Cyberpunk 2077: A Flashy Misfire

Cyberpunk 2077 was officially released on December 10th, following a few delays, and judging by the state of the launch, the game needed more time to be developed properly. That is no exaggeration by any means as reviews for the game are all across the board. Some have had a fantastic time playing, while others have buyer’s remorse. It is a truly demoralizing time for everyone involved, from the bewildered gamers to disgruntled critics, all the way to the game developers themselves.

The game was released on different platforms, including Xbox-One, PlayStation 4, Google Stadia, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, and both Xbox-Series X and S. Although, that did not seem to matter much as CD Projekt Red was offering refunds to gamers that had picked up their copy on the eighth generation of consoles, which are PlayStation 4 and Xbox-One. Then again, the developer had no special agreement on their refund policy with platform holders such as Sony or Microsoft. Gamers are currently debating as in order to qualify for a refund, you have to abide by that storefront’s rules. Gamers and critics are unhappy with the continued bad news, following the game’s peculiar and unfortunate launch. The situation is a cluster-mess, and the reviews have been “sporadic” to say the least. The type of console you are using will directly affect your experience with the game as technical limitations are one of the glaring issues.

The developers are facing backlash from every direction as the company has faced a 29% drop in stock prices following the launch and that is one hard fall from grace. Cyberpunk 2077 was supposed to be CD Projekt Red’s magnum opus, as the studio has not had any major releases since The Witcher 3 and that was nearly five years ago. They have had a few extra expansion packs come out since then, but Cyberpunk was their next major project. Although it is serviceable at best on PC, it has turned out to be a nightmare for them as gamers and critics have not minced their words or feelings on the game’s current state.

Even then, people comment that the game has a lack of variety or very little substance to the overall gameplay. Sure, on paper it sounds like a blast, but gamers are quickly finding out that there is not much more to the whole futuristic-dystopian idea. The game’s central location, Night City, is interesting at first glance with its multiple districts, branching life paths, and among other things. An open-world role-playing sandbox, that has been set to the tune of countless science fiction movies and other games, was a fantastic concept on paper but the subsequent execution has been far from ideal.

Although that harsh criticism is not shared by everyone, it is shown by a significant part of the community. As stated previously, it is much better than the console versions on PC, but that sentiment has limits since it is usually applied to the frame rates, textures, and character models. They look more polished, thanks to the massive overhaul computers can take, but the eight-generation of consoles do not have that luxury. Gamers have been shown to demonstrate more positive reactions, but that is false. There are multiple accounts of bugs and glitches that interrupt the experience, which essentially rips the gamer out of the story and destroys the immersive experience they are trying to create. 

Since the technical flaws with the game are put on center-stage, it is quite difficult for gamers to let themselves be consumed by a gripping story, when major glitches are ruining any sense of dramatization. If a cutscene is playing and it shows the death of a character that we have an established connection with, we would feel sad. However, if in the cutscene all the models are breaking at the seams, it is not likely you would feel the same emotion. There is no shortage of videos showing these types of scenarios, along with truly insane game-breaking bugs in the free-play mode. 

That is not to say that the developers have been silent about what has been happening or anything of the sort. CD Projekt Red came out with a statement saying the following: “We would like to start by apologizing to you for not showing [Cyberpunk 2077] on base last-gen consoles before it premiered and, in consequence, not allowing you to make a more informed decision.  We should have paid more attention to making it play better on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.” The quote is part of a larger statement they made on their official website.

The blame is being put on the developers, and that is entirely warranted as they released the game in such a state. Nonetheless, there is a glimmer of hope. As they are taking responsibility, which is expected of them, they are promising that fixing the game is their number one priority. Originally when it was announced, it was seen as one of the gaming industry’s most ambitious titles but gamers now find it to be an overly glamorized disappointment with what has transpired. The criticism the developers are receiving is understandable, and only time will tell if they are truly keeping their promises.

An extremely depressing tale to tell but hopefully, the game will be corrected into a stable state at a later date. No one wants to see Cyberpunk 2077 end as a disappointment. All we can do now is wait to see if our optimism and wishes are warranted.