CD Projekt’s Cyberpunk 2077 is without a doubt one of the most highly-anticipated video games of the last decade. But seeing how it has recently been delayed once again, you may be getting a bit anxious to learn some new information about this upcoming open world RPG.
As such, we can now check out the first episode of Night City Wire, an official presentation that shares plenty of fresh details and even shows off some new footage. Over the course of 25 minutes, we get a new trailer, a deep dive into the game’s Braindance system, an announcement of a tie-in anime show and a couple of developer interviews. Here’s the whole thing:
Here’s just the trailer:
And the announcement for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, an upcoming Netfilx anime show:
And if that wasn’t enough, a few days back, a good number of media outlets got access to a 4-hour long demo of the game, resulting in countless preview articles all over the Internet. You can find links to some select examples of that coverage below:
I’m leaving out a lot of stuff I also did to further invest in my character and immerse myself in Night City, from visiting a Ripperdoc to get my first hand and eye cybernetic upgrades to checking off a handful of the five sidequests I had on my ledger, to talking to Coach Fred in the favela near my apartment and agreeing to do a series of illegal underground street fights with him as my manager, to completing the same rescue-the-cybernetically-overloaded-naked-woman-from-the-bathtub-full-of-ice mission we’d previously seen at E3, and more. Again, there is a lot going on here. It is highly unlikely that you’ll burn through everything Cyberpunk 2077 has to offer in a single weekend.
And follows that up with this article that revolves around exploration and loot:
I’m a collectible hunter, so, naturally, when I was dropped into a world littered with items, I shoved everything I could into V’s pockets — they proved to be quite deep! V can only carry so much weight by default, though I assume that we’ll be able to upgrade that. Finding items is made easy by simply taking a look around a room or area with the scanner.
I grabbed everything from burritos to empty syringes, but aside from that sniper and rare crafting material, I didn’t really find anything particularly special. Given that there are all sorts of weapons and clothes, I’m hoping we’ll see some special kinds hidden throughout the world.
The other vague collectible I found were Shards, or book-like devices strewn everywhere. The actual data I collected from them varied from short stories to bits of actual Night City history. If you want to have a good read and really dig into the lore of Cyberpunk 2077, you’ll definitely have the opportunity to do that with shards, though I’m hopeful that some of the side quests will be fun and interesting world-building activities too.
Then, there’s RPG Site with a preview that highlights some things that may be of interest to RPG enthusiasts in particular:
How does melee combat feel? Sometimes (Skyrim…) it can end up feeling a bit floaty in first person.
Melee feels pretty similar to Skyrim on paper, at least – it’s the left trigger to protect yourself – hold to block, tap with the right timing to parry and open up the enemy for a counter-attack. The right trigger then is attacks – press for a light attack, hold and release for heavy hit.
More interesting for a game like this, since you’d think guns would be the focus, is that it does seem like there’ll be different sorts of melee weapons with different stances. Using a blunt melee weapon has a different feel to using your fists, for instance – a katana more so. But I do think the melee system seems relatively simplistic, so I think mileage will vary depending on your taste.
I tried my best not to shoot anyone. Stealth is always a valid option in Cyberpunk 2077, and I manage to sneak through some parts of the Maelstrom hideout without being tagged. But then I find a tech shotgun. There are three categories of guns: power weapons are standard firearms of the bullet-shooting variety; smart weapons launch self-guided missiles, locking onto targets automatically; and tech weapons, like the double-barreled shotgun I just picked up, use magnets to launch projectiles at incredibly high speeds. And this thing feels absolutely deadly in my hands, sending enemies flying backwards, shredding their armour. So I end up using that to escape with the bot.
You could also infect the Maelstrom goons with a virus, using a corrupted credit chip given to you by the sinister Militech corporation. But do you really want to get into bed with an outfit like that? Then again, they could be a powerful ally later down the line. Choices like this, and the consequences that ripple out from them, are a big part of Cyberpunk 2077. Alas, my demo wasn’t long enough to witness this aspect of the game for myself. Having successfully secured the spider-bot, Jackie and I jump in the Quadra and head to a Watson nightclub called Afterlife to give Dexter the good news.
PlayStation’s official blog highlights the game’s customization options and player choices:
In one mission, I bargained with the more-machine-than-man Maelstrom gang to obtain a powerful drone. I chose to attack their leader and steal the weapon, which resulted in me wading through a heavily guarded warehouse to escape. In a second playthrough I could have won over the Maelstroms, but then been double-crossed by my financiers, the Militech corporation. In yet another version, I could have put my own money forward and brokered the deal with zero conflict.
Sometimes the game let me pause to consider the weight of each reply, but some decisions have a limited response time, where gut instinct takes over.
Once conflict becomes necessary, Cyberpunk offers multiple paths to victory depending on chosen skill sets. Brute force is always an option. Increasing V’s Body and Reflex skills will turn her into a tank, busting through enemy encounters with conventional firearms, electromagnetic super weapons, or even melee weapons like pipes or katanas.
And finally, GameSpot puts the spotlight on the game’s side activities:
In a game about body hacking, corporate espionage, and the ills of a society corrupted by the promise of fame, power, riches, and even immortality, I needed a sign that CD Projekt Red still wanted to tell intimate, impactful stories; something that gives players a reason to take pause and think on a smaller but still profound scale. The side-quest, titled Losing My Religion, was exactly that, and it was one of the many side-missions available on the map at the time. As exciting as the prospect of working my way up through gangs and megacorps to become a Night City legend is, it’s those little stories that I’m most looking forward to seeing more of.
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Val Hull
Resident role-playing RPG game expert. Knows where trolls and paladins come from. You must fight for your right to gather your party before venturing forth.
