With several titles coming out in 2020 like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Watch Dogs Legion, Cyberpunk 2077 is easily among the most highly anticipated. With a vibrant world filled with deep character customization and tough choices to make, the wait for Cyberpunk 2077 continues to be a long one.
For those that don’t know, Cyberpunk is a narrative driven, open-world RPG set in Night City. Players take control as V, a hired gun trying to make their name in the world. At the start of the game, players can choose which gender they are and can customize their character from there. The game offers deep customization options that help make the game your own.
A Whole New World
The 50 minutes of new hands-off footage shown off revolved around a mission towards the middle of the game where V is trying to find Placid, a leader of one of several gangs featured in Cyberpunk 2077. After meeting him, he assigns you a mission. From here, you’re given a choice: jack into the system or refuse to do so. Dialogue options like this and more and affect how the mission plays out and how other characters perceive you. For the purposes of the demo, V jacked into the system which let Placid give V instructions on where to go from there.
Another important aspect of character customization is choosing what’s called your Life Path. It allows you to choose what background your character came from and this can affect dialogue options later on. During the presentation, the female version of V followed the street kid life path which makes her more rebellious and street smart. Additionally, the life path can determine what skills are available for your character.
V is sent to the Grand Imperial Mall, an abandoned mall that a rival gang has taken over. To get there, V rode a motorcycle and the game offers the option of listening to music. The game has six major districts and the demo was set in Pacifica, a densely-populated area where gang wars take over. Additionally, Cyberpunk 2077 features a day/night cycle that makes the world even more visually impressive. Having this feature helps make the world more real and lived in.
An Infinite Amount of Choices
Like games such as Dishonored, Cyberpunk lets players choose how objectives are completed. Whether you want to be stealthy, violent, or a pacifist, the game gives players the freedom to complete missions in any way you want. The demo mostly took a stealthy approach but turned guns blazing towards the end. When it comes to combat, Cyberpunk offers a wide array of weapons and skills that can be used in creative ways. Additionally, players are able to hack certain enemies and objects depending on how good V’s hacking skills are. One enemy got hacked while weightlifting and got crushed on the weight while several others shot themselves in the face.
As it’s been mentioned before, Cyberpunk offers a plethora of skills for players to mess around with. Some skills help make you a better hacker, translate different languages, and improve your melee abilities. Additionally, the game doesn’t restrict players to a fixed class system.
No Turning Back
Later on in the demo, V has hacked into a van and come into contact with an agent from Netwatch, an agency that solves crimes. The agent tries to convince you that Placid will betray you and this leads to another important decision V has to make. Do you believe the agent, hack into him, or knock him out? In this demo, V tries to hack into him but experiences a glitch that leaves her out for eight hours.
By the end, V wakes up and comes into contact with Brigitte, one of several important characters you’ll encounter. Brigitte jacks you into cyberspace and the deep web where there are no boundaries blocking you.
Like last years demo, Cyberpunk 2077 continues to look impressive. Developer CD Projekt Red puts in so much detail that makes the world more real, substantial, and feel lived in. There are a wide variety of shops to visit, several districts to explore, and a bevy of people to interact with. With plenty of dialogue options and skills to choose from, Cyberpunk 2077 offers an experience that’ll be different from one person to another.
That’s all for this E3 preview. Cyberpunk 2077 releases on April 16, 2020. For more E3 coverage and all things Cyberpunk, stay tuned to vgr.com.