TimeRO Wiki - User contributions [en]

How Cyberpunk 2077 Fumbles The Genre That Inspired It

2025-10-11T03:48:43Z

MicahCdg710:

Few games in recent memory have been able to create such a fully realized world with so much visual flair and potential as CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 . A handful of its characters such as Judy Alvarez are beacons of what this story and the world can be at its best. But one of the biggest missed opportunities lies within the game’s own DNA. While it’s namesake and overall influences may be inspired by the cyberpunk genre, it often feels as though it never truly commits to the deeper implications of the world it’s creating or the weighty ideas it hints at within its narrative. Cyberpunk is inherently political and rife with social commentary. While Cyberpunk 2077, unfortunately, opts to mainly introduce potentially big philosophical ideas, these ideas simply feel as if they become afterthoughts shortly after. With that being said, the genre itself leaves a lot of room for interpretation so not every single piece of media necessarily has to be a deep and incisive deconstruction of societal issues and the human condition The cyberpunk genre has existed in some capacity for nearly as long as science fiction itself has existed. Although the term itself didn’t become a staple until the 1980s, many earlier examples are present throughout media that predate the terminology. The works of science fiction writers Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick , to name a few, were some of the earliest examples of what would eventually be considered cyberpunk. Their stories often existed on the fringes of science fiction and delved into topics regarding artificial intelligence, government omnipotence, corporate corruption as well as the nature of consciousness, and what it means to be human in a technological world. [pullquote]The cyberpunk genre has become as ubiquitous as other sub-categories within science fiction such as space opera and alien invasion stories.[/pullquote] Anime has also been a major player when it comes to the growing popularity in those early years. Major releases like Akira , Appleseed , and Ghost in the Shell have all become staples over the years in numerous science fiction stories within the cyberpunk genre at large. Over the last few decades, cyberpunk has become even more widespread and has gained recognition in mainstream media. Films like Blade Runner , The Matrix Trilogy , Alita: Battle Angel and even Her to name a few have been strong examples of how the genre has become a mainstay in Hollywood culture. All of which are films that I adore. This is really just the tip of the iceberg as there are constantly new cyberpunk stories being brought to life every few months. The cyberpunk genre has become as ubiquitous as other sub-categories within science fiction such as space opera and alien invasion stories. Video games have had just as many prolific entries as Hollywood and anime have. There are far too many to even mention offhand, but there are numerous that have become classics on par with the best that the genre has to offer. Titles like Deus Ex , System Shock , and of course Final Fantasy VII are just a fraction of the presence of cyberpunk within the gaming world. Players have frequently taken to immersing themselves in these stories and worlds. Cyberpunk 2077 is truly no different in that regard. The number of stories that utilize the staples of a striking visual style and themes that are often presented in the genre is literally limitless. Players, as well as developers, have always taken to cyberpunk. It truly is open to so many different interpretations which makes its uses limitless. As narratively different as all of the stories I've mentioned may be, they all have something in common. They all strike a balance between striking visuals and stories that have something to say. Those two points are often the hallmarks of the best cyberpunk media. They are often a happy medium of that visual style, including, but not limited to neon-drenched cityscapes, transhumanist aesthetics such as body modification, and the mixture of corporate propaganda and dark dingy city slums. Those are just some of the broadest strokes of what a lot of these worlds contain within them, but they are often very prevalent. As far as the stories go, all of the aforementioned narratives have themes that are not foreign to this genre. Themes including corporate corruption, the revolution of the lower classes, [https://testifix.com/ testifix.com] artificial intelligence, and the meaning of consciousness are all some of the most commonly touched on topics. [pullquote]The number of stories that utilize the staples of a striking visual style and themes that are often presented in the genre is literally limitless.[/pullquote] So how does this circle back to Cyberpunk 2077 ? Cyberpunk easily falls into the genre that it gains its namesake from. That much is immediately apparent. From a visual standpoint, it ticks all of those boxes. You’ve got your neon city aesthetic and your ever-prevalent body modifications as a visual motif as well as a gameplay mechanic. All things that are admittedly cool as hell. I think everyone can appreciate that at its best, Cyberpunk 2077 nails that style. But it falters in other aspects that make cyberpunk a genre that resonates with people so well. It may have that signature visual flourish, but it often feels like it's lacking in its story. Don't get me wrong, the story isn't bad. It was honestly a fairly enjoyable experience that offered a handful of hours to get lost in. The issue I found was the way it developed and hinted at some heavier ideas and social commentaries before more or less abandoning them. That wouldn't necessarily be an issue had the game's narrative not played with some of these themes and set up these potential plot points. Now not every cyberpunk story is a deep deconstruction of our times, and nor does every story in the genre need to be. The issue more so arises when these ideas are brought to the forefront and then pushed aside. We're going to get into a few spoilers for some of the major plot points of Cyberpunk 2077 so proceed at your own risk. [pullquote]The implications of a mega-corporation with its hands in law enforcement alone should arise its own slew of ethical questions. But in the game's world and story, it's more of an afterthought.