Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.0 – A Massive Step to the Perfect Game
Three Years of Fixes: A New Beginning
Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 is here with us since autumn 2023. The sensational game by CD Projekt RED has thoroughly improved. It has become playable and a full-fledged game you want to play, want to play through and admire. And the game is absolutely worth your attention, even for those who have already completed it, just like me almost 2 years ago. Has the Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.0 finally created the game we were waiting for? Let’s figure out what awaits us through our extensive review!
Cyberpunk 2077 has come a long, long way since the original version received disappointing reviews in 2020, with low scores. But the developers, having survived all sorts of obstacles, could find the strength in themselves not to give up the game and make it better, stronger, and, of course, more beautiful. Their improvement journey can be easily seen since its release on PS5. Now, having spent over 70 hours with the game’s highly anticipated 2.0 update, I can confidently call it a superior open-world experience. This truly game-changing patch significantly improves Cyberpunk 2077 and makes it almost exactly what we wanted it to be. The gameplay has undergone the most impressive changes. We’ve always enjoyed the game’s sharp and bloody action. Still, it could sometimes feel sloppy, with weak controls and a degree of jerkiness holding it back. But in version 2.0, all this was stretched out. If we talk about battles, I can guarantee you that now you will feel like those guys from a video on YouTube who do unimaginable things. Movements have become more precise, and aiming has become much better. It’s hard to explain in writing, but the game feels solid and confident.
Night City 2.0: First Hours Back
But before I start going into all aspects of the game, I would like to tell my story about this game. In 2022, sat at home and waited for the courier to deliver the game I’ve heard so much about, which was announced back in 2012 by the way. I waited until the very last moment to finally press the PS button on my PS4 controller and start. In the same or previous years, games such as Horizon Forbidden West, Resident Evil 8, The Last of Us Part II, Ghost of Tsushima or It Takes Two, and many other great ones were released. And now the moment has come. Bluelight Playstation are on fire, and here it is, Cyberpunk. And yes, I specifically skipped all sorts of gameplay shows and everything else. This was just my one-on-one time with this game… At least for the first hour before, I went back to these things, studied them, and tweaked all the settings.
At that time, my “combat machine” was the PlayStation mentioned above 4, which had its best years long behind it, but still somehow managed. But with big compromises. Still, it didn’t stop Cyberpunk sci-fi from being enjoyed by me. Anyway, I started playing without paying much attention to the settings, for the game’s introduction. I go through the first missions with a smile on my face, and as soon as the open world begins. Well, you already know what happened next. But still, I can say with confidence that on my first day, I spent roughly 15 hours straight in the game. I remember this number very well on the time counter from my unofficial PS phone app. The next day, I sat down again and started playing. Yes, there were problems, but the game captured me, and I continued to play and enjoy it. After a few days, I almost quit the game, but I remember returning to it anyway every other day, I was stubborn and tried to forgive that game (and also my then 7-year-old and weak console). Almost everything, enthusiasm and frustration took their toll but I continued on until the game’s epic emotional end. And a “bit” later, the platinum trophy which took over 100 hours. Yes, I was a masochist back then doing this. In 30fps (at its best). But it was worth it. I really enjoyed the world and the story.
I even watched how my friends played, became attached to the characters, looked for beautiful shots, and even more streamers returned to this game again. And I was happy for CD PROJEKT RED because, after many fix updates, it was a small victory, and tremendous opportunities opened up for them as time passed after I finished the game myself.
Streets Reborn: Visual Evolution
But now is 2024 and here I am, completed version 2.0 of the game. This time on the PlayStation 5 with great performance, I made many promises from the technical side before playing. When you return to the game, you remember what exactly was good and also wrong (very often). You have doubts about how it will be this time. Sometimes, there was something wrong with the NPCs, something was wrong with the traffic, something was wrong with the shooting, and the game was barely playable at 25-30 fps when looking back. Now imagine my surprise when your character is standing at night in the middle of a crowded street where there are a lot of NPCs who are different and attractive with their variety and clothes. After a few seconds, a policeman passes from behind, and you turn the camera a little to the right and see that the traffic has become busier. And those were just my first impressions after less than a few minutes.
Systems Rebuilt: Core Changes
Now finally to the changes of this massive update! When you open your inventory, you immediately notice a change in clothing. Previously, clothing provided specific armor and resistances, but now this is not the case, but it is provided by modules that can be changed at any time. You go into the skills, and here everything is entirely new, and while I was distributing everything I could, night fell. And then the city began to shine, and it simply came to life, reflections, neon rays. You can’t even imagine how surprised I was and looked at all these details like a small child looks at fireworks. And then my long hours began to re-learn this game.
I understood one thing about driving around the city because recently, I just spent a considerable amount of time “studying” Starfield, which also had a troubled start. I am realizing how grateful I am and how much I like the world of Cyberpunk. Yes, it is small compared to Starfield; nothing is flying here, and compared to the same game, it is limited in capabilities. But it wasn’t until I watched Starfield closely that I realized how well Cyberpunk had ended. Although both games had very difficult beginnings, at least Cyberpunk is not as hollow as its counterpart from the classic Bethesda production.
