Cyberpunk 2077 HANDS-ON - 10 Things We Learned
The key things we learned from IGN's 16 hour hands-on with Cyberpunk 2077.
First announced all the way back in 2012 and pushed back three times from its original April 2020 release date, Cyberpunk 2077 is almost here, set to release on 10th December. And we don’t need to worry about any more delays as the team at CD Projekt Red have reassured fans that the game is (finally) good to go.
Following in the footsteps of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the Polish development team’s latest project is easily the most anticipated game of the decade.
Set within the universe of the Cyberpunk table-top game, 2077 transports players to Night City, a dystopian, crime-infested megacity where corporations and gangs fight for control. It’s in this overcrowded city where you take control of a cybernetically-enhanced mercenary named V where you’re given the freedom to make your mark.
While we still need to wait a little longer until we can take in the sights of Night City for ourselves, a select few have been given the opportunity to get their hands on the game early.
One such person was IGN’s Tom Marks, who’s immense 16 hour preview has given us our first proper insight into what we can expect.
Let's break everything down into the biggest takeaway points.
10. It Takes A Slow Burn Approach (8 HOUR Prologue)
There might be a lot of visceral sci-fi action to look forward to when Cyberpunk hits the shelves, but don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s a bombastic action game because it's not. In fact, the pacing may be a lot slower than you might expect.
In his preview Marks emphasises that the game very much takes the slow-burn approach with storytelling. Cyberpunk begins with an extended eight-hour prologue (which took Marks a whopping six hours to reach the title card) that acts as a miniaturized version of the full game that's designed to introduce players to the ins and outs of the core mechanics.
In terms of gameplay, having a smaller starting area is nothing new. The Witcher 3 began in the small area of White Orchard and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla shows players the ropes in Norway before they set sail for the much larger England.
By taking the time to set up the narrative and gameplay, Cyberpunk is firmly declaring itself as a roleplaying game, not an action title. This is great news for those looking forward to immersing themselves in an absolutely massive RPG experience.