It's still a bit punky

I can only really recommend Cyberpunk 2077 with a significant qualification -- even if you're addicted to open-world RPGs, even if you're a huge fan of the dystopian sci-fi theme, and even if you absolutely loved Witcher 3. You need to be feeling charitable toward CD Projekt RED; you need to be willing to tolerate some boredom, some befuddlement, and some bugs (yes, still!), inbetween the "good parts."

There are good parts: mechanics that're functional and fun, missions that tell memorable stories, character interactions that feel real and engaging. But there are also plenty of lulls, and misses, and outright mistakes. There's a lot of material for me to complain about.

Let's start with the positives, though.

Braindances! Or, "Remember Me but better." Cyberpunk deserves kudos for pulling off a usable memory-playback interface, and for putting together investigative sequences that Geralt and Batman would feel at-home in. Its sensory layer-switching is sadly underutilized - I can only remember one case that used the thermal layer - but I'd have loved to play more of these.

Quickhacks! While Cyberpunk's combat can be approached from multiple angles, its aim-and-hack angle is definitely the most satisfying. Quickhack abilities take the networked-camera hopping of Watch Dogs and crank it up to 11, because - since everyone has cyber-implants - you can reset an enemy's vision, short out their weapons, even set their equipment on fire. Wreaking absolute havoc from a distance is a delight. I'm also a fan of the Shadowrun-style deck upgrades and software management meta-game.

And ... some sidequests! A handful of Cyberpunk's optional stories are genuinely compelling, explore tough topics and dark themes through relatable characters, and demonstrate writing strengths commensurate with CD Projekt's resume.

There's a "but" hidden in that last paragraph, which leads me to -- well, hang on, let me zoom out first.

Cyberpunk's subpar release is no secret, and its troubled production is well-documented. It took over a year of updates to reach "playable" status on consoles targeted at launch.

It's still very unfinished. Today, in 2023.

I don't just mean that the game is technologically rough, although it is, with enough cosmetic glitches (models getting stuck in walls and floors) and game-logic defects (dialog playing on top of other dialog) and UI soft-locks (computer buttons turning invisible) that it's impossible to get through the game without experiencing them multiple times.

And I don't just mean that there are objectively unpolished design choices, although there are, like Reload and Replace Current Gun being the same key! and menu lists being ordered totally at-random (plus there are two categories of Shard titled "Other") and gun info-cards omitting crucial information like accuracy.

Nor do I just mean that there are lots of obvious seams where cut content would have gone, and boy are there, nowhere more plainly than when the prologue bridges the gap between your chosen origin, and your first mercenary mission, with a cutscene montage.

Night City is full of environments with no point, and NPCs with no purpose. Open-world combat encounters are utterly shallow, yielding no meaning or reward beyond experience points. Most missions feel unfocused and un-impactful, because their stories aren't fully here -- some vital events even occur "off-screen." There are too many perk-upgrade options to understand in one playthrough, let alone attempt to use. Driving sucks.

Another two years, another eight years of active development, still wouldn't be enough to "finish" Cyberpunk 2077. It tried to do too many things, more than any game could ever accomplish.

But I think I can understand why Cyberpunk avoided cutting its scope, too: a smaller Night City would have lessened the city's thematically-critical power to impose and isolate you within it.

It's a shame that Cyberpunk 2077's impossible ambition prevented it from telling a complete story. Like I said, though, if you're willing to give the game enough chances - clicking through its less-interesting content, on your way to the good parts - there are some worthwhile experiences in it.

And unlike Arthur Morgan's over-ambitious story, at least I could tackle this one at my own pace.

Better than: Fallout 4, The Outer Worlds, Red Dead Redemption 2, Watch Dogs
Not as good as: Batman: Arkham Knight, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Grand Theft Auto V, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
So, about that upcoming Phantom Liberty expansion: we'll see.