The release of CD Projekt’s action role-playing game Cyberpunk 2077 in December 2022 was nothing short of controversial. While some praised the game for its creative world design, fun gameplay loop, and captivating story, the majority criticized it for poor performance across all platforms. Funny glitches and bugs aside, the game was outright unplayable on platforms like PS4.
Despite the disaster of a release, Cyberpunk 2077 has managed to garner a respectable fanbase. Most of it is credited to CDPR’s dedication to fixing the game one patch at a time. So, how does the game fare in 2023, and is it finally worth buying it after all the patches? Read on to find out.
Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay
Combat & Build Variety
The best part of Cyberpunk 2077’s gameplay is the combat and build variety. You can go the silent yet effective Netrunner route, be a strong brute with your skills, or play as a combination of both. The enemy variety is enough to keep you engaged with the combat throughout the game, whereas the difficulty of quests constantly urges you to find creative ways to clear your objectives.
Vehicles & Driving
Although Cyberpunk 2077 is brimming with cool futuristic vehicles available for you to own, the horrendous driving mechanics made even some of the fanciest sportscars a chore to drive. However, with the latest updates, driving in the game has become much more manageable due to proper sensitivity tuning.
NPC AI
Another major improvement to the game is the Police AI. With the latest patches, Police chases have become more exciting as they tend to last longer. Furthermore, Night City feels more jam-packed now due to improved AI interactions. While not on the same level as Rockstar open-world games, it’s still a massive upgrade from the game’s lifeless world that we saw on launch.
Cyberpunk 2077 Story
Without getting into the spoiler territory, the story of Cyberpunk 2077 is gut-wrenching. You follow a mercenary named V, looking to make a name in the underbelly of Night City, a ruthless, corporate-ruled metropolis. What follows is not only V’s personal struggle with themselves and a mysterious cybernetic implant that’s threatening to overwrite V’s personality but also a story of how V’s actions shape the people and world around them.
Aside from the main storyline, Cyberpunk 2077 offers a staggering amount of memorable side quests that stick out to you long after you finish the game.
Cyberpunk 2077 Performance (Patch 1.61)
The performance of Cyberpunk 2077 garnered the majority of the negative reviews back when the game was released. However, it has improved significantly with updates following the game’s launch. As of patch 1.61, almost all of the game-breaking bugs were fixed. Ray-tracing was massively improved, further enhancing the visuals of the Night City.
Aside from some random vehicle glitches and NPCs disappearing, you wouldn’t face any massive immersion-breaking bugs in the game.
Final Verdict
After a rocky launch, with people threatening to sue CDPR for false advertisement, the redemption arc of Cyberpunk 2077 is a hopeful one. The game in its current form is as close to the action RPG that people had hoped for after the release of its very first teaser 10 years ago.
That said, I highly recommend playing this game in its current form, especially with the Cyberpunk 2077 DLC Phantom Liberty releasing somewhere in 2023. The DLC will expand the universe of Cyberpunk 2077 even further, with a cast of new characters, most notably Idris Elba playing the role of FIA Agent Solomon Reed.
While you’re here do check out our reviews on Minecraft Legends and Death Stranding in 2023.
