Cyberpunk 2077 had a rocky start; there's no doubt about it. I preordered it back in 2019, and I played it on release day. That being said, I have been pleasantly surprised by the updates over the past few months. The stability has improved tremendously, and I have not experienced any crashes since mid December. Anybody being deterred from playing because of the wild backlash regarding performance should know that it is miles better than it was. In terms of the game itself, its strengths reside in the gameplay, narrative, and depth. As an RPG, this game hits a lot of the right notes, including customization (cyberware, builds, etc.), extensive dialogue, and meaningful choices. Without spoiling anything, the story is very strong, and really pulls you in. It tangles with the topics of identity, relationships, sacrifice, and maturity. CDPR also creates characters that are memorable and relateable. The world of Cyberpunk is huge and does a good job curating to the cyberpunk genre. Think Neuromancer, Blade Runner, Dredd, and Akira. There is also a surprising amount of verticality to the game as well, whether it was intentional or not. Finally, the gameplay is essentially representative of a typical first person shooter. The gunplay is well done, with a lot of different types of weapons at your disposal. Dialogue also takes place in first person (with a few surprise exceptions!). The cyberdeck also allows you to hack terminals, equipment, and even enemies with the right perks. Despite its strengths, there are a few things that could use some improvement as well. - The vehicle system has little room for customization. Driving is still fun - A few parts of the story might feel a bit rushed, but it might just be me - Some perks are essentially useless and don't enhance gameplay - The game can get incredibly easy towards the end with a strong build Overall, I still enjoyed the hell out of this game, and I've played it through 3x. I highly recommend it to any RPG lover.
"In life, you have two choices: You either play Shovel Knight or die." I cannot express how great this game really is. Perfect controls, satisfying boss battles, and its storyline create for a unique experience, that most 2D platformers these days miss out on. Additionally, the soundtrack is great, and it grows along with your character as you unlock more and more songs. This is nice feature as it avoids drowning out the player with the same repeatable tunes throughout the game. Finally, the developers are fantastic, offering 2 great versions of add-on content with Plague of Shadows and Spectre of Torment, which are good enough to be stand alone games. I hope more games like this come out, because this is really something special.