[/pullquote] Night City itself is very much controlled by mega-corporations that have largely free rein to do as they please outside of the law. In the early hours of Cyberpunk 2077 , you're immediately brought into a plot revolving around corporate corruption and a violent hostile takeover. In one of the opening missions, your avatar, V witnesses the murder of the head of the Arasaka Corporation. This event serves as the catalyst to most of what comes beyond that point in the story. The company has its hands in nearly every industry imaginable. Weapons manufacturing, banking, as well as financing its own division of Night City's own police department. All of these coupled together are constant obstacles and causes for concern for V, and most of the people of Night City. The implications of a mega-corporation with its hands in law enforcement alone should arise its own slew of ethical questions. But in the game's world and story, it's more of an afterthought. This could have been an opportunity to pose some serious questions about corporations meddling in industries that could be a conflict of interest. Instead is just kind of a known quantity in the plot that feels as if it’s just there to cause headaches for the protagonist. I would have appreciated seeing more of this explored as opposed to it being abandoned for less intriguing plot lines. [pullquote]The ethical implications of a program that could more or less erase a person's consciousness from their body are vast. You would think that it would be a much bigger topic of debate. Instead, Cyberpunk 2077 only tells you this is unethical without ever effectively diving deeper into it.[/pullquote] I believe the most disappointing aspect of Cyberpunk 2077's narrative is the story revolving around Keanu Reeves' character of Johnny Silverhand. Silverhand and his involvement with Soulkiller —the game's main McGuffin— are full of massive cyberpunk themes that are not fully explored. Soulkiller essentially is a device that can be used to create a backup of a person's consciousness. The technology is considered to be extremely unethical as it not only can house a consciousness within it, but it essentially renders the host body lifeless. Thus the aptly chosen name of Soulkiller. As the events of the story unfold, Johnny Silverhand's consciousness becomes trapped within V's own brain via a damaged biochip implant. Based on player choice, the ending you see could unfold in a few different ways. V could concede to Johnny and allow him to essentially remove their consciousness from the body leaving Johnny in command. Alternatively, V could also continue in control of the body but only for that body to deteriorate over time. The ethical implications of a program that could more or less erase a person's consciousness from their body are vast. You would think that it would be a much bigger topic of debate. Instead, Cyberpunk 2077 only tells you this is unethical without ever effectively diving deeper into it. And therein lies the problem with a lot of the game's narrative. These ideas are frequently brought up and teased as major plot lines only for them to just be afterthoughts in favor of action set pieces. As I said previously, this wouldn't be as much of an issue if the narrative chose a direction to stick with. You can have your big fun bombastic cyberpunk adventure and still explore the philosophical aspects. But these philosophical themes would have been better left on the cutting room floor as opposed to being teased and not explored more closely. A film with a very similar idea is Upgrade . The story there follows Grey after he is implanted with an AI that is ultimately vying to take control of his body. I couldn't help but be reminded of that film while experiencing Cyberpunk 2077 . Both stories touch on the nature of consciousness and implanted personas. Upgrade just happens to handle it with a more nuanced and incisive hand. It does this while still managing to be an entertaining techno-thriller, and it left me feeling the way I had hoped Cyberpunk would leave me feeling. When it's all said and done, Cyberpunk 2077 proved to be a fun sci-fi romp. But it could have been more. At times it even tried to be. Unfortunately, it just could not stick the landing when it came to those themes. Instead, it opted to be a kind of mindless action thriller which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The story is marred by what could have been and the potential that it sadly squanders. It's in no way a bad story but it is not as imaginative or as deep as it could have been. And the issue there is that sometimes it thinks it's being deeper and edgier than it actually is. With more story well on the way in future patches , we could see a turnaround. And that's something I am honestly looking forward to seeing. I'm still excited to see more of this world and how the future could change the fate of Night City.

