Not Another Cyberpunk 2077 Review
CD Projekt RED’s Cyberpunk 2077 is not doing so well. Way too many gamers have had a no good, very bad experience on consoles and some PC. And most gamers have read at least one Cyberpunk 2077 review. Customers are so disappointed with the game that they are asking for refunds. Still, there are gamers who are genuinely enjoying Cyberpunk, bugs, glitches, and all—mostly PC and next-gen console owners.
Cyberpunk 2077 News Gets Worse
CDPR announced on Twitter that after a discussion with PlayStation, they made the decision to “temporarily suspend digital distribution of Cyberpunk 2077 in the PlayStation Store.” Yes, complaints and demands for refunds have gotten so bad that Sony has removed Cyberpunk 2077 from its store and offering refunds for digital copies. Microsoft followed suit and is also offering refunds.
The Cyberpunk 2077 developers are understandably angry with CDPR for releasing the game before it was finished and being subjected to mandatory 6-day work weeks with unrealistic deadlines, according to Bloomberg. Meanwhile, shareholders of the Polish game studio are looking to file a class-action lawsuit against CD Projekt SA for misleading them and consumers.
Not a Cyberpunk 2077 Review
It will likely take some time for developers to fix everything that’s wrong with Cyberpunk 2077. But the developers are committed to fixing everything and giving gamers the game they promised. They’ve already released three updates, the latest update Hotfix 1.05, addressing several issues on both console and PC, including multiple stability improvements, including crash fixes and Steam Overlay crashing when shutting down the game.
There are still a lot of other issues in Cyberpunk 2077 that need to be fixed
Even with the hotfixes there’s still a lot of annoying glitches and bugs. And for some, the hotfixes create more problems than existed before. For me, the first major hotfix corrupted the game file and caused the game to crash. I had to uninstall then reinstall the game twice before it was fixed.
Hotfix 1.05 didn’t really fix anything for me on the PC side, but it has caused side missions to not appear once reaching the destination. Usually, when you reach the destination, you’ll receive a phone call to tell you about your mission. On several of the “Cyberpsycho” side missions given to you by Regina Jones, you don’t receive a phone call from her.
Other issues include object shadows not matching up outside of photo mode, the audio still clipping in and out, and audio just stopping. I’ve also had an issue where the sound effects from a mission last until way after the mission. For example, I was playing the Cyberpsycho Maelstrom Blood Ritual mission and there’s this heavy, creepy, panicked breathing V does after being attacked. After the mission ended, the heavy breathing continued. I tried saving, I tried doing other missions—lasted four missions. I had to log all the way out of the game and back into it to get rid of it.
Here’s what we’re loving about Cyberpunk 2077
The Cyberpunk devs created a beautifully gritty world that’s incredibly detailed. Night City and its Badlands’ outskirts are bustling. The game is an enjoyable, glitchy mess that does fall a little short in the main storyline ending. Still, it’s fun and we hope there will be an expansion AFTER they fix the game as it exists now. Like seriously, that simply cannot be the end.
Photomode
Cyberpunk 2077 has a photomode that is just beyond fun. On an Alienware Aurora r11 with an i9 9900k, RTX 2060 super the game looks pretty damn good and taking photos look even better.
Easter Eggs
There are so many Easter Eggs in Cyberpunk 2077. The first Easter Egg I noticed paid homage to the futuristic, sci-fi action film Demolition Man. In V’s bathroom to the right of the toilet, you will see three seashells—an ode to one of the best scenes in Demolition Man and John Spartan learning about the three seashells replacing toilet paper.
Clothing Options
Give me a game where I can kill stuff AND look cute! Cyberpunk definitely did that with their fashionable armor selections. While a lot of armor you will pick up won’t be gear upgrades, they are still fun to play around with. Plus, you can go to any of the clothing stores around Night City and buy a dope ‘fit.
Representation—to an extent
The character creation, though leaves a lot to be desired, is still pretty fun and inclusive. I loved that they gave the option for textured hair instead of the same bland hair options video games usually give for Black hair. You know what I’m talking about: the cornrows that are spaced too far apart, the tiny afro. Cyberpunk 2077 hair gave me all kinds of life.
One thing that really caught me off guard was seeing a Muslim woman walking down the street just minding her business. It may not seem like a big deal to most gamers, but as a Muslimah who has never seen a game where a Muslim isn’t being stereotyped as some sort of terrorist—that felt good. Seeing someone who looks like you just existing really meant a lot.
Here’s what I mean by “to an extent”. Many in the Trans community have expressed their very valid concerns about the in-game advertisement using the hyper-sexualized woman with a penis trope to represent Trans people. It perpetuates a very harmful stereotype regardless of CDPR’s intentions. I’m a straight, Black woman and cannot speak on Trans people’s experiences or feelings. What I can do is listen when they say something is wrong and not tell them that they’re overreacting, as many have done when Trans people have discussed the transphobic aspects of Cyberpunk 2077.
We’re always looking for LGBTQ guest writers
Okay, so this was kind of a Cyberpunk review. Sure, Cyberpunk 2077 plays more like it’s in the Alpha testing stage of development. There’s no telling how long it will take to get the game to where Sony is confident enough to put it back in its digital store. Still, the game is enjoyable considering all its flaws. But is it enjoyable enough for gamers to hold off on getting a refund? Guess that depends on a gamer’s level of patience. I’ve been gaming for over 30 years and survived the World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor launch and the Fallout 76 launch. This too shall pass.
