A look back at what we know to expect from CDPR’s sci-fi epic.
With E3 fast approaching and all of us eager to get another look at CD Project Red’s upcoming sci-fi epic, We dove back into all our coverage to pull out the coolest info-bits we know so far.
Here are 53 facts and details about Cyberpunk 2077’s gameplay.
Worried Cyberpunk 2077 is due in, well, 2077? Never fear, it’s slated for the current generation of consoles.
Thought this was a new, sci-fi epic? Cyberpunk 2077 finds its roots in the 1990 boardgame Cyberpunk 2020.
Cyberpunk 2077 was built on an entirely new engine from CDProjekt Red, REDengine4.
Cyberpunk 2077 is set in 2077 in the fictional city of Night City, California, somewhere between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The people of Cyberpunk 2077 might not even be able to be considered “human” anymore, as they’re obsessed with augmentation.
Cyberpunk 2077’s dystopian setting takes place in an alternate timeline from our own.
Its currency is the Euro-Dollar, or “Eddie”
Vending Machines dispense various stat-boosting foodstuffs, like this soda that restores health.
Other… less legal substances can be used to similar effect
The Trauma Team is an elite group of combat-trained paramedics ready to provide healing or revives – if you have the E$s to pay them.
Dex here is a Fixer – fixers are the wheelers and dealers of Night City, and can range from low-level street informants to high-ranking crime bosses like him.
If you thought your local subway system was rough, Cyberpunk 2077’s metro map is a nightmare.
The entire E3 2018 demo took place in the area called Watson, to give you an idea of how large Night City really is.
While there are flying cars in Night City, you won’t be able to pilot them (as far as we know)
This car belongs to your friend Jackie, but you’ll likely be able to get your own as well.
What would a futuristic adventure be without some high-octane vehicle combat? Cyberpunk 2077 will have its fair share.
Players can fire from the driver’s seat, or have their AI companions “grab the wheel” to allow them to get better aim.
CDPR Level Designer Miles Tost claims the game is experimenting with fully destructible envirionments.
The environments also have interactable objects that can be used in combat, like dropping this lifted car to create cover
Cyberpunk 2077 is all about its intense single-player campaign.
Multiplayer will not be available at launch, but is planned and won’t just be round after round of deathmatch.
While playing in the world of Cyberpunk 2077, conversations will be “seamless.” Gameplay and cinematics will look nearly identical–and NPCs can be interrupted by the world.
Staying true to Cyberpunk 2020, Cyberpunk 2077’s characters will have deep customization options.
This includes detailed choices about your background, from your childhood hero to why you’ve come to Night City.
Stats include classic RPG stats like Strength, Constitution, Reflex and Intelligence, as well as the Cyberpunk-focused ones Tech and Cool.
COOL in the PnP RPG determined your ability to maintain composure in a firefight, but in 2077 it affects how influential your character is in the world around them.
No matter your personal style, the world around you will respond to your appearance.
The clothing you wear will affect your Street Cred, which helps determine your notoriety and what type of jobs and activities are available to you.
Your inventory will also affect your physical stats, including damage resistances and combat proficiency.
You can inspect items in your inventory to uncover more information about them.
Your character won’t be limited to one specific class, rather you’ll pick skills from one of three thematic pools.
The Netrunner: Experienced and skilled hackers of Night City.
The Techie: This class is for the crafting-obsessed.
The Solo: Lone wolf? This is Cyberpunk 2077’s mercenary class.
Cyberpunk 2077 will, of course, have many companions, including potential romantic partners.
Who V attempts to romance is up to you, the player. Some characters will be more receptive to this depending on your choices during character creation.
The NPCs you’ll meet along the way won’t just guide you to missions, but may also tag along. Each will have their own classes and skills too.
The game’s FPS perspective was chosen in order to fully immerse players in the world, according to the developers.
The HUD features standard details like ammo and health, but doesn’t appear until you upgrade your body with the necessary cyber-optics to see it.
It also shows character levels, enemy health bars, and your damage per shot.
Some upgrades enable passive bonuses, like scanning for weak points or unlocking access to new weapons
Other skills offer more active bonuses, like the Kalashnikov ability that hyper-focuses your combat awareness to effectively slow down time.
Weapons can be customized as well, with different upgrades to parts and ammo.
One weapon module includes seeing how bullets will ricochet and hit enemies hiding behind cover.
Another targeting module allows the player to see enemies behind walls.
Some weapons have multiple firing modes, like this Tech shotgun that fires armor-penetrating slugs or its powered-up charge shot.
Missions and activities can all be completed in different ways depending on your preference as a player.
This can mean talking your way out of a bad situation…
Or opting to use non-lethal takedowns on your enemies.
Engineering, among other skills, can also help players find a variety of ways to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles.
Hacking into enemies can reveal information about enemy hideouts and prevent enemies from firing at you.
Regardless of how you choose to tackle an obstacle (or how badly you may mess up), 2077 will react to how you play. There are no “Game Over” fail states (unless you get iced and can’t afford the Trauma Team)
In fact, in our GamesCom demo, we saw a completely different outcome to this mission based on the choices V made during it.
Aiden Strawhun suspects they were secretly born as the next Sailor Scout, but they’ll settle for writing about games and anime until their time comes. Catch them winning love, fighting evil, and always sobbing @AStraww on Twitter.
JR is a Senior Editor at IGN who really loves tabletop RPGs. When he’s not rolling dice with his party, you can usually find him critically failing on Twitter.
