Chances are that if you’ve seen CD Projekt RED’s recent Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay reveal, you’re still reeling from this upcoming open world sci-fi RPG. Though what we’ve seen in the demo is subject to change throughout development, it’s important to note the key details pointed out in the reveal that will likely make it into the final product when it launches—whenever that is. We’ve outlined what we can probably expect and how each feature could evolve even further down the line.
Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay Reveal: Street Cred
Unlike many games today, Cyberpunk 2077 is being crafted to revolve on its axis independent of the player. Keeping this in mind, every action is meant to have a consequence, no matter how insignificant it may initially seem. A unique system called Street Cred constantly keeps track of a player’s decisions and triggers certain events in response to earlier interactions. This is best exemplified when the android gang comes back to interrupt the protagonist and Jackie while they are in the middle of a mission, as shown in the demo.
Completing missions, unlocking new gear, buying specific items from vendors, and talking to the NPCs of Night City all contribute to the Street Cred system. Though Cyberpunk isn’t the first to implement such a device predicated on player decisions, it does take into account every nuanced interaction that the player has with the game’s world, possibly allowing for incredibly complex outcomes to evolve from minute dealings early on.
As if conversations and actions weren’t enough, clothing also plays a big role in determining how characters will interact with Cyberpunk’s protagonist. Though fans were only treated to jackets in the gameplay reveal, the narrator did state that each item of clothing will have its own stats and resistances, with the samurai jacket in the demo conferring a five percent Street Cred increase.
Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay Reveal: Class Design
Taking pages from both the board game it’s based on and CD Projekt RED’s last title, Cyberpunk 2077 will allow players freedom to customize which skills and upgrades they find most pertinent to their way of experiencing the game. This means that a variety of classes and professions will be available for fans to mix and match, including runners, tech boys, and corporate figures.
The demo stated that as players become more immersed in the game’s world and interact with its NPCs more frequently, their role in the Cyberpunk universe will become that much more clearly defined. In other words, rather than having fans choose which class they’d like to assume right from the get-go, the game will allow them to become whatever it is they want to be through natural progression.
Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay Reveal: Combat Options
As level designer Peter Gelencser stated in an interview with PCGamesN, Cyberpunk 2077 will feature six districts, each possessing its own avenues for exploration. A sense of verticality is key so as to (presumably) completely flesh out Night City’s massive buildings and gaping holes in the ground. This implies that players will be allowed a variety of means of completing missions within levels themselves.
As evidenced in the demo, core shooting mechanics will be just as integral to enjoying Cyberpunk 2077, at times working in tandem with the level design. Fans are welcome to opt for a guns blazing approach, though this in itself has its own nuances.
Players have the option to add modifiers to their weapons to spice up the gameplay, meaning they can shoot at incoming targets directly or aim at spots on walls so as to send their bullets ricocheting into enemy skulls from behind. Stealth seems to be treated as a honorable approach as well, with a variety of mods available to suit those looking for a quieter method of entry.
Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay Reveal: Open World Mechanics
It’s not uncommon for modern open world games to feature bustling crowds of NPCs to further immerse the player. Though many titles in the genre succeed in populating their towns and cities with human look-a-likes, none have truly given each and every character in the universe his or her own life that occurs independent of the player’s interaction.
Cyberpunk 2077 seeks to remedy this through its unique community system. NPCs in the game will carry out conversations that have nothing to do with the protagonist or the situation he or she is facing. Furthermore, these characters live their lives through constant day and night cycles, evolving with new personal developments and growing that much more human-like day by day.
Whereas scripted moments don’t necessary break the immersion found in the open world games of today, Cyberpunk‘s community system will ensure that every person who picks up the game will experience characters that truly are unique to the world crafted by the player—at least in theory. It remains to be seen how common two sets of personalities will truly be when the final product ships.
Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay Reveal: Vehicular Gameplay
Cyberpunk 2077‘s vehicular gameplay may be the icing on what looks to be already impressive-looking cake. Though the demo only showed cars, it did state that “other vehicles” will be available for players to control. What this implies is anyone’s guess, though one can’t help but wonder if flying mechanisms are on the table.
Considering the game’s supposed massive world, it would only make sense for some exploration to be had via sky transport. Regardless of what appears in the final product, the prospect of fights breaking out haphazardly while cruising is exciting as it is true to the dangerous fictional reality of Night City.
Cyberpunk‘s recent reveal left fans with a lot to take in. Here’s hoping the game lives up to the hype it’s built for itself so far, and that cyberpunk fans everywhere finally have their dreams come true… eventually.
