Cyberpunk 2077

So, Cyberpunk 2077 on Xbox. This is a game I had been looking forward to for what seems like a lifetime, and it was never going to live up to the high expectations that CD Projekt Red, I or the world as a whole has been putting on it. It's a great RPG, but at the same time it doesn't do anything grounding breaking in terms of style and gameplay. Yes it has bugs, there is an annoying UI and I can’t ignore the mission stutters, but similarly it's a game that I constantly think back to when I’m not gaming, looking forward to my next deep session with it.

It’s a gorgeous game with a gritty story; sometimes overwhelming or tiring, but nearly always beautiful. It might not reinvent the genre in every aspect, but for a fantastic story, an insanely detailed world, and brilliant dialogue, you’ve got to try it. The achievements will likely take you quite some time, mind: in over 30 hours of playtime, I unlocked six.

Cyberpunk 2077 is an incredible but hugely flawed video game. At its core lies a deceptively deep-RPG, set in one of the most wonderous cities every created in video games and it’s genuinely an experience I’ll never forget. It’s just a shame it’s such a bloody bugfest, though.

Cyberpunk 2077 tested on Xbox Series X is a remarkable experience, although expectations were perhaps too high for the final result of the game which is not as perfect as we could have hoped.

If you’re willing to loose yourself in Cyberpunk for the long term you’ll definitely get your money’s worth out of a strong role-player that’s flowing with action missions.

Cyberpunk 2077 didn't meet my expectations, but also didn't disappoint me. It delivered an RPG experience like no other, delving deep into themes like control, awareness and addiction. The combat is great and the graphics are amazing, but the bugs and some under-cooked systems make it seem like the devs got lazy, and that's always a bad sign. (Played on Xbox Series X)

Cyberpunk fascinates with its story and characters, but presents itself in a partially desolate state on consoles.

Overall, I think there’s a lot to like when it comes to Cyberpunk 2077, which has been unfortunately marred by poor performance issues on a number of platforms, and some poor communication (along with some overpromising) on the part of the publisher. It’s clear that a lot of work went into putting this game together, and it’s unfortunate that it had to release in a state that feels a little unfinished. It’s still a game you can very much derive enjoyment from, even in its current state but your ability to overlook open-world bugs and performance issues is certainly going to factor in quite a bit.

It’s because of this fun gameplay and this great story that it’s such a shame Cyberpunk 2077 performs like it’s still in alpha.

Cyberpunk 2077 wasn’t optimized for last-gen consoles, and no amount of interesting side activities can remedy that. On PC, the world lives up to its title as the “City of Dreams.” For Xbox One and PlayStation 4 players, however, their time in Night City is likely a nightmare.

Cyberpunk 2077, in its current form on consoles, is a hard game to recommend getting involved with. There's a strong narrative here, brilliantly written characters, some excellent side missions, fun combat and an astonishing setting but, as things stand right now, it's an experience that's in need of some serious TLC. The Series X backwards compatible version may well perform better than the frankly shocking last-gen console efforts but this is a game that we had constant problems with, one that doesn't feel or play like a fully finished product and one that is truly quite hard to recommend in its current incarnation.

The sad truth is that Cyberpunk 2077 is awash with problems. Which makes it all the more miraculous that we were compelled to plod through its litany of tribulations simply to keep experiencing the story, characters, and world that CDProjekt Red has created. Clear away the grit and there remains something special here that’s bound to light up the imaginations of cyberpunk fans. A better option for console players, however, would be to wait for the next-generation versions, which will likely (or should that be hopefully?) look and perform better, and could benefit from whatever retrofits and patches CDProjekt Red sees fit to release based on player feedback in the coming months.

For Cyberpunk 2077 to be an outstanding game, one of two things needed to happen. Descoping of large portions of the game, and a structure more akin to an action RPG. A tighter focus akin to Rise of the Tomb Raider or even Prey could have allowed for more depth to the narrative experience. OR, alternatively, they could have leaned way further into the RPG elements of the game. Spend more time balancing and incentivizing the various half baked systems like Netrunning, and offer far more flexibility in how V can be role played. Of course, such a move would come at the expense of the high production value narrative CD Projekt Red wanted to create. As it turns out, even 8 years of development couldn’t make both – or either – of those outcomes happen. So is this a good game? Yes, sometimes, but only if they manage to sufficiently patch it.

If your only option right now is playing Cyberpunk 2077 on either of the base console platforms, I highly suggest you don’t play at all until its many terrible performance issues are fixed. And if you’ve already bought it and had an experience similar to what I’ve described, you should absolutely get a refund if possible. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions are simply not in an acceptable state, and it makes me sad to think that so many people are having their first Cyberpunk 2077 experience ruined this way – because when it works, it’s a fantastic RPG.