Cyberpunk 2077: Detailed Review, Story, Gameplay, Open World, Characters and Features

Cyberpunk 2077 Detailed Review

Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action role-playing game developed by CD PROJEKT RED. Set in a dystopian future dominated by corporations, advanced technology and cybernetic augmentation, the game places players in Night City, one of the most distinctive settings in modern gaming.

Players take control of V, a mercenary attempting to establish a reputation in Night City. What begins as a high-risk job eventually becomes a much more personal struggle involving powerful corporations, experimental technology and Johnny Silverhand, a rebellious rock musician whose digital personality becomes connected to V.

Cyberpunk 2077 combines first-person shooting, melee combat, driving, exploration, character customization, hacking and branching storylines.

Its world is designed around freedom, allowing players to approach many missions in different ways.

What Is Cyberpunk 2077?

Cyberpunk 2077 is a first-person open-world RPG set in the year 2077.

The game takes place in Night City, a massive metropolis located in a future version of California.

The city is divided into distinctive districts, each with its own atmosphere, architecture, characters and criminal organizations.

Players can:

• Explore Night City
• Complete main story missions
• Take on side jobs
• Customize V
• Upgrade cyberware
• Use firearms
• Fight with melee weapons
• Hack enemies and systems
• Drive cars and motorcycles
• Purchase equipment
• Develop different character builds
• Make important dialogue choices

The result is a futuristic RPG focused heavily on player freedom and narrative.

The Story of V

V is the player's protagonist.

Unlike Geralt in The Witcher 3, V can be heavily customized.

Players can select V's appearance, background and various gameplay characteristics.

The story begins with V working alongside Jackie Welles, a close friend and ambitious mercenary.

Their plans change dramatically after they become involved in a dangerous job involving Arasaka technology.

During the mission, V encounters the Relic, an experimental piece of technology containing the digital personality of Johnny Silverhand.

The Relic begins changing V's life and creates the central conflict of the story.

Johnny Silverhand

Johnny Silverhand is one of the most important characters in Cyberpunk 2077.

Played by Keanu Reeves, Johnny is a former rock musician, terrorist and anti-corporate revolutionary.

His digital consciousness becomes embedded in V's mind.

This creates an unusual relationship between the protagonist and Johnny.

The two characters frequently disagree, but their relationship evolves throughout the story.

Johnny also provides a different perspective on Night City, corporations and the choices V makes.

Night City

Night City is the central location of Cyberpunk 2077.

The city is designed as a huge futuristic environment filled with skyscrapers, highways, markets, clubs, apartments, corporate buildings and dangerous neighborhoods.

Major districts include:

• Watson
• Westbrook
• City Center
• Heywood
• Santo Domingo
• Pacifica
• Badlands

Each area has its own architecture and atmosphere.

The crowded streets of the city center feel completely different from the industrial areas of Santo Domingo or the desert landscapes outside the city.

Exploring Night City

Exploration is an important part of Cyberpunk 2077.

Players can walk through crowded streets, drive across highways or travel outside the city into the Badlands.

The environment contains numerous details that help establish the futuristic setting.

Players can encounter:

• Shops
• Fixers
• Gangs
• Police activity
• Random events
• Side jobs
• Vendors
• Apartments
• Vehicles
• Hidden locations

Night City is also designed vertically.

Many buildings contain multiple floors, interiors and areas that can become relevant during missions.

Lifepaths

At the beginning of the game, players choose one of several Lifepaths for V.

The options are:

• Nomad
• Streetkid
• Corpo

Each Lifepath provides a different introduction to V's story and background.

They also influence certain dialogue options throughout the game.

However, all three Lifepaths eventually converge into the main storyline.

Gameplay and Combat

Cyberpunk 2077 combines RPG mechanics with first-person action.

Players can use different types of weapons and abilities.

Combat options include:

• Assault rifles
• Submachine guns
• Shotguns
• Pistols
• Revolvers
• Sniper rifles
• Precision rifles
• Blades
• Blunt weapons
• Cyberware
• Quickhacks

Players can choose between direct combat and more tactical approaches.

A mission can sometimes be completed through shooting, stealth, hacking or a combination of several methods.

Guns and Weapon Customization

Cyberpunk 2077 features a large selection of firearms.

Different weapons have different characteristics and can support different builds.

Players can find or purchase:

• Pistols
• Revolvers
• SMGs
• Assault rifles
• Shotguns
• Sniper rifles
• Precision rifles

Weapons can also feature special properties and different technological characteristics.

