Bought Day 1. Was looking forward exploring a world where the metal melded with the meat. Played from the pen and paper CP2013 days. This should have been called Solo 2077. That's what V is, no matter the development direction you take. All gameplay centres around doing jobs as a hired gun, nothing more. "Netrunning" as it stands is nothing more than scripting, which considering how hacking was handled in System Shock and Shadowrun, really disappointing. All the other roles are restricted to NPC's I returned recently with the release of Phantom Liberty, to more disappointment. Of all the frustrating parts of 2077, most of which have been ongoing since release, vehicles are likely the most openly lacking. In a nutshell, the physics are trash making the vehicles nigh on uncontrollable, more so as you get larger vehicles. That said, it's graphically impressive, the sound design is sweet and even the fan service of drafting Keanu in as that flamingo (in game joke) Johnny Silverhand wasn't terrible, but it does have the feel of a distraction. In future I'm looking at modding, maybe that'll chip in to something that doesn't have the feel of a fan service rebuild.
Upfront, not played and won't play, for the following reasons... - On news of release, in the first video describing the project, the apparent disdain of the presenter for the combat system of Baldur's Gate 2 (which appears to now be central to the game), considering the market placement of BG2 even now. - Paying full price up front for an in development game, it may be so common as to not raise eyebrows, but I can't see an upside about that. - Use of the 5e system, having played 5e since release, it's okay as a starter for someone new to pen and paper RPG's, but there are many holes within it, and far better systems with far less hassle. So, once this makes actual release/a completed state, it may be a buy, especially if discounted. Not before.
Put simply, starting out with this may be okay. Having played Battletech from the miniatures days, through Crescent Hawk's Revenge and Mechwarrior 3 (in my opinion the best port to PC), this was disappointing. Graphics were good, the mechanics behind the game so so, but running headlong into ridiculousness with Mech design and munitions, deal breaker. Immersion isn't a thing here, it's purely big bang fan service.
Campaign prologue, as Vlka Fenryka, really didn't sound like it in the voice over, followed by a lot of plot armour to a point where a Blackstone shows up with support, about 6 to 1 odds. Battle Barge destroyed in short order, but mission not failed owing to ongoing boarding actions on multiple Chaos vessels. Game seems in a loop, so exit back to main menu. Graphics pretty good, but space isn't 2D last I checked. I played the original, so hoped this wasn't do again. Please note to, the "Gathering Storm" is a rewrite. The 13th Black Crusade was resolved by a worldwide campaign like a decade plus ago, ending in a draw. And with Eldrad Utlhuan boarding a Blackstone that was possessed by Slaanesh, if memory serves. And Ynnead was still waiting for all Eldar with a spiritstone to join the collective. And no Primarchs resurrected by xenos and "traitors".
