Cyberpunk 2077 has come a long way, but is it worth playing now? Steam users seem to think so, with an impressive 95% positive reviews from almost 7,000 recent players. The development team has moved on to other projects, and that's a clear sign the game is complete. If you're looking to finally jump in, you can find great deals on Cyberpunk 2077 CDKeys to get started.
The Launch That Shook the Industry
CD Projekt Red's reputation changed forever on December 10, 2020. The release of Cyberpunk 2077 became one of gaming history's most catastrophic launches after three delays and years of building hype.
What went wrong at release
Cyberpunk 2077 wasn't anywhere near ready behind the scenes. Management claimed the game was "complete and playable," but reality painted a different picture. The development team spent most of their time optimizing PC performance and underestimated the challenges that last-gen consoles presented. The company pushed their developers into mandatory six-day workweeks, breaking their earlier promises about preventing crunch.
Red flags appeared during the review process. CDPR gave out PC review codes only and didn't let journalists share their gameplay footage before launch. Players who bought console versions found a game that looked nothing like the advertised product. Base consoles struggled with frame rates dropping below 20 FPS, while textures wouldn't load and NPCs appeared as low-poly models.
The backlash from players and media
Social media erupted with criticism. Players shared countless videos of strange bugs under #Cyberglitch2077 - characters stuck in T-poses, clothing glitches showing exposed genitals, cars randomly flying through the air, and quests that wouldn't complete.
Sony made an unprecedented move that dealt the biggest blow - they pulled Cyberpunk 2077 from the PlayStation Store just a week after launch. Microsoft stepped in next with full refunds for digital purchases. CD Projekt's stock value crashed by almost 50% within that week.
CDPR's initial response and damage control
The leadership team at CD Projekt Red struggled through the crisis. Joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski called it "one of the worst moments of my life". Their quick apologies and refund promises created new problems since many retailers weren't ready for such a commitment.
The company's internal struggles came to light during video conferences. Staff members challenged leadership about impossible deadlines and misleading marketing. A developer raised a powerful question about the irony of creating a game that criticized corporate abuse while subjecting their own team to similar treatment.
CDPR admitted they didn't realize how challenging console optimization would be and rushed the release after multiple delays. The damage left its mark - a project that took nearly a decade to develop had become a warning sign for the gaming industry, leaving players wondering if Cyberpunk 2077 would ever live up to its promises.
How Cyberpunk 2077 Was Rebuilt
CD Projekt Red spent two years turning Cyberpunk 2077 from a cautionary tale into a celebrated comeback story that proved skeptics wrong.
Major patches and updates explained
Small patches fixed critical bugs at first, but Update 2.0 in September 2023 changed everything. This free update became the most detailed overhaul yet and touched almost every gameplay aspect. The game's only expansion, Phantom Liberty, came next with patches like 2.1 that added metro systems and ways to hang out with romantic partners. The 2.21 update brought DLSS 4 support with Multi Frame Generation for GeForce RTX graphics cards.
Overhaul of skill trees and combat systems
The game's most important changes came through redesigned skill trees and perks. Gameplay design lead Karol Matyasik said the new system took inspiration from "the old school design of Diablo 2 skill trees". Players now follow clear paths to unlock powerful abilities. The team also drew ideas from Doom's "high-speed, relentless, visceral, push-forward combat". The new cyberware system links directly to armor stats instead of clothing, which makes visits to ripperdocs more strategic.
Improved AI, police system, and driving mechanics
Police no longer appear mysteriously behind players. The new system features dynamic chases and roadblocks at higher wanted levels that end in tough MaxTac fights at maximum heat. The driving feels better too, with improved brake torque that reduces understeer, better suspension physics, and more realistic jumps. Players can now shoot while driving or hack enemy vehicles during car chases.
Visual upgrades and mod support
CDPR adopted modding openly and hired several community modders to help improve the game. Their free REDmod tools let players install mods easily through dedicated clients. Players can now customize their Night City experience with mods that improve textures, lighting, gameplay mechanics and immersion features.
What Makes It Worth Playing Now
Night City springs to life beyond its technical improvements. The game's core strengths can now shine through, making Cyberpunk 2077 a must-play experience.
Engaging main story and side quests
Cyberpunk 2077's narrative packs an emotional punch that few games can match. The main story takes about 15 hours to complete, but the side content makes the experience special. Players say the game feels better when they hold off on the main quest and take time to discover the world at their own pace. Some of the best moments come from side quests like "Sinnerman," which looks at religious themes through a condemned murderer's story, or "Dream On," which reveals political conspiracies at Night City's highest levels.
