Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077
3-Point Rating: 3/3
I recently completed Cyberpunk 2077. Initially launched in 2020, the game was riddled with glitches and bugs. I heard good things about the story, but it got pushed to the bottom of my to-play list. When the DLC Phantom Liberty was released, I decided to give it a go. It was a cold fall weekend at a friend's cabin in Northern Wisconsin - hot tub, good company, and everyone brought their gaming platforms of choice. I installed Cyberpunk on my Steam Deck and played all weekend. It was wonderful.
Cyberpunk 2077 is based on a TTRPG with roots in the eighties. The world of Night City is dripping with references and the aura of classic eighties sci-fi - Blade Runner, Mad Max, Running Man, and more. It feels dystopian. America is a fractured land where megacorporations are more powerful than governments (I know, I know - it's not that different from today). Much of the world is poisoned, a result of multiple corporate wars. Out of those wars rose Night City: an independent "city-state" in southern California that governs itself and serves as an important "neutral" ground. Multiple mega-corporations have offices there, but the city is largely lawless. There are police, but they're not effective. Gangs control much of the streets, and the corpos don't care as long as the eddies (money) flow.
Cyberware is a defining feature of the Cyberpunk world - gear that enhances and augments a person's abilities. You can see further, jump higher, take over computers, and even have blades pop out of your arms. All it costs is money and your humanity. There comes a point when too much cyberware breaks a person, turning them into a cyberpsycho: unable to control themselves, usually ending badly. The Cyberpunk: Edgerunners show on Netflix does a great job of demonstrating this. As a game mechanic, it's a blast. I had a ton of fun building out my character - I went heavy on hacking, using it to destroy and bypass enemies. There's so much replay value here.
Playing as the mercenary V, you begin an adventure through the streets of Night City. Surrounded by violence, class war, consumerism, political maneuvering, and more, the city has millions of ways to experience it. Once the game gets going, you meet Johnny Silverhand, voice acted by the ever-talented Keanu Reeves. Johnny is a punk rocker turned terrorist with some genuinely great quotes (more on those in a moment). He hates corporations with a fiery passion I admire. But Johnny is not a good dude - he's someone who believes the ends justify the means. A fantastic character.
I also played the DLC, Phantom Liberty. Incredible. It adds an additional area to the game called Dogtown, where the President of the New United States gets shot down and you're tasked with the rescue. The story quickly becomes embroiled in spies, gangs, heists, and more. Absolutely phenomenal - I'm really glad I played it.
In the end, I genuinely enjoyed this game. The story, the location, the characters - all unforgettable. I'm satisfied with my ending, but I'm not happy with it. As the Peter Capaldi in Doctor Who once said: "Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones, but you still have to choose." I had a life planned for V after the final mission. And then you learn something new, and it changes everything. At least it did for me. There are many different ways you could close this story, and I feel I made the right call for V and Johnny, even if other characters weren't as thrilled. I highly recommend this game. Enjoy the music. Enjoy the vibe.
Johnny Silverhand, in his own words:
"To bring an end to the madness you wreak."
"I've processed some shit, changed my mind. Don't want you dead anymore."
"We fought for beauty. Not knowin' what was good or true, was only the beautiful that meant a damn thing to us."
"It's the code you live by that defines who you are."
"Wake the fuck up, Samurai. We have a city to burn."