Wake Up, Samurai: A Look Into Cyberpunk 2077

If you’re aware of the up and coming titles for home consoles and PC, Cyberpunk 2077 is a title that may sound familiar. With its look into a world with gritty futuristic twist, gamers will be exposed to a world that pen and paper RPG fans have played since 1988. With an IP that most are unfamiliar with, how can we trust that the game will be good? One name: CD Project Red.

CD Projekt Red is one of my favorite gaming companies. Since Witcher 2: Assassins of the King, I have been interested in all the moves that this company has made. From providing consistent updates to their games to providing their own DRM free games through their GOG service, CD Projekt Red continues to show themselves as being a cut above your average game studio. When providing physical copies of their games, they make sure that the consumer receives a package worth the money they spend. I remember seeing the Collector’s Edition of Witcher 2. When it launched, it cost $129.99 and was filled to the brim with extras that made the world of Witcher come alive. From playing cards to a bust of Geralt, CDPR provided a package that made it worth buying. They continued this frame of thinking with their Witcher 3 Collector’s Edition. For $150, the CE contained a statue of Geralt attacking a griffin, a large format 200+ page artbook, and much more. Even the Xbox edition contained two physical decks of Gwent cards, a card game that was created as a mini-game in the Witcher world that morphed into having it’s own fanbase and eventually its own standalone video game.

With so much hype forming around CDPR’s latest game, the desire for a collector’s edition done their way is desired by many fans or the studio and of the pen and paper rpg. As we look at the editions announced a few months ago for Cyberpunk 2077, we are presented with two different editions. Outside of the nicely packaged regular edition, the collector’s edition is full of items that bring you deeper into your experience in the game.  One of the items that stood out to me was the annotated copy of the visitor’s guide to Night City. While you’re able to see the thoughts of a visitor to this city, you get to also see some of the other things this city presents to the masses. To make it more creative, the guide is placed inside of a NCPD evidence bag. What happened to the tourist? Where they a victim to the high crime of Night City or does this guide belong to our protagonist in the game?

While it is $250 and the items are cool, why should you care about this game? What about it makes it any different than your average futuristic games on the market? Since the game will not release until April 16, 2020, let’s look at the details that we have been given so far about Cyberpunk 2077 and why 2020 might be the Year of Cyberpunk.

When their announcement about Cyberpunk 2077 in 2013, my mind raced about what this game would be at launch. As a fan of Blade Runner and Akira, I enjoyed the aesthetic of cyberpunk. The grungy futuristic imagery that showed the advancement of technology while also highlighting the decay of society as we know it today. Mike Pondsmith crafted a pen and paper RPG that allowed you to explore Night City and the powers that run it. It presented a world that does not see people as simply good or bad but cogs in a system that allows money to flow between the street gangs and the sketchy corporations. His company, R. Talsorian Games, were approached by CDPR about taking this lore-filled world and putting it into the world the best way they know how: video games. After visiting their studios in Poland and meeting them, he was happy to let them take his world for a spin.

In 2018, CDPR released a new trailer for Cyberpunk 2077 and it was an instant hit. The trailer was one of the highlights of E3 but everyone wanted to see more. More gameplay, more customization choices, more glimpses into Night City. Some lucky attendees of E3 were able to watch the game in motion while receiving some items from the booth (main highlight was the mini statue of the cyborg from the debut trailer). The rest of the fans at home were denied the same demo. CDPR had their reasons and shared them to the public. Eventually, they did decide to finally release the nearly 50 minute demo.

Warning: The gameplay is rated M for Violence, Language, Alcohol Use, and sexual content.

This gameplay was far beyond what I expected from the game. Before looking it the gameplay, I was one of the upset fans questioning the studios’ decision to place the protagonist’s prospective in first person view. I enjoy seeing my character in action and first-person point of view sometime make the action confusing and disjointed.  After watching this gameplay, I was mostly sold. I still hope one day that they would provide a choice for players to play through the game in third person, but I understand more now their reasons for the choice of perspective. 

    This now brings us to where we are today. Over the summer, CDPR provided a new trailer and gameplay demo during E3 2019. The trailer, of course, is available to the public while the demo was saved for attendees of the conference. In August, they released a curated slice of that same demo with narration. This video continues to make me feel excited for the game while still being cautious about the first person point of view.

Warning: The gameplay is rated M for Violence, Language, Alcohol Use, and sexual content.

While CDPR edited the original 40+ minute 2019 demo to provide minimal spoilers, the 14 minute vignette came across as disjointed to some. The demo shows V being sent on a mission by the Voodoo Boys. We also learn more about some of the backstory elements that we can give our V chances to approach the scenario in different ways. From the way we interact with the Animals to the way we deal with the Corporate agent of NetWatch, every action has a different reaction… and consequence. Not only do these background elements determine the life your V lives but also who you may encounter in the future.

Why Should You Care?

    If you’re a person that enjoys the gaming medium and want creative storytelling, this game might provide what you’re looking for. Cyberpunk 2077 appears to be a game that goes beyond simple run and gun shooting with random missions. CDPR has shown with The Witcher 3 that they have a method of creating side missions that felt as impactful as the main story missions. They made you feel that your actions had weight and throughout the game, you started to see that your actions impact the world around you and the people that you meet.

   CDPR has a habit of paying respect to their source material and striving to provide an experience that allows the player to get lost in their carefully crafted world. If you want to check out one of their previous games, I would greatly recommend The Witcher 3. With their recent release of the game on Nintendo Switch, The Witcher III is available on most home consoles that people may have in their home. Regardless of the version, you will get a chance to experience one of the best games of this generation.

April 16, 2020 is going to be an amazing day for those who want to take a stroll on the streets of Night City. How will you craft your V? Continue to check back on our site for future updates about Cyberpunk 2077.