I never thought Cyberpunk 2077 would make a proper comeback and become the game it promised it would be before its initial launch in 2020, but I was proven wrong. This game has been steadily updated by CD Projekt Red, or CDPR, over the past three years, and the 2.0 Update that was released alongside the Phantom Liberty DLC has turned this game into what it should’ve been.
This achievement deserves to be celebrated, but this is what the game should’ve been at launch. It should’ve been a polished, mostly glitch-free experience that didn’t alienate a large chunk of its fanbase. We have to ensure that we hold gaming companies accountable to make polished releases.
That being said, Cyberpunk has made an excellent comeback where CDPR could’ve taken the money and used it toward the next major release. Instead, the company has poured their time back into the game to make it something great.
Update 2.0
The 2.0 Update has changed the way the game works at a fundamental level. The leveling system and perks have been completely overhauled for brand-new features and skills to be added. Many core mechanics operate differently now, as well. Even the graphics have been overhauled.
Cyberpunk had me hooked on its premise alone in 2020. Now, I have fallen in love with every aspect. Night City is a visually and mechanically impressive beast now. It’s perfect for the gamer who loves the modern RPG.
The changes are worth looking into as well. If you have played Cyberpunk before the 2.0 Update and are curious to get back into it, I highly recommend doing so.
The biggest change to the game is the skill tree, but there are many other differences to sink your teeth into.
Image from Cyberpunk 2077’s Youtube channel
One such example is the cyberware system. The 2.0 Update has changed the way cyberware works. You only have so much cyberware you can use before you overload your body, so you have to pick and choose until you gain a bigger capacity.
Image from pcgamer.com
The armor system works similarly, although you have to get cyberware to increase your armor value. Before the 2.0 Update, your clothes changed your armor value. You weren’t able to have a sense of fashion that way, but now you are free to choose whatever clothes you want.
Grenades and the health regeneration system are different now too. They are on cooldowns instead of being consumables. Veteran players of Cyberpunk may not like this change, but I think it helps combat flow better.
Nearly all of the glitches that Cyberpunk became infamous for are gone now. I only encountered a few minor visual glitches with my character when I started a new playthrough, and I crashed just once or twice. The experience runs smoothly on current-generation hardware.
The 2.0 Update is wonderful, but I have to talk about the elephant in the room. This update was merely meant to pave the way for Cyberpunk’s only major expansion, Phantom Liberty.
And what a sendoff it is.
Phantom Liberty
Cyberpunk knows how to take full advantage of its oppressive setting. If the main game was a warm-up for the narrative team, Phantom Liberty knocks the story out of the park and into the stratosphere.
In over a dozen hours spent in Dogtown, I have found an experience that surpasses the original game. I don’t want to delve into spoilers, but this game is more than worth picking up again.
Whether you have played Cyberpunk before and dropped it, or are interested in playing it for the first time, this game is worth every cent. CDPR fixed their game and made it better than I could’ve hoped.
The fruits of their labor have paid off. I hope they carry these lessons into Cyberpunk’s sequel because I want more of this version of the game.
Image from ign.com
I can only imagine how this game would’ve been hailed had it come out in this form three years ago.
