‘Cyberpunk 2077’: Worth the wait?

A review of one of the most-awaited games in the last decade

Delays, further delays and even more delays are the phrases that accompany Cyberpunk 2077 and I honestly feel after eight years in development, the game still needed more time. An extra 3-4 months to iron out the blemishes and wrinkles would have been fantastic but sating the expectations of a global fan base sometimes takes precedence and such is business in the gaming industry.

In my time with the game, it has received three updates since launch day (December 10); the first, a humongous one pre-launch, the second a more moderate 10 GB and the third on Saturday at 590 MB each attempting to smoothen the experience. Cyberpunk is a brilliant looking game and the neondystopic future is perfect for a ray-tracing visual extravaganza and my PC hums as it renders night city.

Right from the go, you see the lack of optimisation and I couldn’t help but wonder how aging PS4s and Xboxes would fare. Cyberpunk is a hot mess on those consoles and a lot needs to be done to make the experience playable. The game’s central premise comes across like an odd mixture of Deus Ex and Grand Theft Auto and the plot seldom surprises you.

The customisation options are several, the gunplay is neat but Cyberpunk fails to keep you interested. The central plot is topnotch story wise, but the side-quests are something you just can’t care about. Often in the game you lose access to all your inventory items and the game toffers you better ones.

I lost my car about 10 per cent into the campaign but the ability to run through night city meant I never got another. Similarly, the best way to play the game is to indulge in conversation without inciting conflict and I was soon preferring in-game diplomacy over combat.

The main – plot’s compelling nature meant I could muster no interest for fulfilling other jobs on the side. In other words, even in my second playthrough I was only playing to finish the game. Glitches and bugs are riddled through the game. For instance, as Jonny Silverhand (Keanu Reeves) I was stuck waiting for an elevator to open only to realise 10 minutes later that there was an enemy ‘in’ a door who simply wasn’t rendered by the game and till I didn’t kill him, the game wouldn’t proceed.

There’s a lot here that needs fixing and the game is simply undercooked. In terms of cyberpunk culture, the game, while incredibly detailed and with a great amount of lore, has significant scenes inspired from others in the genre.

The body ripping and augmentation is straight out of Deus-Ex, a mass dump yard scene from Detroit: Become Human and the heists from GTA V. The game is beautiful and the combat nifty but nothing here that makes it stand out like previous games from CD Projeckt Red. Even Keanu Reeves’ in-game debut can get underwhelming. This one is all glitter and little gold. Give it a try a few months down the line, who knows it might implant a soul by then!

Sneak Peek

Title: Cyberpunk 2077
Developer: CD Projekt Red
Game Type: First Person shooter with RPG elements
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, PS4, PS5 and Google Stadia
Price: Rs 3,499 PS4 & Xbox One, $43 on GoG

Verdict

Innovative Gameplay: 4.5
Game Handling & Quality: 3
Value for Time: 3.5
Overall: 3.6

What Stands Out

• The graphics, visuals, neon-lit scenes are ethereal and can leave you in a tizzy
• The combat is smooth, The FPS perspective is neatly done and the hacking
  is top-notch

Fails to impress

• The RPG elements seem forced, the open world almost unnecessary and side-quests seem distracting
• The combat is smooth, The FPS perspective is neatly done and the hacking is top-notch

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