I stayed completely 'dark' on all Cyberpunk previews, videos and news until today. Some of the professional reviews do not fail to amuse me "flawed ... (yet) 100/100".
Such a big release of an open-world game, it is impossible to satisfy everyone? As the American Philosopher Shane Bettenhausen famously said: "Not every game can be for everyone (Garnett)".
The comment from Kallie Plagge towards the end of this video was particularly interesting "... stuck in the eighties" (I also recommend The Verge's review - thoughtful & 'critical' in the best sense). They cannot afford to be more bold, without losing potential 'customers'? Too bad. Really.
I will gladly wait another 12 months until the scripting bugs and other game-breaking glitches are polish(!)ed out ... IF the remaining developers survive the post-release patch-marathon crunch-after-crunch ... ehm ... crunch.
I am still not convinced that I need it for my 1440p/144Hz gaming. Granted, the hardware architecture is a 'leap' forward, but for whom? Nvidia has successfully brainwashed their streamer and gamIng audiences with "Raytracing" and "DLSS", yet, those 'minor' effects come with a huge price: 320 Watt to look at those pathfinded rays, rendering in Quake2 = you go first.
And the lower the resolution, the less significant the difference in frames. If you have a 1080 Ti - imho - you are still fine up to 1440p. If you bought a 2070 - stay with it.
What 'gamers' have to do is a sober 'cost-analysis' = what am I getting for how much (not just price) and THEN also consider: "What am I using my PC mostly for?" THAT answer may well be "watching Twitch" and/or playing "Fortnite" or CSGO or whatever it is - hence - no real 'need' for a 1000Watt PSU?
Especially, when users might consider: RTX 3080 or XBONE X + PS5?
I find this a very clever experimental idea and offering from the developer and publisher. For 10 bucks (current sale still on) this is a no-brainer.
It is a more approachable and less punishing experience, not having to stop or restart again a full playthrough many times in XCOM & XCOM 2 and maybe not seeing the 'end of the game' ever, since most players give up long before. It is not 'better' or 'worse' ... it is just (deliberately) a different experience.
This is clearly meant to attract a wider audience, so naturally older 'new XCOM' players will criticize it, since it is not the vanilla flavor they wanted (again), for the third time.
I personally, enjoy how the game uses fresh ideas, introduces story-based characters and the gameplay is still satisfying and makes me keep playing. Also, "Torque" (Viper). How do you not want to play as a flak-jacket wearing snake, pulling friends and enemies with your frog-tongue towards you and then squezzing them very tight?
To quote the American Philosopher Shane Bettenhausen for the millionth time: "Not every game can be for everyone, Garnett...".
Crunch in the video game industry is NOT an unsolvable problem. We are now in the 5th decade of wide spread commercial video game development. There is this absurd goldrush, early years "crunch culture" mentality, still instilled in most gamedev workplaces, long after the "EA spouses" cried 'foul'.
There ARE a few, good studios out there, which can pride themselves on being A) against crunch and B) maternity-leave friendly - for many years now. There need to be more.
You can be 'passioned' about your work and STILL go home at night, to see your family and play with your kids. Michelangelo and Da Vinci did. Rembrandt had his own shop (with employees!) too. Why are game developers held hostage? Because the companies can exploit them. Do not let them?!
The beauty for me - as a PC-centric player - is the diversity of games on the PC platform. From mobile to console games - everything finds its way unto the PC? And then there are the PC-only games - from game jams, to experimental to obscure niche titles, which never make it into any 'video game database'.
I am surprised every year by something new, something small or grand and unexpected. With old age, I started judging games not by "good" or "bad", but rather by "interesting" or "less interesting" moments within. As we all know, even 'bad' games can have 'interesting' moments and overall 'great games' can have their ... weak spots? The 'bigger' the game, the wider audiences it has to serve simultaneously?
As a wise man once said "not every game can be for everyone, Garnett" (Lee) - Yes, I am quoting Shane Bettenhausen, circa 2009.
My personal "Top 5" looks completely different ... and that's okay. That is what makes it a great platform. :)
I am still in the very early stage of this game. It is captivating in a surprising way. The first game with "player with dog" that I find engaging, due to the dog mechanics and interactions.
Also, the visual tricks (Chromatic Aberration etc.) and the wood itself looks very convincing. Not your vanilla foliage assets dump. From your first steps you are immersed and busy in trying to find clues and interacting with you dog.
Early on, you learn, the character you play has his issues. It is something you want to explore and feels convincing in the execution. Narrative elements done right.
I can see how this game may fall apart later on. But I still enjoy the part that works. It is the kind of cinematic, interactive story-telling, where you are in control. A 'movie'-ish game, or a game-ish movie.
I still am scratching my head how Ubisoft wants to sell ANY new game, if they are immediately available on UPlay+? You play all their games for a month and then just cancel the sub for 6 months or a year, before new games are available?
Probably, the vast amount of players is nothing like me. They like to buy 'a game' and stick to it, until it is emptied out and the smell is gone, like an old bottle of Jack Daniels?
Making all DLC also available on UPlay+ beats the purpose of using the base game as a (free) marketing tool to sell DLC to players?
If anyone has any idea on how these Ubi-nomics work, please do contact me. I am eager to learn a new economic theory.
@PrpleTrtleBuBum: Indeed! I also feel like I am missing out on some quality game/gameplay. These devs certainly do make their games with passion.
It is just me, who sees the world grounded in reality ... and then something mystical, magical, X-Files-ey has to happen. I can suddenly shoot lasers with my hands kind of amazing, yet "force-grip" in Jedi Knight never bothered me.
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