Cyberpunk 2077 Game Review PC Version

A bit about the game

In 2077 technology is part of everyday life where humans are modified with advanced robotic limbs and implants that link directly with your brain, computers and people are interconnected which is the normal way of life. Due to this the net is controlled and monitored for security purposes as it is now used for espionage and crime where hacking people is possible. Technology also allows people to share memories and experiences, take control of people’s bodies and connect to machinery. Whilst this is for the benefit of most it is open to exploitation and used for alternative motives and recreational activities. Without going into the history of Cyberpunk’s world, 2077 is the result of wars, disputes and famine where society is broken. You take the role of V, a mercenary that has set foot in “Night City”. There are choices in the form of a life path which appears to have minimal impact on the game other than a slightly different opening scene / small introduction tutorial for each path and some varied alternative choices during missions.

You start off taking on small time jobs but eventually your crew end up taking on a massive contract which is to steal new biochip from a leading technological company, Arasaka. Unknown to you at the time the person hiring you to steal the chip is actually being hired by someone else to get the chip and pass it on to them however this goes terribly wrong with your friends being killed and the biochip being stored safely in your head at the expense of slowly wiping your persona and leading you to find answers to save yourself before it is too late.

My Thoughts

When you play Cyberpunk you get a real feel into the above and the concept of Night City / way of life is delivered to the player extremely well. Whilst the history of the game environment is not fully explained, the characters and story touches on this in a meaningful way as to not over complicate it. Once you play the first part of the story you are then left to explore the entire city in your own time or continue with the main quest line which can see you complete the game without actually experiencing everything else so if you want to fully explore and get to try all the mods, weapons and see the content of the game my advice is to hold off Takemura’s quests.

Gun Combat

Gun handling is good although the levelling system has a massive influence on damage output so if you try to take on tougher enemies you won’t be able to compete. This does hinder your options slightly so whilst you can explore the city you do need to play missions in order to level up and take on the higher threat enemies / missions.

Stealth

You also have some abilities in the form of skills which you gain experience points to level up. These are not necessary however if you want to improve your effiency in a particular area (Melee, Handguns, Rifles, SMG, Sniper, Stealth, Tech weapons) then use the points wiseley. The quick hack abilities benefit from this significantly and once maxed out you can be a weapon without using any weapons.

Below I use Legendary quick hacks to take out some Tiger Claw gang members. System Reset, Suicide, Short Circuit.

Customisation

Customistation options are limited in the sense that you can alter your character’s appearance based on facial presents and obtain clothing items for your character. Vehicles in the game cannot be customised and the apartment you reside in have some options for changing appearance and you can also purchase alternative homes across the city. Weapons have some modular attachments such as scopes, silencers and muzzle enhancements however nothing drastic that is unique. This is an area I am disappointed in as the game could have offered so much more to players and it is something which I would have expected from a modern game.

The cars also appear to be restricted and what you get into some you will see inside the driver cabin monitors, buttons and dials whilst on the outside mounted devices which appear to be weaponry that currently have no purpose other than for visual looks.

You cannot change the appearance of cars or modify them in any way and all are simply purchased when offerred to you by mission contacts (No walk in shops or garages to customise cars and bikes).

What do I think about the game?

The story and concept is really good, the way it all works with the character stories overlapping slightly with the main quest is well thought out. The game play, weapon handling, vehicles and abilities are all useful and depending on your play style can be used to your advantage. Graphics are good, some areas look slightly off and the game engine seems to struggle in certain areas with high CPU usage spikes ranging from 80% – 100% which results in framerate drops, Raytracing adds more sparkle but it’s not required and the most annoying part is the lack of mirror reflections / reflections. I’ve played many hours which is something I haven’t done in a while on one game and the best way to sum up Cyberpunk 2077 is that it is a very enjoyable game to play.