Cyberpunk 2077 - Review: A Gem That Was Not Left Unpolished

Satisfaction: 4/5

Cyberpunk 2077 is an awesome game that is finally getting the praise it deserves. Sure, the game had an incredibly rough launch, especially on last-generation consoles, which is inexcusable. However, I believe CD Projekt Red got the flak they deserved and have more than paid their dues. What started as an unpolished gem has turned into an immaculate game. They have overhauled so many of the systems since launch that it doesn’t even play the same. Everything from the gunplay and melee to the netrunning looks and feels great. The only thing that still feels a bit off is the driving.

Tech: 5/5

Cyberpunk 2077 was developed by CD Projekt Red in their in-house engine REDengine 4, which was previously used for The Witcher 2 and 3. There were a number of bugs and performance issues at launch, although the experience was better on PC, especially with decent hardware. All of this has since been ironed out, and the game runs incredibly well. That said, it still pushes your PC to the limit with all the graphical tech it supports. With ray tracing and the much heavier path tracing, the game is practically photorealistic at times. Running it at max settings will challenge all but the best hardware.

Atmosphere: 5/5

Night City is exactly what you would imagine for a cyberpunk metropolis. It perfectly highlights the disparity between high-tech and low life. Neon lights and holograms are inescapable. Almost everyone is chromed up to some degree, from the elite to the less fortunate, showing how this has become the new normal.

Whether it’s the soundtrack, curated playlists, or original songs made for the game, the music is incredible. All of it complements the world perfectly.

Replayability: 4/5

Cyberpunk 2077 has a solid amount of replayability, mostly due to the variety of ways you can play. You can be a basic merc running and gunning, a master of the blade, fully chromed out and tearing enemies apart, or a stealthy hacker attacking from the shadows. Story-wise, there are a number of branching paths and endings, though the depth of those changes is somewhat limited.

Story: 5/5

Cyberpunk 2077 tells the story of V, a merc trying to make a name for themselves. In doing so, you get involved in a heist that quickly goes wrong, sending you down a new path to stay alive.

I found the story incredibly engaging and was hooked from start to finish. As for the endings they are all very well done. Without going into spoilers, I’ll just say the final moments really hit hard.

Final Score: 4.6/5

Pros:

• Beautiful graphics
• Excellent performance
• Thrilling story

Cons:

• Poor launch

Where to buy?

Affiliate Link(s):

• HumbleBundle (GOG)

Elsewhere:

• Steam