Combat Evolution: Sharp and Deadly
Combat is now based on fully developed skill trees, divided into primary abilities and secondary perks. You can view new skills and build your build on the kindly created for our website. At the start of the game, all of your perk points will be ready to you, and you will have the opportunity to reallocate all of your base ability ranks once, given how much they have changed.
The idea is that abilities fundamentally define how you play, and perks reinforce their parent abilities with stat modifiers and additional effects. For example, the Body tree has an incredibly fun ability that allows you to pick up weakened enemies, hold them above your head, and throw them with enough force to explode on impact with a hard surface.
On the other end of the spectrum, there is an ability that allows netrunners to queue up hacks on a single target, instantly suppressing them. Another ability replaces your standard dodge with an air dash, instantly making you a mobility monster, and it gets even crazier if you unlock the air dash from above. And the ability that allows you to deflect bullets with your katana, potentially sending them back to the shooter if you time it right. In some ways, the skill trees have been greatly simplified, but the sense of progression has been greatly enhanced. Each skill point spent clearly impacts how you act, which is very important in a game where character development is key. The process of leveling up and creating the perfect mercenary is now truly rewarding.
Smart Streets: AI Evolution
Enemy AI has also been adjusted. Roughly speaking, your opponents take on more defined roles during combat. Heavy shotguns and psychopaths with mantis blades will, unsurprisingly, attack your position. At the same time, smaller enemies armed with simple pistols or cheap rifles will sit in cover. Snipers and netrunners will send us “gifts” from distant hideouts. I’m saying that the combat feels a lot more dynamic, but it’s still possible to take advantage of the AI’s bad habits. Enemies will still pour through doorways one after another, practically begging to be shot in the head. And if you’re playing stealth, suspicious guards can still slowly walk in circles as if they have a big sign attached to their back. Improvements also apply to non-hostile NPCs, who are now much more responsive to violence and nearby shootouts. Still, the accuracy of “friendly” police officers or the accuracy of shots during gang warfare remains a question, but nothing can be done about it.
There’s noticeably a much greater emphasis on skill-based gameplay, with effective use of your key abilities playing a huge role in whether you can escape an encounter unscathed. In short, it’s not about the numbers but your moment-to-moment game decisions and basic character-building. Does this mean the 2.0 update has made Cyberpunk 2077 less of an RPG?
The game currently feels more like open-world action. Still, again, the emphasis on truly impressive abilities reinforces concepts like unique character builds – and that’s a very positive outlook for an RPG. CDPR stated that one of the goals of version 2.0 was to emphasize player expression in gameplay, and i believe the team has fully achieved this through a combination of new skill trees and rebalanced combat.
Cyberware Unleashed: New Systems
Under the new system, you can equip many more cyber programs simultaneously. Still, only some pieces of cyber program have a power cost. You start with a relatively low capacity, but perks and leveling up can raise it into the hundreds..Regular clothing no longer gives you armor. Instead, certain types of cyber programs and body enhancements contribute to the appearance of new armor indicators on the cyber programs screen. Skeleton and skin augments provide most armor but come at a high cost.
MaxTac Arrives: Police System Reborn
This is the biggest update of this whole group because I saw how the developers tried to restore the work of the police. Now they have completely managed to do what they worked for, and in essence, this is the police in the style of Grand Theft Auto, only a charged MaxTac squad arrives instead of tanks.
The police will erect barricades on the streets and ram your car, launching a new vehicle combat system. At maximum wanted level, you’ll be thrown MaxTac, a SWAT-style unit designed to take down Cyberpsychos. I got into big fights with the police a few times to test it out and found that I could still handle most cops almost indefinitely, just run around and pick up the ammo.
The game finally has car shootouts, which were shown to us in the official trailer during the release of the first version. It is divided into three types: some cars with built-in real weapons and a lot of armor, drive and shoot for fun, but of course only forward, but that is what it is. Several cars you find or are gifting or buying will be equipped with machine guns and missiles, making the whole thing a Twisted Metal affair.
The second type is that you shoot from two types of weapons that you can use while driving. You can try to shoot exactly in the head and kill the pursuer, or shoot at the car and, as an option, punch the wheel and immobilize them. And remember that if you go the route of a burglar, you can remotely hack the brakes of your pursuers or cause a malfunction and blow up the entire car. The third type, and my favorite, is the ability to jump or slide out of the car and shoot all the enemies in flight in slow motion.
Beyond the Update: Complete Overhaul
This update brings nothing new except improved mechanics and the environment. If you still need to complete it or quit somewhere at the beginning or middle of the game, you can track this simply by tasks. You can safely go through again if the counter is less than 100 completed tasks. If you’re already towards the end of the story, it’s not worth it; there are plenty of places in the game where you can try and touch everything.
In addition to the main improvements, there are improvements in many aspects besides the officially stated ones: the character models, the amount of traffic and characters on the streets, and the animation have improved. The use of healing items and grenades has also changed, and new clothing and weapons have appeared. And there’s a lot more there.
Final Form: Worth Every Wait
I was very impressed with the 2.0 update. Cyberpunk 2077 released earlier than should and we had to wait 3 years for it to reach its current form, and I love it. I really wish they had been there from the beginning because they would have left a lasting impression on far more people. The game has become much more beautiful thanks to new technologies. In places where you just sit and admire what is happening on the screen, I haven’t had such a feeling for a long time from an open world RPG game.
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