Some weapons are designed around specific playstyles, such as stealth, precision shooting or aggressive close-range combat.

Melee Combat

Players who prefer close-range combat have several options.

V can use:

• Katanas
• Mantis Blades
• Knives
• Axes
• Clubs
• Gorilla Arms

Melee-focused builds can create a completely different gameplay experience from a traditional firearm-based character.

Katanas, for example, encourage fast movement and close-range attacks.

Cyberware

Cyberware is one of the defining gameplay systems in Cyberpunk 2077.

V can install technological enhancements that improve combat and other abilities.

Cyberware can provide:

• Enhanced reflexes
• Improved armor
• Faster movement
• Better hacking
• Enhanced melee combat
• Additional health
• Improved weapon handling
• Special combat abilities

The cyberware system allows players to build V around specific strengths.

Quickhacks and Hacking

Hacking provides an alternative to conventional combat.

Players can use Quickhacks to interfere with enemies and electronic systems.

Possible effects include:

• Disabling enemies
• Distracting targets
• Revealing information
• Damaging opponents
• Disrupting equipment
• Controlling certain systems

A netrunner-focused character can sometimes eliminate or weaken multiple enemies without relying primarily on conventional weapons.

Stealth Gameplay

Cyberpunk 2077 also supports stealth.

Players can crouch, avoid detection, disable cameras and silently eliminate enemies.

Stealth becomes particularly effective when combined with hacking and specialized cyberware.

This allows players to approach some missions without starting a large firefight.

Character Progression

Character development is a major part of the RPG experience.

V can develop attributes and perks that support different playstyles.

Players can specialize in areas such as:

• Reflexes
• Body
• Technical Ability
• Intelligence
• Cool

A Reflexes-focused character may specialize in mobility and fast weapons.

Intelligence can support hacking and netrunner abilities.

Body can create a stronger close-range combat character.

Cool can support stealth, precision and certain weapon types.

This system allows players to create very different versions of V.

Skill Trees and Builds

The game's skill system encourages experimentation.

Players can create builds based around:

• Assault rifles
• Blades
• Handguns
• Shotguns
• Heavy weapons
• Stealth
• Hacking
• Cyberware
• Mobility

This variety improves replayability because a second playthrough can feel substantially different from the first.

Vehicles

Night City is designed around vehicle travel.

Players can drive numerous cars and motorcycles throughout the game.

Vehicles range from inexpensive transportation to high-performance sports cars and heavily customized machines.

Driving is especially useful when traveling between different districts.

Certain vehicles can also become associated with specific characters or missions.

Police and Open-World Activities

Night City includes police activity and random encounters.

Players can encounter crimes in progress, hostile gangs and other events while traveling through the city.

Completing these activities can provide experience, money and equipment.

This creates additional reasons to explore the city instead of simply moving from one main mission to another.

Gangs of Night City

Gangs play a major role in the game's world.

Important groups include:

• Maelstrom
• Tyger Claws
• Valentinos
• 6th Street
• Animals
• Voodoo Boys
• Scavengers

Each gang has its own visual identity, territory and style.

The relationships between gangs, corporations and other factions contribute to the game's broader worldbuilding.

Main Story Missions

Cyberpunk 2077 contains a large collection of story missions.

The main campaign focuses on V's struggle to survive while dealing with the Relic and Johnny Silverhand.

Missions range from:

• Corporate operations
• Heists
• Gang conflicts
• Investigations
• Rescue missions
• Stealth operations
• Major combat sequences
• Character-driven stories

The game frequently gives players dialogue choices that can affect conversations and certain outcomes.

Side Jobs

Side Jobs are an important part of Cyberpunk 2077.

Many of them feature detailed stories and memorable characters.

Some side characters receive extensive quest lines that can become almost as important as the main storyline.

This is one of the game's strongest features because side content often provides additional context about Night City.

Romance Options

V can develop relationships with several characters depending on the player's choices and character configuration.

Romance storylines are connected to larger quest chains rather than functioning as simple optional interactions.

These relationships can also influence certain parts of the story.

Choices and Consequences

Cyberpunk 2077 frequently presents players with choices.

Dialogue decisions can change:

• Conversations
• Relationships
• Mission outcomes
• Available options
• Character interactions
• Certain endings

Not every choice creates a dramatic difference, but some decisions can have meaningful consequences later in the game.

This gives players an incentive to pay attention to dialogue rather than simply skipping conversations.

Endings

Cyberpunk 2077 features multiple possible endings.

