This is one of the many reviews I have half started, or nearly completed and I think with the release of the DLC Phantom Liberty on the very near horizon it’s worth putting this review out now. I never got round to getting any footage of the game, mainly due to the fact I wrote this after doing everything so there wasn’t a fat lot to get footage of as a result. I will also be putting everything on hold for the DLC and playing through from the beginning again, as I am deeply invested in this game. So I will be getting an endless amount of footage and I will be returning to do an updated review, with some nice shiny pics and vid clips.
Well what a difference a bit of time makes, I am in no way defending the way the game initially launched back in November 2020. I mean I’ve always played it on PS5 so I never had that much grief, and rather enjoyed it first time round, but since patch 1.5 dropped adding a next-gen spruce and some smaller bits of DLC, bundled with many many smaller patches prior. The game really has had a second coming, and could easily fall in to the category of No Mans Sky with the turn around that it’s had.
On this 100% platinum run I did, which clocked me in at just under 80 hours, so there is a far whack of content to be had. I had nothing but a grand ol’ time. I thoroughly enjoyed it to the point it was the only game I played until I was done. Having re-jigged the skill trees, and made driving actually bearable even if the best cars are still needed for a fluid drive, the open world of Night City has never felt better to be a rampaging mercenary on a quest to stay alive all the while trying to take down one of the worlds biggest megacorps. All this is accompanied by the masterclass choice of Keanu Reeves as Johnny Silverhand, which really aids in the story telling and to get a feel for how the times have changed in the world and subsequent evolution over 50 years. With the character arc really unfolding over the course of all the side content rather than the main missions. All of which makes for an interesting perspective and overall outlook of the character from the initial meeting with him.
The world of night city for me is one of the best open worlds I have played in, the world whilst still lacking in a few places now feels reactive and alive. Certain areas are more active on the time of day, how crowds now react to gun fire, either running away, cowering or even joining in, fast travelling around and seeing a random car bomb go off, shows you what sort of city you are in. With all the neon lights flooding your vision at every turn, or the sweeping carriageways that interlink the whole city together, and take you out to the sticks where you can see massive energy stations,a giant burning rubbish heap, hidden slums or even abandoned half way stations leading to a new city the corps have left half finished. All the while flying cars litter the skies above with massive cargo ships, and giant advertisements that blend straight into the clouds. It would be more fun if you could get a flying car, or like a mech suit or even parkour cybernetics that would make traversal far more fun and the world more open. Sadly the closest you’ll get to that is either double jump or boosters in your leg slot for your cyberware.
Shooting now feels far better and more responsive than before, which is an integral part of the game as you have to gun down hundred if not thousands of enemies in the various missions. Whether it’s the main quest, gigs offered to you be every districts fixers, NCPD hustles and active assaults, which near 200 hundred dotted over the entire map, or side missions, it’s nice to feel that as you upgrade your desired weapon tree that the later levels and perks really feel worth your time. Ammo for my rifle being my main weapon of choice though was always a bit of issue, I would run out all the time with the max you can hold being 700. I would always have to run to gun shops between missions as crafting ammo isn’t very economical and most ammo crates contained shotgun and pistol ammo.
I feel for the most part weapon and armour choice is fantastic but it’d be nice if there were some real hard to buy/unlock weapons and complete special sets of armour with dedicated bonuses across the board. This in turn would aid in your character build as even though weapons have elemental like effects for the most part it’s just an added gimmick, but more in-depth or a new skill tree to build on this would be the icing on cake as for the most part the armour you’d only pick the ones with the highest defence and armour bonus as the other perks were kinda shit.
For all there is to do in night city, a few more side missions wouldn’t go a miss this is something I do still feel they are short on, especially as having 5 main side characters with their own missions to complete, most feel an after thought. Rogue only has two missions, and River has three and his story could’ve been really fucking good if it was fleshed out more. And considering rogues story if completed can give you one of the 5 different endings you’d think more effort should’ve been spent there. Not that some of the more smaller ones aren’t fun like the sentient drinks vending machine Brendan, or the guy who’s cybernetic dong explodes on him. I also think some of the fixers should’ve had more gigs to give you. With Pacifica’s Mr Hands being annexed entirely, only giving you just a random one that unlocks along with the story, for the most part that entire area is lacking. This to a point also plays into the opening sequence with Jackie, rather then having a couple missions to play and get to know him better it’s all played out over a couple minutes worth of a cutscene.
The whole game is gritty,dark and utterly unforgiving, and this is reflected perfectly in the city itself. Each districts has it’s own distinct feel and design which are mirrored in the different gangs, some partake in extreme cybernetic modding and drugs which has ruined their remaining pysche. The human trafficking where people are gutted for parts to be sold. All this is a stark contrast to the bustling street markets and neon lit world around you, especially when you enter the corpo district with all the high rise offices and pent house apartments, which are still controlled from either dodgy dealings or just outright by the upper echelons of the Tyger Claws and Mox. With this even not escaping the upper classes as one of the best side missions you find out the potential next mayors’, brain has been transfigured to someone elses design with memory and personality manipulation. Which for me is where the expansions should lead onto as I feel there is much to be had there for exploration. Adding more lore building onto the netrunners of the city, who hack into everything and everyone.
Quick hacks in the game are a cool feature, allowing you to personally hack people or electronics in your surroundings. With the higher tier ones being the best, detonate grenades in peoples pockets, force them to commit suicide, cripple their movement or spread a virus among neighbouring allies, stunting them for easier take downs. If you want to go a more indirect route you can drop weights bars on them when they are working out, trigger tv, alarms to distract enemies, hack into the main servers through cameras and many many more options for you.
The entire world is fleshed out perfectly that only more minute and subtle details can add to the overall atmosphere. Say a few more shop fronts, maybe a few more missions with specific gangs,and some deeper more meaningful side missions. With the entire jacking in of personal constructs into machines, and the human modding this game has endless scenarios that it can go down. With the incredible engaging if not slightly short main story interwoven between all this. Great combat, along with choice of weapons at your disposal with a myriad styles of play at your fingertips. Up the level cap from 50, and add one maybe two more skill trees in. More personal customisation on your cars, weapons and character themselves all for making the replay value or choice of skill tree with the respec option becomes far more appealing. I could go on about all the other cool shit I’d like to see added in but I’ll wait patiently.
With more fixes on the horizon and confirmed expansions the skies the limit for this game, and potential series. I only see it getting better and better from here on out. And as of patch 1.5 it’s very nearly redeemed itself already. With potential to become one of my favourite games of all time. So lets hope that a new game plus mode drops some time soon as I will 100% be picking this game back up to go through again, this time to do a blade, slowing down time build to make use of the super cool mantis blades.
I’d certify this game a solid 10/10 real fuckin’ tasty
There is so much to love about this game now it’s practically fixed, and really deserves your time again or if you are a new player. With so much content packed into a near breathing, living city that is riddled with corruption and plagued by the biggest questions of life. Such as what happens to humanity with the addition of A.I, humans no longer dying, what makes a human, human, even personality constructs. This game storytelling is probably the biggest draw for me and really makes the weight of the actions of V seem of high importance, all fuelling the ending of your choice.
Released, 10th December 2020, Sony Playstation 4.
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