Cyberpunk 2077has just received what’s supposed to be itsfinal(or is it?) major update, version 2.1, alongside the Ultimate Edition. So has the game’s redemption arc finally come to an end? Rolling out hefty updates for a non-live-service title consistently over three years isn’t something you see too often, and it just underlines how far off the mark the game was back in December 2020 whenCD Projekt Redunleashed it, trying to ride the hype train after all that massive marketing.
Let’s take a moment to reflect: somehow, four years ago, CDPR believed that Cyberpunk 2077 was good to go, setting an original release date as early as April 2020. Today, the list of features added since then could probably fill a novel, and it’s almost as long as what the game had to offer back in the day when it served as nothing more than an early alpha of the things to come (albeit one you had to buy at full price).
Rinse And Repeat
I never touched Cyberpunk 2077 until the next-gen update rolled out in February 2022, which at the time was tipped as being the ‘definitive’ way to play the game. After all, the 1.5 update showed up over a year post-launch—surely it’s gotta have everything that wasn’t quite ready on release or didn’t work properly, right? If only I knew how many features were still missing from the package,I’d definitely wait another couple of years.
But that was just the kick-off for Cyberpunk 2077’s prolonged road to redemption. Back in September, prior to thePhantom Libertyexpansion’s release, the studio declared that the massive 2.0 update, so significant that it forces you into a fresh playthrough, would be the title’slastbig update. And once again, I fell for the studio’s pledge.
Vehicular Combat Is Now My Favorite Part Of Cyberpunk 2077
Driving and vehicle combat in Cyberpunk 2077 have been completely overhauled in Phantom Liberty, and the execution is flawless.
I did my homework,replaying the entirety of Cyberpunk 2077 alongside Phantom Liberty, aiming to conclude my journey with the title on the highest note possible. It turned out to be an overall fantastic experience, one that currently has almost no rivals.Starting from 2.0, it’s a game that totally deservesyour precious time and full attention.
Yet, with the 2.1 update releasing with a ton of fresh gameplay features like a functional NCART metro system boasting 19 stations across five different lines, optional hangouts with your romantic interests at V’s place, and even revamped boss fights, I can’t help but feel deceived by CDPR’s marketing all over again. It’s just baffling why every significant update gets tagged as the ‘last’ when, truth be told, it’s not.
Ultimate FOMO
Complaining about Cyberpunk 2077 getting a tail of completely free content updates for so long is definitely an odd thing to do, so let’s not do that. CDPR’s efforts are truly commendable. Adding even more new content and highly-requested features that didn’t make it into the 2.0 patch, all at no additional cost, was no doubt a time-costly (and costly-costly) endeavour for CDPR.
Yet, despite all my patience, the way the studio treated this title kept me (and probably many others) from experiencing this gem at its fullest. I doubt I will ever play the game in its current Ultimate form, with all the bells and whistles added and polished to their intended state. To its credit, the 2.1 update at least won’t force you into starting a new playthrough, so that’s a bit of a relief.
Why Are We So Critical Of Cyberpunk 2077’s Open World?
Night City might not be a flawlessly vivid environment, but which open worlds truly are?
This whole Ultimate Edition thing gives me a bit of FOMO now. I don’t want to play Cyberpunk 2077 anymore, but the idea of having Radioport to listen to music on the go or unlimited hangout events sounds tempting. With almost 200 hours invested so far in two full playthroughs and the Phantom Liberty storyline, I wonder if I ever want to return to Night City—especially given how little variety it offers in terms of role-playing options. Itserves mostly as a cinematic rollercoaster, a ride that’s at its prime during the first go-around. And now, some 1090 days later, it’s better than ever.
Can’t Escape The Past
Unlike many other popular RPGs that usually rely on the mod community to introduce additional features into the final game (thinkBethesda), the team at CDPR seemingly decided to take matters into their own hands, perhaps in an attempt to reclaim their good name. Now, with the current build of Cyberpunk 2077 etched onto those Ultimate Edition discs, the studio probably hopes that moving forward we will finally forget about the terrible 1.0 version for good.
Nevertheless, the studio has shown that it values its community and is ready to go the extra mile to fulfill their requests. It’s a shame I will never play the ‘best’ version of the game for the first time, but I’m genuinely happy for everyone who now can. It’s finally time, chooms. Until CDPR announces the 2.2 patch that finally adds flying cars, I suppose.
