After the first trailer of the game was released, I, like many others, enthusiastically joined the extensive hype surrounding Cyberpunk, and for valid reasons. At that time, CD Projekt Red was at the height of its popularity and held in high regard by numerous gamers. I was already a devoted fan of The Witcher, having read the books and played the games. Following the third game, I considered them the epitome of video games. Now, a decade later, with more gaming experience, I can confidently assert that Cyberpunk stands out as the most mediocre triple-A game in recent years.
I'd like to begin by addressing the most significant issue I encountered during my playthrough: the protagonist. V is an unlikable character, and you can't exert much influence over their demeanor. The background you choose at the start is immediately obliterated within the first few hours, and suddenly, all Vs are Streetkids. Most of the time, you're presented with three dialogue choices that, 80% of the time, lead to the same outcome, essentially offering a choice between being even more of a jerk or less of one. V lacks personality aside from a chip with Johnny Silverhand in their head. This becomes especially apparent in scenes with interesting side characters like Johnny or Judy. Every time V is part of a conversation with them, it seems as if they're a third-grader on their first day of acting class. It doesn't help that the voice actor is not on the same level as the other characters. In particular, the male V's delivery feels off at times, lacking a sense of nuance or subtle notes. All his lines are delivered with a wrecking ball, rendering true roleplaying obsolete.
My second most significant gripe concerns the open world and how every interaction with it shatters immersion. Every NPC seems to be merely part of the backdrop, and attempting to interact with them often results in chaos. If you accidentally scratch their car, the NPC completely loses composure and starts ramming everything in its way, triggering a chain reaction of complete chaos. About 95% of the street food vendors are there merely to observe a mindless NPC endlessly repeating the same burger-flipping animation in a loop. I never felt like my character was truly integrated into the city. While many open-world games in recent years have faced similar issues, it has never been as noticeable as in Cyberpunk.
Setting aside all the negativity, I still had a moment where Cyberpunk could shine, and perhaps it serves as an example of thinking smaller rather than bigger. I had just completed a quest addressing the exploitation of sex workers, depicting how they are treated as machines rather than humans. It was a dark and well-written storyline that reached an even darker climax later in the game. After reflecting on the events with another side character, I decided to head home early in the morning. It was a rainy morning, acid rain, to be exact, with thick fog covering the sky. Opting for the train to return home, I tuned in to the jazz radio channel, and Chet Baker's "You Don't Know What Love Is" played as I gazed out of the train window at the neon-lit city i contemplated what I had just experienced.
In these moments, Cyberpunk is at its best. However, such instances are so rare that I can't help but drown my sorrows in another mindless NCPD dispatcher quest. These quests seem never-ending in a game full of bad design choices and poorly implemented roleplay elements.
I'd like to begin by addressing the most significant issue I encountered during my playthrough: the protagonist. V is an unlikable character, and you can't exert much influence over their demeanor. The background you choose at the start is immediately obliterated within the first few hours, and suddenly, all Vs are Streetkids. Most of the time, you're presented with three dialogue choices that, 80% of the time, lead to the same outcome, essentially offering a choice between being even more of a jerk or less of one. V lacks personality aside from a chip with Johnny Silverhand in their head. This becomes especially apparent in scenes with interesting side characters like Johnny or Judy. Every time V is part of a conversation with them, it seems as if they're a third-grader on their first day of acting class. It doesn't help that the voice actor is not on the same level as the other characters. In particular, the male V's delivery feels off at times, lacking a sense of nuance or subtle notes. All his lines are delivered with a wrecking ball, rendering true roleplaying obsolete.
My second most significant gripe concerns the open world and how every interaction with it shatters immersion. Every NPC seems to be merely part of the backdrop, and attempting to interact with them often results in chaos. If you accidentally scratch their car, the NPC completely loses composure and starts ramming everything in its way, triggering a chain reaction of complete chaos. About 95% of the street food vendors are there merely to observe a mindless NPC endlessly repeating the same burger-flipping animation in a loop. I never felt like my character was truly integrated into the city. While many open-world games in recent years have faced similar issues, it has never been as noticeable as in Cyberpunk.
Setting aside all the negativity, I still had a moment where Cyberpunk could shine, and perhaps it serves as an example of thinking smaller rather than bigger. I had just completed a quest addressing the exploitation of sex workers, depicting how they are treated as machines rather than humans. It was a dark and well-written storyline that reached an even darker climax later in the game. After reflecting on the events with another side character, I decided to head home early in the morning. It was a rainy morning, acid rain, to be exact, with thick fog covering the sky. Opting for the train to return home, I tuned in to the jazz radio channel, and Chet Baker's "You Don't Know What Love Is" played as I gazed out of the train window at the neon-lit city i contemplated what I had just experienced.
In these moments, Cyberpunk is at its best. However, such instances are so rare that I can't help but drown my sorrows in another mindless NCPD dispatcher quest. These quests seem never-ending in a game full of bad design choices and poorly implemented roleplay elements.