Cyberpunk 2077 - Masahiro Sakurai Shares His Thoughts Via Famitsu

2025-10-09T03:47:43Z

MicahCdg710:

Masahiro Sakurai - director of Super Smash Bros Ultimat e ( Switch ) - recently spoke on Cyberpunk 2077 ( PC , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X ) and CD Projekt Red in his usual biweekly column in Famitsu magazine. While Super Smash Bros Ultimate players are currently enjoying Sephiroth , Sakurai is spending some time on Cyberpunk 2077 . In his column, Masahiro Sakurai shared several thoughts on [https://testifix.com/ Cyberpunk 2077 DLC] 2077 including his own gameplay experience, the bugs and performance issues, and his point of view on it all as a developer. DualShockers read the column, translated, and summarized everything below. Keep in mind that while this issue of Famitsu magazine released on January 14, Masahiro Sakurai wrote the column in late December. Tweet: Weekly Famitsu Magazine January 28, 2021 Issue (Released January 14, 2021). Cover featuring Sakuna . After wishing a happy new year to readers, Super Smash Bros director Masahiro Sakurai brought up how CD Projekt Red started issuing refunds for Cyberpunk 2077 . Due to various issues such as bugs, performance issues, the difference between the PC and console versions, etc. He brought up the official statement mentioning refunds will be issued to anyone dissatisfied. Masahiro Sakurai mentioned that there are various opinions about the situation, but he was honestly very moved by CD Projekt Red's sincerity. Masahiro Sakurai: "This situation is unprecedented, but I personally also consider the honesty of CD Projekt Red's response as unprecedented as well". Next, Masahiro Sakurai shared his own experience with Cyberpunk 2077 . Sakurai tried out Cyberpunk 2077 on PS4 Pro, and could play it without problems. Especially with the December 20, 2020 patch (patch 1.05). This made the game run at relatively stable 30 FPS, with the standard quality level expected on consoles. Sakurai knows the PS4 version is below that though. **With that said, Sakurai first played and mainly plays Cyberpunk 2077 on PC, with a brand new GPU ** . He experienced fun bugs such as staying alive with zero HP. Or getting blown away by like 200 meters after breaking a simple window. However, Sakurai also experienced much more serious issues in Night City. Such as being unable to close the game, being unable to use the Steam cloud save function. Or problems with his dual monitors setup. Despite all that, Masahiro Sakurai is thoroughly enjoying his time with Cyberpunk 2077 . He actually already finished the main story, clearing it one week after launch. Now, he aims to further explore the game. Masahiro Sakurai: " Cyberpunk 2077 is one of my dream games and I'm impressed to see all the work poured into it". Masahiro Sakurai highly praised Cyberpunk 2077 for its rich world filled with cultural and historical references. And mentioned he feels like only having seen a glimpse of it. Even after clearing the main story and reading the materials included in the limited edition. Next up, Masahiro Sakurai shared his point of view on the development of Cyberpunk 2077 as a developer himself. First, Sakurai stated players are often unable to realize the incredibly huge amount of work hidden behind the word "optimization", without even taking debugging into account. And how there's a near endless number of tasks related to optimizing a game. He listed several. Such as handling each model's texture efficiently. Compressing the game's sound data correctly. Optimizing the order of the game's processes. Making the game omit a certain number of polygons and movements for models far away from the player. Making it so the game doesn't display elements outside of your field of vision. Classifying the game's effects between those who need to stay in the memory and those who don't. Etc. Secondly, Sakurai explained that taking all of this optimization work into account, for a game as ambitious as Cyberpunk 2077 , it's impossible for its technical performance at launch to match expectations. Masahiro Sakurai: "When your game pushes boundaries the way Cyberpunk 2077 does, be it during development or at