The outcome can depend on choices made throughout the game and relationships developed with certain characters.

Different endings provide different interpretations of V's future and relationships.

This structure encourages replaying the game to explore alternative paths.

Phantom Liberty Expansion

Phantom Liberty is a major expansion for Cyberpunk 2077.

It introduces Dogtown, a new area of Night City, along with new characters, missions and gameplay systems.

The expansion focuses on espionage, political conflict and high-risk operations.

One of the major characters introduced in Phantom Liberty is Solomon Reed, played by Idris Elba.

The expansion significantly increases the amount of content available to players and adds another substantial storyline to the game.

Dogtown

Dogtown provides a different atmosphere from many areas of the main Night City map.

It is controlled by Kurt Hansen and operates outside the normal structure of Night City.

The district features:

• New missions
• New characters
• New weapons
• New cyberware
• New activities
• New vehicles
• Additional exploration

Dogtown's environment reinforces the darker side of Cyberpunk's futuristic setting.

Graphics and Visual Design

Cyberpunk 2077 is known for its detailed futuristic environments.

Night City uses bright neon signs, towering buildings, advertisements, holographic displays and crowded streets to create its cyberpunk identity.

The visual contrast between wealthy corporate districts and poorer neighborhoods is particularly important to the game's atmosphere.

Lighting and weather can dramatically change the appearance of the city.

On powerful hardware, advanced graphical features can make the environment even more detailed.

Sound and Music

Music is another major part of Cyberpunk 2077.

The soundtrack includes a wide range of futuristic and electronic styles that fit the game's setting.

Radio stations provide different musical genres while driving around Night City.

Sound design also contributes to combat and exploration through weapons, vehicles, crowds and environmental effects.

Johnny Silverhand's musical identity is another important part of the game's atmosphere.

Performance and PC Experience

Cyberpunk 2077 can be demanding, especially when advanced graphical features are enabled.

PC players can adjust numerous settings, including:

• Resolution
• Texture quality
• Shadow quality
• Crowd density
• Ray tracing
• Lighting
• Reflections
• Volumetric effects

Players with higher-end hardware can take advantage of more advanced visual features, while lower or mid-range systems may need optimized settings for smoother performance.

Cyberpunk 2077 Updates

Cyberpunk 2077 has undergone substantial changes since its original release.

Major updates have improved gameplay systems, technical performance, police behavior, skill progression, vehicle systems and other aspects of the experience.

The game's later versions provide a significantly more developed experience than the original launch version.

Beginner Tips for Cyberpunk 2077

New players should experiment with different weapons and abilities before committing to a specific build.

It is also useful to explore Night City rather than focusing exclusively on the main storyline.

Players should regularly:

• Upgrade cyberware
• Check available perks
• Sell unnecessary equipment
• Improve weapons
• Explore side jobs
• Complete fixer activities
• Save before important decisions
• Experiment with Quickhacks
• Try different combat styles

There is no single correct way to build V.

Common Mistakes

One common mistake is investing skill points randomly across too many attributes.

A focused build usually provides stronger results.

Another mistake is ignoring cyberware.

Cyberware is a major part of character progression and can dramatically improve certain playstyles.

Players can also miss interesting stories by ignoring Side Jobs.

Some of the game's most memorable characters and narrative moments are found outside the main campaign.

Advantages of Cyberpunk 2077

• Detailed open-world setting
• Strong futuristic atmosphere
• Deep character customization
• Multiple combat styles
• Extensive cyberware system
• Interesting side missions
• Memorable characters
• Branching choices
• Multiple endings
• Large selection of weapons
• Vehicle exploration
• Strong voice acting
• Excellent soundtrack
• Phantom Liberty expansion
• High replay value

Disadvantages of Cyberpunk 2077

• Can be demanding on PC hardware
• The enormous amount of systems can initially feel overwhelming
• Some open-world activities can become repetitive
• Certain story choices have less impact than players might expect
• First-person perspective may not appeal to everyone
• Some areas outside the main story can feel less developed

Is Cyberpunk 2077 Worth Playing?

Cyberpunk 2077 is particularly suitable for players who enjoy open-world RPGs, futuristic settings, character customization and story-driven gameplay.

Its strongest qualities are the atmosphere of Night City, the variety of character builds and the combination of shooting, hacking, stealth and melee combat.

Players who enjoy games such as The Witcher 3, Fallout or other large role-playing games may find Cyberpunk 2077 especially appealing.

The game also offers considerable replayability because different builds, choices and endings can produce different experiences.