Cyberpunk 2077 Perfected the GTA Fantasy

Street Kid Lifestyle

The first time I loaded into a Grand Theft Auto game, my jaw fell open. I felt the same way the first time I saw Cyberpunk 2077. Nearly a decade apart, both experiences blew my mind on what was possible in the world of gaming. Seeing the city of Los Santos fully realized in GTA V was truly incredible. The beachfront homes, the realistic downtown, reactionary NPCs, and all the little details made me feel as if I was walking the streets of LA in real life.

To this day, GTA V is a modern marvel that never ceases to amaze me at its immersion and attention to detail. Never could I have imagined a game could make me feel that way again.

Enter Cyberpunk 2077. Loading into the bar for the first time as a street kid and having a photorealistic bartender ask me if I wanted a drink left me speechless. I thought this was insanely impressive even if it was only a small scene in an interior, speaking with one NPC. Little did I know that exiting V’s apartment for the first time would blow my mind and cause me to stand on the sidewalk for a full five minutes just to take in what I was seeing. Night City is a astonishing rendition of a near future, post-capitalistic, dystopian city. From the over top ads, to the ridiculously clothed people walking the streets and the skyscrapers threatening to block out the sky, it is as amazing as it is horrifying.

Embrace the Darkness

One of the most interesting parts of the Grand Theft Auto Series was how the developers refused to shy away from its adult and dark themes: gangs, drug deals, and even the harming of innocent people. Rockstar always allowed the player to fully inhabit that identity. It could get very dark at times, even uncomfortable, but that always served to further the world. No one can deny that Grand Theft Auto makes you feel like you’re a part of the criminal underworld without ever having to leave the comfort of your couch.

Cyberpunk takes this idea and turns it up to eleven. Due to how abominable Night City is, V’s journey becomes the total fulfillment of the GTA fantasy. Crime lords hire you to carry out hits on their targets. You burn entire brothels to the ground. Car chases with passenger gunfire are commonplace. Gang wars are constantly waged right in front of you. Cyberpunk doesn’t shy away from these dark moments and lets you see every last thing, no matter how evil and disturbing it might be.

This is why I believe Cyberpunk is GTA perfected. You inhabit this character and become the lynch pin in Night City’s criminal underworld. You aren’t just told about rival gangs and general goings on, you are completely immersed in it. It leaves behind the need for full realism that GTA adheres to and lets you go hog wild with your full arsenal of crazy mantis blades, cybernetic implants, and your trusty malorian handgun. Because in Cyberpunk there is only one thing that matters: Becoming Legend.

“If you were expecting a light-hearted affair full of futuristic hijinks then you might not find what you want here – though it does let its hair down every once in a while. Instead, what Cyberpunk 2077 delivers is a surprisingly serious story that's genuinely touching at times, with gameplay that lets you be in charge of your destiny.”

— Richard Seagrave, Author at GameSpew.com

Incredible Worlds Deserve to be Explored

I encourage all of you reading who are interested in deep open world games to give these a try. Yes, the themes may be dark and no punches are pulled, but there are also incredibly rich and even tender moments that make these games works of art. Rockstar has created some of the most iconic characters with the GTA series and their writing has been praised for years as being top notch. Their games allow you to sink into an intensely detailed open world full of things to discover and the opportunity to craft your own story with the blueprints they provide. Although CD Projekt Redd has only risen to stardom in more recent years, they are just as competent. Cyberpunk is only one of their amazing games and I do hope everyone takes the opportunity to play it at some point to see the mastery that was achieved here. Take some time, put away your phone, and completely immerse yourself in the GTA fantasy that these two masterpieces create.