situations like fighting cyber psychos or completing a hit for a client.
The Best Allies Bring the Best Experiences
Some of the partnerships made along the way can turn into the best of friendships with the best story arcs. CD Projekt has been known to create the most memorable characters and side quests due to the Witcher 3 setting a whole new bar for side content. Their new specialty shines bright again in their newest open world ARPG. Aside from the mentally unstable and cocky Silverhand living as your alter ego, many allies help aide you as a quid pro quo scenario, such as the vindictive Panam, Judy, and the former Arasaka body guard Goro. Panam is probably my favorite side quest to follow despite her rather annoying and childish introduction. She struggles reuniting with her clan due to her reckless choices that she makes out of her love for them and lives separated from them as a runner in Night City. Furthermore, she felt the most authentic with her outspoken personality and emotionally driven decisions. The whole experience has left me diving into everything I can get my hands on all over again since playing Witcher.
Jackie Wells will always be the brother you never had in a game. He was one of the best written characters in RPG history, and one of the most memorable characters that I have grown to love so much. Between the heists, making a name in Night City, and the nightmare of the Arasaka job, he is with you through thick and thin as family. Though he can seem childish at times, Jackie had been so lovable and real, wanting only to become so famous that he would have a drink named after him.
The Patches Have Made Huge Improvements
CD Projekt Red has worked non-stop in constantly fixing and improving the game since the launch disaster. We all remember playing day one and dealing with launching errors, reinstalls, the poor controller compatibility and limitations, and endless bugs and glitches. Since then, they have gone above and beyond each patch by listening to what the players experience and giving everyone endless free DLC as a bonus. Even the latest patch, 1.5, has addressed many balancing issues such as damage effects and crowd control. While the company has received nothing but grief, they really do care about their fan base and have done nothing but taken care of the community. The patches have also constantly addressed and increased the quality of the game.
Cyberpunk is an Amazing Game
All around the game is one of the best modern open world ARPGs to come out of this generation. This is the best time to play and relive the experience if you played at launch due to the fact that any existing bugs are minor, the gameplay feels solid, and it is an amazing story to experience. Since picking it up again, Cyberpunk has slowly become one of my favorite games of all time.
Vibe Score: 9/10
Veteran gamer, tech nerd, comic addict, anime lover, and just your average introverted weeb.
