The most anticipated gaming launch of 2020, that of Cyperpunk 2077, is almost upon us. In a year that has seen the launch of two next-gen consoles and numerous triple-A games, it is CD Projekt RED’s oft delayed futuristic role-playing game that PC, Xbox and PlayStation gamers have been most looking after.
Based on the Cyberpunk table-top RPG games, the upcoming video game has been developed by the same team that produced the incredibly successful Witcher games. The Polish developers employed a staggering level of detail when bringing the adventures of Geralt of Rivia to life. It seems that CD Projekt RED have employed a similar attention to detail to bring Cyberpunk 2077’s dystopian Night City to life.
Cyberpunk 2077 is a futuristic open-world first-person role-playing-game featuring over-the-top action and driving. Players take on the role of V, a mercenary equipped with cybernetic implants making a living in the dangerous and sprawling metropolis of Night City.
The latest episode of the Night City Wire, Cyberpunk 2077’s YouTube developer diary, the last before the game’s launch on December 10th,has just been released. The episode showcases Keanu Reeves’ character, the enigmatic rockerboy, Johnny Silverhand, the score and music, the localised lip-synch technology and a new gameplay trailer.
Players will be immersed in a world that features hi-tech gun-fights and high-speed driving, to create their own a unique story. The player’s adventure is shared, guided and hindered by the essence of Johnny Silverhand, played my Keanu Reeves, who has his own agenda for V.
The game utilises cutting-edge technology to create a living, breathing city. Advanced lighting and ray-tracing features will be available to PC players at launch and patched into the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 version for the owners of the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5, respectively at a later date.
Previous episodes of Night City Wire have detailed the many facets of this ambitious game. The first episode interviewed the animators of the upcoming tie-in anime, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners coming from Netflix next year. CD Projekt RED have also revealed the Braindance gameplay, with players being able to step inside, analyse and manipulate the memories of other characters.
The game’s three life paths have also been discussed, with players able to choose their characters history from that of a nomad, born in the Badlands surrounding Night City, a street kid, brought up in the neighbourhoods of the city or Corpo, suffering a fall from grace having climbed to the top of the corporate ladder. Each path not only offers a different starting story and location, but also opens up alternative opportunities during the game.
There have been interviews with Swedish band, Refuse. They have been charged with bringing Johnny Silverhand’s band, Samurai to life in the game. The insane weaponry and gunplay has been shown off. This includes smart weapons, cyber implants and melee- the thermal katan looking particularly good fun. As the game progresses V’s proficiency in doing damage increases allowing for some truly spectacular-looking action.
The Night City Wire has also dived into the depths of the city itself, with a tour of Night City that reveals the amazingly detailed environment to be a character in itself. The city is full of secrets and stories that players will uncover as they make their way across the various building levels. Each difference district not only has its own distinct style, but also has its own street gangs vying for control, offering the player opportunity or trouble, and maybe both.
CD Projekt RED have shown off the different classes of vehicle, from jerry rigged junk to street racers. Keanu Reeve’s own custom motorcycle company, Arch Motorcycles, have been bought in to help with the designs of the bikes of Night City. The living city is also home to some unique fashion styles from 80’s-inspired kitch to neo-military looks.
Cyberpunk 2077 is CD Projekt RED’s most ambitious game yet, just how it is all going to fit together we will find out on December 10th. On this date the game will be released for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game is backward compatible for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S with a next-gen enhancement patch being released post-launch.
In the meantime, check out the five episodes of Night City Wire on YouTube, now. If you want an early glimpse into the world of Cyberpunk 2077 you can check out the Dark Horse Cyberpunk 2077: Trauma Team comic books, as well as The World of Cyberpunk 2077 book, also from Dark Horse Comics.