Character depth and relationship building
CD Projekt Red's finest writing shines through Cyberpunk's character relationships. The four main romance options—Judy, Panam, River, and Kerry—each tell unique stories that shape the game's endings. Patch 2.1 adds new depth to these relationships through apartment visits and gift-giving features. Each romance option reacts differently to your chosen ending, which creates powerful moments that reflect your choices throughout the game.
Flexible playstyles: stealth, hacking, brute force
The updated character system lets players try different approaches to gameplay. You can become a netrunner who attacks enemies through hacking, a silent killer with monowire garrotes, or a powerhouse who tears doors open and uses turrets as handheld weapons. Players can even complete the game without killing anyone except robots, which adds another layer of choice to the experience.
Phantom Liberty and new content
Phantom Liberty adds Dogtown, a militia-controlled district perfect for espionage missions. Idris Elba delivers a stellar performance as agent Solomon Reed, and the new Relic skill tree gives players fresh ways to play. The expansion packs about 13 hours of main content with plenty of side activities to explore.
Is Cyberpunk 2077 worth it on PS4 Pro?
Cyberpunk runs surprisingly well on PS4 Pro now. While it doesn't match current-gen versions, recent players report steady frame rates and fewer visual glitches while driving around the city. You might notice some texture loading delays during intense fights, but PS4 Pro owners can finally enjoy a solid gaming experience.
What Still Needs Work
Cyberpunk 2077's impressive comeback doesn't change the fact that it's nowhere near what CD Projekt Red promised at first. The game still can't tap into its full potential, even after all these updates.
Unfulfilled promises and cut features
The E3 2018 demo showed off many features that never made it to the final game. The team completely dropped wall running and random car ambushes tied to faction reputation, though they were shown as key gameplay elements. The much-talked-about "acid rain" system where NPCs would run for cover just disappeared. Night City doesn't have the "full day and night cycle" where thousands of NPCs would lead real lives with time-based behaviors. Instead, these NPCs just loop through simple animations no matter when you see them.
Remaining bugs and performance issues
The game still has technical problems, even with all the patches. The police system feels unnatural - officers just pop up next to players who commit crimes instead of arriving in a realistic way. Players with basic PC setups still see their frame rates drop in busy areas. PS4 Pro users face delayed texture loading during intense fights. On top of that, some players run into game-breaking bugs where quests don't trigger or NPCs block mission progress by spawning in wrong spots.
Linear quest design and limited choices
The biggest problem lies in how this RPG handles player choice. The developers wanted to blur the difference between cosmetic and meaningful choices, but many dialog options just change the immediate conversation without any real impact. The three life paths that should have given players special abilities ended up offering just a few extra dialog choices that rarely matter. Then, early choices like picking sides between Evelyn Parker and Dexter DeShawn just let you negotiate a slightly better deal without any real consequences.
Players asking "is Cyberpunk 2077 worth it now" should think about these limitations. The game runs better now, but in spite of that, it's still not the groundbreaking experience we were promised.
Conclusion
The Verdict: A Remarkable Redemption Story
Cyberpunk 2077 is one of gaming's most dramatic comeback stories. Not many games have crashed so badly at launch and then made such an amazing recovery. CD Projekt Red deserves a pat on the back for sticking with their creation despite all the hate they received.
The trip from an unplayable mess to a polished game hasn't been smooth sailing. Without doubt, some promised features are still missing, and technical problems continue to pop up on platforms of all types. Night City feels alive but doesn't quite match what was shown in the ads. All the same, today's version gives you your money's worth.
Cyberpunk 2077's appeal now goes way beyond its technical fixes. The game really shines through its emotional story, deep character connections, and adaptable gameplay. On top of that, the Phantom Liberty expansion adds tons of quality content that raises the game's overall value.
Should you jump into Cyberpunk 2077 in 2023? Your expectations will shape the answer. Players who wanted that groundbreaking open-world experience might still walk away let down. But anyone looking for a story-driven action RPG in a stunning dystopian world will have a blast.
CDPR has pretty much wrapped up their comeback story. The team now works on other projects, though they'll likely keep squashing bugs. This version of Cyberpunk 2077 is the final product - not perfect but fascinating, ambitious yet rough around the edges. Thousands of new players give it glowing reviews, showing the game has found its groove.
Night City welcomes both returning players and first-timers to an experience that's grown from a warning sign to an engaging adventure. The path was rough, but the destination made it worthwhile.
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