You’ll be hard-pressed to bring up Cyberpunk 2077 right now without someone immediately throwing up their hands and laughing in disgust.
Yes, CDprojekt Red really didn’t do themselves any favours releasing the game as it was. The shocking state of the release is well known, especially since the software literally didn’t even run on last-generation consoles. Even on PC, where it was at its best, there was still enough janky mess and rough edges to get more than a few eyebrow raises.
But now, 13 months later, CDprojekt Red has unveiled patch 1.5. As far as next-generation console gamers are concerned, the update is supposed to bring the game’s visual fidelity to the same standard as the PC version. Beyond that, an absolute truckload of changes was made to the game in general, with extensive bug-squashing and various improvements implemented.
Sure, many gamers have long since forgotten about this train wreck, and rightly so. But others have been sitting back, waiting, and assuming that Cyberpunk 2077 will eventually get good.
The question is, has patch 1.5 made it the gaming experience that everyone was expecting?
The Same But Different
I admit, in my experience, the changes have been substantial. From far more reactive NPCs to improved AI, to drastically fewer bugs and glitches, there is no question that this is how the game should have been released.
The patch notes also say that enemy AI has gotten an overhaul, and that does appear to be the case. Gunfights are now far more dynamic, with enemies taking cover, throwing grenades, and even flanking. None of it is groundbreaking by any means, but it does make the gameplay much more in line with other titles. The patch notes also mention better driving, and in that regard, the changes are a bit less noticeable. In my opinion, driving feels just as bad as it always did.
But most gamers are probably far more interested in whether the bugs have gotten sorted out.
The answer is… mostly.
In around 6 hours of gameplay, I only spotted a few immersion-breaking glitches, including an NPC sitting on an invisible bench, and another NPC that popped up from the ground like a Jack-in-the-box, between swift kicks from a thug.
There were no game-breaking bugs at all.
A Broken Reputation
It truly is disappointing that it has taken CDprojekt Red 13 months to get to this point. But I suppose they deserve some credit. Whether or not you are or aren’t willing to trust the company again is a matter of personal opinion. But yes, the game is now drastically better than it was at launch.
As far as repairing their now rock-bottom reputation goes, CDprojekt Red 13 is really going to have to go above and beyond to redeem themselves. Fixing a broken game is one thing, but they might consider doing something like Borderlands 3 shift codes and dish out a bit of free content. Even that might not be enough to repair the damage.
More About The Game
For those unfamiliar, Cyberpunk 2077 is based on the popular board game. Players take on the role of a low-level thug in the semi-distant future, aiming to make it big in a vast, violent criminal underworld. The game’s story itself isn’t anything new, even if it is stunningly well presented. The real drawcard is the dazzling, overwhelmingly engrossing world in which Cyberpunk stories are set. Those that have seen Blade Runner or Ghost In The Shell will already know the setting.
Regardless of how it launched, Cyberpunk 2077 is certainly worth a look now…
The fact is that CDprojekt Red’s design team has put in an unbelievable amount of work, with truly impressive detail going into bringing striking Cyberpunk worlds to a video game. The basis of the science fiction setting is that humanity has progressed further down its current path, adopting cybernetic human modifications, even as it settles into grotesque levels of commercialism. See half man–half robots walking the streets, flanked on all sides by sexually explicit advertising plastered across every available surface. It isn’t difficult at all to imagine that this is where humanity will be in 2077, as depressing as the thought is.
Regardless of how it launched, Cyberpunk 2077 is certainly worth a look now, even if just to marvel at a world that is as disturbing as it is stunning. Just don’t look too close; some of those remaining bugs are almost certain to ruin the view.
About the author: Alisa Taylor, editor at large and content slinger, shares awesome vibes and magic words wherever she drops her ink. Her strongest areas are business, graphic design and education, but she’s always looking to refresh her knowledge and widen her expertise. She loves taking her dogs for long walks in the woods, and after that, she spends her breaks gaming and reading.
