During E3 2018, there was finally substantial footage of Cyberpunk 2077 to see. Unlike Cortyn, Micha is absolutely thrilled and can hardly wait to roam through the crazy Night City himself.
After fans had to wait for years, a trailer for Cyberpunk 2077 was finally shown during the Xbox press conference at E3 2018. Not much was revealed about the RPG itself, but the footage gave a good insight into what players can expect from the future world of the role-playing game.
Colorful and Dirty – Welcome to Night City
After the announcement, Cyberpunk 2077 was barely more than a title to keep in mind for me. After all, CD Projekt RED was very sparing with information about the sci-fi role-playing game. I also never really got into the Witcher series of the developer and preferred to watch friends play instead of stepping into the role of the Witcher Geralt of Rivia.
The trailer for Cyberpunk 2077 quickly caught me by surprise.
Trailer shows the Dirty Reality
I was completely swept away by the trailer shown – With Cortyn, it even destroyed the hype. In the beginning, the protagonist talks about how his city was chosen as the worst place to live – and after seeing the images, you believe it too. However, the video had more to offer than just an anonymous city full of strange characters.
A quick overview is offered to the viewer: Punks hanging out on the street. People living in gigantic apartment buildings, while snazzy suit wearers land one job after another. Colorful holograms promote consumption while citizens are beaten on the open street, and androids and cyborgs are part of everyday life.
Blade Runner meets Dredd meets Deus Ex meets the old Shadowrun role-playing game on the SNES. It is precisely this gap between this sleek, wealthy vision of the future and the dark, impoverished side of the city that captivates me completely.
This is a Different Story than Told in The Witcher
The cold outside perspective on the activities in Night City is also what sold the city to me. Viewers can be horrified as they follow how bleak and rough life is in Cyberpunk 2077. Eat or be eaten.
I could also find something to appreciate about the somewhat emotionless and unsympathetic nature of the protagonist. In Cyberpunk 2077, the player is not Geralt of Rivia, who despite his gruff nature always tries to do the right thing. In this future RPG, we are someone who wants to survive in a ruthless world and maybe even throws their moral compass overboard for a chance at a piece of success.
I Believe in CD Projekt
I can understand the people who are disappointed after the trailer or perhaps expected something different from Cyberpunk 2077. However, for me, it’s precisely this mix of cheesy 80s flair, colorful retro-future look, and the violence that apparently is the order of the day in Night City in 2077 that makes it appealing.
Furthermore, I believe that CD Projekt RED knows exactly what they are doing and are taking extra time to make sure Cyberpunk 2077 is a real hit. The trailer certainly makes me eager for more. Now, however, please let’s not wait for years again until we see the next footage of Cyberpunk 2077.
