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Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher studio CD Projekt laying off 100 staff
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this post was submitted on 26 Jul 2023
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The game will never be what people wanted (and what was - to some extent - promised). It's too flawed and unfinished to be fixable through patches.
I still thoroughly enjoyed it (I'm just about to finish my first playthrough at 100+ hours), but the game has to be approached with the understanding that it's fundamentally flawed. I have no problems with that, Fallout: New Vegas is one of my favourite games so I'm comfortable with the situation and I'm used to fixing problems myself through mods (yes, even on a first playthrough).
The best comparison I can think of is Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines (though perhaps that game is now too old to be a relevant example). You can't play it expecting a finished, polished product, but it's still worthwhile and the good parts are really good.
Yeah the writing in Cyberpunk 2077 is honestly phenomenal, and the setting is really good. I was honestly shocked by how good the writing and VA in this game actually are. Maybe it's because it's more relevant to me, but it's the first time since FNV I really felt the writing in a game was gripping and interesting to me on a serious level.
It's gameplay is honestly decent enough as well. Gunplay isn't bad, and with the large amount of mobility makes the gunplay even more fun. Hacking and stealth are a bit op but fun, my biggest problem is the melee combat feels a bit weightless.
I am for sure looking forward to Phantom Liberty and the perk rework. Maybe my view of cyberpunk is tailored by the fact I never bought into the hype so I was never let down by it. I just watched Edgerunners, loved it. Played the game and was further impressed.
Disco Elysium remains the undisputed pinnacle of videogame writing and voice acting for me, so if you haven't played it yet and are interested in a seriously moving and fascinating novel masquerading as a game I highly recommend it.
Cyberpunk has been seriously good as well, though. There are plenty of compelling characters and stories, and the evolution of the relationship between V and Johnny and the development of both of those characters has been enthralling.
I feel like the gameplay reminded me of Witcher 3, in a sense. It has some good ideas, and many elements and mechanics that could make it interesting and engaging are there, they just don't quite fit together properly, aren't balanced well and in the end combat ends up a little simple, flat and too easy. I have installed countless mods that affect combat, though, and now I'm at a point where it's seriously enjoyable.
I actually have played Disco Elysium and agree that it's writing is consistently higher than Cyberpunk's but I remember doing the devil ending in Cyberpunk and hearing male V express his fear of death, and the desperation to escape it at all costs felt so real to me in a way I've never seen. I've dealt with terminally ill patients and idk I've never seen someone capture the denial and bargaining as well as I felt it myself playing the character.
My favourite moment of writing in Disco Elysium was probably speaking to the boat lady who spits out some very harsh truths and for sure represents best the idea of "absords all critiques into itself" idea.
I must play Planetscape Torment because it's the other big rpg that I've heard lots tell me is the pinnacle of writing in the genre.
That's fair. Cyberpunk does have some standout moments and the immersive first person definitely makes some of them hit harder. I can imagine that ending being powerful (I haven't seen it), and if you have that personal connection then especially so.
Disco Elysium is chock full of great lines and "Capital has the ability to absorb all critiques into itself..." is fantastic. For me, I just keep coming back to the ending. Specifically, the final dream.
It's the absolute pinnacle of the game, in my opinion, at least if you've explored all the clues about Harry's past. I'm trying to write in a way that won't spoil too much for people who haven't played, but if you've read the letter in the ledger, made that phonecall, bought the figurine, explored the stained glass window etc it all comes together in that dream scene.
It's such a beautifully painful moment that just keeps building as you're exposing the inner core of Harry, and culminates to a point on the perfect final line.
"See you tomorrow, Harry"
I totally forgot that I got the Spoilers phasmid myself on my first run, that was another stand out to me. It's such a beautiful and strange moment, in any other game it would feel out of place but for me the phasmid is arguably the greatest part of the game for me. I felt like hope and a miracle that something like that could exist in the crapsack world of Elysium and Revachol. With the fear of the Pale overwhelming everything and a constant state of drudgery and decline of a failed revolution it was nice to see that there are still things worth finding in the world. Harry speaking with it is a great thing as it lets him understand and overcome his self-hatred and shame.
Loved having Kim there.
"I see it, too"
That fragile balance between hope and nihilism is where the game really shines for me. The communist vision quest is another instance, where a glimmer of sincerity shines through from the writers amid the bleak cynicism and satire. I always loved Steban's soft, understated admission of why he believes in communism: "You could say we believe it because it's impossible. It's our way of saying we refuse to accept that the world has to remain... like this."
Not only are there things worth finding in the world, but there are things worth fighting for, and it's a gentle reminder that we ourselves must choose our beliefs. If we want to feel hope, we must choose to believe in it. Even when it's impossible. We have to believe that there is a better future possible. To quote Steban again;
"In dark times, should the stars also go out?"