CD Projekt Red's latest RPG, Cyberpunk 2077, has been making waves in the industry as of late, though not probably as intended due to the various controversies that happened during the launch. Despite a rocky start and ongoing problems, Cyberpunk 2077 does have some redeeming qualities.
One of the best things about Cyberpunk 2077, and CDPR's RPGs in general, are the characters. Most of them are multi-faceted personalities with a rich backstory and constantly evolving motivations, and in Night City, a few manage to capture attention the most.
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Johnny Silverhand built Night City on Rock and Roll, and combined with Keanu Reeves' acting chops, it goes a long way in truly feeling for the character. Johnny is trapped in the player's mind and talks to him at various times over the course of the game, but as annoying of a character as he can be sometimes, Johnny has an exclusive charm to him that is, simply put, irreplaceable. With Silverhand playing a prominent role from start to finish, it's a better experience that he does bring such charm to the table.
Judy is one of the most beloved characters in Cyberpunk 2077, as her role in the overarching story is both interesting and heartfelt. Throughout the game, she also proves to be an equally caring and faithful friend, provided that V makes the correct choices. Her questline contains some of the best quests in Cyberpunk 2077, and if players play their cards right, they can even go as far as to romance Judy and form a relationship with her.
Jaquito Welles, referred to as Jackie, remains inside most players' thoughts long after he is gone. Jackie speaks Spanish at times and constantly talks about loyalty and family, and in terms of character building, it's a powerful, identifying trait before and after. A faithful friend to V with an instantly recognizable personality, thoughts of Jackie serve as a relief for V as the player slowly dives deeper and deeper into the crimes and secrets that Night City beholds.
Panam Palmer is another fan-favorite, one used to work for Rogue until she messed up an assignment. One of the more aggressive characters in the game, players who wish to build a relationship with Panam need to know that she doesn't like taking orders. A big part of romancing Panam requires V to take her side whenever she seems to get into an argument and take things slowly and steadily, but the pay off for Cyberpunk 2077 players is well worth investing time into the character for.
The focal point of Cyberpunk 2077, V is the incarnation of the player and is made by and for choices. Players can choose how V looks and their stats along with one of the three possible lifepaths, namely the Corporate, Nomad, or Street Kid. These paths alter the beginning of the game, and soon enough, V is let loose in Night City. It's then up to the player to choose the people with whom they wish to form a relationship and how they want to do it. The number of choices on offer is staggering and everything culminates in one of Cyberpunk 2077's endings. V's relationship with Johnny deserves a special mention as it serves as an example of how either of them can choose to influence the other, be it for the best or not.
Cyberpunk 2077 is out now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X upgrades in development.