release, it won't reach the expected performance level. Because optimization never ends. Needless to say, performance estimates are made during development, but it's like walking on an never-ending tightrope." Thirdly, Masahiro Sakurai added that development becomes even more complicated when it comes to AAA titles, who hold an incredible amount of in-game content. Furthermore, a multi-platform release is also a huge source of trouble. Masahiro Sakurai: "I think it's a miracle in itself that AAA titles manage to release on multiple platforms". Lastly, on top of it all, Sakurai added there's the Covid-19 pandemic to take into account too. So with everything considered, Sakurai supports CD Projekt Red. Masahiro Sakurai: " When you also take Covid-19 into account and the chaos it must have thrown the game's development into, I think it's even more important to stress out CD Projekt Red's honest response. I support Cyberpunk 2077 from the bottom of my heart." Cyberpunk 2077 - DualShockers Review Discussion If you've read this far and interested in hearing my Unneeded Opinion ™ on this column, I interpret it this way. Sakurai wasn't defending CD Projekt Red for the catastrophic launch of Cyberpunk 2077 . He said it's important to take into account the various factors which led to this situation. And how at least CD Projekt Red admitted its misstep, going as far as issuing refunds. Next up, I'd mention Japanese developers more often than not have nothing but incredibly high praise for AAA Western games . Because of what I interpret as some kind of inferiority complex. And the overall dominion of Western and American culture over the world, often subconsciously considered as superior. Lastly, as we previously mentioned, Masahiro Sakurai wrote the column in late December. The situation has shifted even more since the release of Cyberpunk 2077 on December 10. Most notably with a Bloomberg report on the development of Cyberpunk 2077 and the response that followed from CD Projekt Red. For further reading on Masahiro Sakurai and Cyberpunk 2077 Be sure to check out our latest story analysis of Cyberpunk 2077 . Steam and Valve's Gabe Newell recently spoke about Cyberpunk 2077 as well. You can read our Cyberpunk 2077 review too for a proper intro to the RPG. Next, you can also follow Masahiro Sakurai on Twitter. Super Smash Bros Ultimate just added Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII as its newest character. Square Enix recently trademarked several Final Fantasy VII related terms, one of which might be referring to Sephiroth. Nothing was announced yet, [https://testifix.com/ cyberpunkpulse Gaming] however. There are still three upcoming DLC characters in Super Smash Bros Ultimate . Masahiro Sakurai mentioned mutiple times in the past how Nintendo makes the picks. A pretty safe bet would be the inclusion of the Hunters of Monster Hunter Rise by Capcom. As for the last two, personally, I'm still hoping for the addition of Adol Christin from the Ys series by Nihon Falcom. And the inclusion of Laala from PriPara and Pretty Series by TakaraTomy. I don't think I need to introduce Ys , and Falcom celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2021. As for PriPara it's long story short an arcade rhythm game and one of the most popular arcade games of all time in Japan and Asia. __ Masahiro Sakurai shares some thoughts on many different subjects in his Famitsu magazine column. Not necessarily on a specific game. In the past, Sakurai brought up games' review scores and granting awards in the game industry. He also shared some thoughts on Death Stranding and Kojima Productions. Lastly, Masahiro Sakurai also highly praised 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim by Vanillaware.

User:MicahCdg710

2025-09-28T15:24:24Z

MicahCdg710: Created page with "I like my hobby Sand castle building. Sounds boring? Not at all! I also try to learn Dutch in my free time. Have a look at my homepage: [https://Testifix.com/ Cyberpunk 2077 strategy]"

I like my hobby Sand castle building. Sounds boring? Not at all! I also try to learn Dutch in my free time. Have a look at my homepage: [https://Testifix.com/ Cyberpunk 2077 strategy]