I tried this again when patch 1.5 came out. It's still a huge mess. This is what I experienced: 1. Random crashes to desktop 2. Weapons in V's hand suddenly becoming invisible 3. Vehicle controls have been improved very very marginally. It's still nowhere near 'ok' 4. Still no way to configure a dodge key 5. The world and NPCs still feel dead, despite promised updates on this. 6. V and NPCs are still glitching or get stuck in an animation I could go on and on, but these are the worst imo. And I'm not even talking about features that were included in games like GTA or Saints Row, or should be fixed e.g. - more things to do than just gigs. Aside from story missions and some side quests all quests feel as dead as the world the game needs way more immersion to be called a role playing game - make stealth actually rewarding - vehicle customization - a crafting system rework (as it is now you can craft a gun out of components gotten from 3 packs of condoms and an ash tray). It's more tedious than fun. - pricing rework of junk items instead of making everything $3 to force you to participate in the poor crafting system - full talent trees rework. Almost everything is passive bonuses - many graphics improvements, e.g. dents and scratches on cars - system for committing crimes like robberies and heists At the current rate with which they are fixing things, I estimate it will take at least 5 years to get this in a state that games like GTA and Saints Row had on release.
Remember the glory days of Planescape: Torment? This game is like that. I realize the weight of those words, and I still happily write them. In my opinion, this is the first computer roleplaying game that is on par With Planescape: Torment. Some games came near, like the excellent Shadowrun series, Planescape: Tides of Numenera or Tyranny, but this game overshadows them. The writing is superb, in a noire dystopyan setting that challenges your moral stance and political beliefs. Everything is dialogue driven and there is no combat at all (you can punch someone in the face with a dialogue choice though). You start the game by waking up with a hellish hangover and no memory. You're a detective trying to solve a case. You'll meet many colourful characters along the way and many dialogues can play out in entirely different ways depending on your approach. Your 'skills' are composed of 24 different aspects of your brain, devided into four categories: intellect, psyche, physque and motorics. The higher the skill, the stronger the thoughts in your head. This can also be 'negative'. If, eg. you put points into electrochemistry, the 'skill' of doing drugs and of giving in to seduction, thoughts related to these are stronger. Note that I put negative between quotes. That's becasue this is a perfectly viable way to play your character. The downsides are minor. The game runs very well on my machine. The only downside is that some skills are more useful than others as they pop up more. Oh, if you hate reading a lot and/or like combat intensive games, this game is not for you.
This game is an answer to that age-old question: "Wouldn't it be fun to fight demons summoned by the nazis with guitars and guns that shoot lightning while listening to heavy metal?" Yes. It would indeed.
