Cyberpunk 2077 finally hit shelves and online stores last week, and the backlash against the developers has been constant. CD Project Red has already released several apologies and even offered refunds for dissatisfied customers.
But is this really the most disappointing video game launch ever? Is Cyberpunk 2077 actually as toe-curlingly glitchy as everyone would have us believe? Here’s our early reaction review, based on our first 48 hours of playing the game.
So you’ve been living under a rock?
OK, so you’ve spent the last few years living under a rock which means you haven’t heard anything about Cyberpunk 2077. Well, in that case let us break it down for you.
Cyberpunk 2077 is an action-adventure RPG from the same team that brought us the incredible Witcher games, CD Projekt Red. It received a ton of early press and attention after the seemingly mind-blowing screenshots were leaked online. Then, with the inclusion of Keanu Reeves, the game was instantly promoted to a pedestal that it simply could not live up to, but more on that later.
As far as story goes, players take on the role of V, who depending on your personal choice, is either an ex-Nomad, a street kid or a former corporate drone. Through a chance meeting with a burly looking thug named Jackie, V ends up on the streets of Night City, picking up jobs where he can get them – no matter the cost.
After working as a low-level mercenary for much of his time in Night City, V stumbles upon the job of a lifetime, chasing after an implant that is said to be the key to immortality. But what price will he pay to get the job done? And who will he have to take down in the process?
Designer Vaginas For All
It’s not uncommon to allow players the opportunity to customise their characters, but we’ve certainly not come across many where you can pretty much design your own genitals. Of course, we spent much more time worrying about the size of V’s man-bits than we did his face, tattoos, or nail polish. That being said, the other options for character design are fairly limited. We’d have liked to see a few more tattoos or beard styles thrown into the mix than the rather limited pallet we were offered.
“We were already getting the vibe that Cyberpunk 2077 is simply GTA set in the future”
Gameplay feels a lot like GTA. In fact, after only one high-speed chase, we were already getting the vibe that Cyberpunk 2077 is simply GTA set in the future. That’s a pretty exciting prospect in itself, and one that Rockstar should explore when they get tired of re-releasing GTA 5.
Players have tons of weapons at their disposal, as well as some impressive tech upgrades, all of which can be transposed onto V’s. Earn some dollars (or Eddies as they’re known here) and you can upgrade yourself (and your penis) until the cow’s come home.
You’re also offered tutorials at every corner, so there’s no excuse to be bad at this game. Unfortunately, the tutorials are often long-winded and pop up right in the middle of something exciting, so they can be a bit of a drag. Players can skip these though, and others are disguised as exposition within the game so it’s not all doom and gloom.
Cyberglitch 2077
#cyberglitch2077 is a pretty popular tag on social media at the moment, and that’s because of the seemingly endless complaints received from angry gamers who have been unable to play Cyberpunk on their Xbox One or PS4 because of the horrendous technical problems throughout the game. We played Cyberpunk on pour PS4 Pro and we have to be honest, there really hasn’t been all that much to complain about.
Yes, there are some pretty glaring glitches here and there, but it isn’t anything we’ve not seen before in just about every Triple-A game on the market, and although the issues raided online are clearly real, it’s apparent that this isn’t the same for everyone, so don’t be put off buying Cyberpunk 2077 just because your favourite Twitter account has been bashing it.
There is no way a game can live up to the kind of hype Cyberpunk 2077 had. People have been screaming its praises from the rooftops for years now, even though they hadn’t actually played a single second of it. Casting Keanu Reeves and using him as part of the marketing campaign was a stroke of genius, but it only fuelled the expectations of gamers that this was going to be the next level of amazing, and sadly, for many of us who didn’t pick up the Steam version, it just doesn’t hold up to that promise. But what game could?
Final Words
You’re going to find something you don’t like here, it’s inevitable. All we’d say is that as much as you can’t believe the hype, you also shouldn’t believe the hate. Playing the game blind is the best option, though admittedly not many of us can say we’ll be able to do that.
Cyberpunk 2077 is loads of fun and looks like a million dollars for the most part. It allows you the chance to run around a futuristic open-world setting blowing bad guys to the afterlife for shits and giggles, all while dabbling in some pretty groovy looking future-tech. Sure, Cyberpunk2077 might not be the game we all imagined in our heads, but after 48 hours of immersion we’ve barely scratched the surface of Night City, and we’re already itching to return.
Platform: PC, Stadia, Xbox, PlayStation
Release Date: 10/12/2020
No. of Players: 1
Category: RPG
Developer: CD Projekt RED
Publisher: CD Projekt RED
Website: www.cyberpunk.net
Twitter: @CDPROJEKTRED
Download link: PSN
TWO BEARD GAMING 