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Cyberpunk 2077. A game that has faced a lot of hype — and backlash. I was lucky enough to buy and download the game before it was removed from stores. This article will cover a spoiler-free overview of the game, including everything a player should know before entering Night City. Ignore the next two paragraphs to skip lore.

Night City is a booming and crime-filled metropolis by the Northern California waterfront. But you never will hear the words “US” or “USA”; America was renamed NUSA, the new United States of America, after several civil wars took place. During these wars, corporations began their rise to power and dictatorship. The lack of solid government in many states enabled companies to further profit and control their regions and economies. When the original US government regained power, they unified the 51 states and territories under the NUSA. Militech, a megacorp specializing in armor, weapons, and anything destructive really, held the NUSA's hand through it all. As time progressed, the line between government and Militech blurred. Militech practically became a branch of the NUSA's government. Throughout each of the many devastating wars, Europe and many parts of the globe became uninhabitable due to global warming or they became nuclear wastelands. The amount of waste and chemicals in the environment not only caused the rarity of wild animals and sea life, but also forced farms to start producing only synthetic meat. Also, acid rain.

The other two companies you will tangle with are Arasaka and Kiroshi. Arasaka, the biggest Corp in the world, has a scarily strong grasp on every nation. Originally a Japanese-based company, Arasaka migrated over to America when it was still called the USA. They specialize in corporate security, banking, and manufacturing. However, they were a big hoss in the corporate wars — yes, companies fighting over territory with legitimate weapons in order to remain at the top of the food chain. You will find that Act 1 immediately throws you into Arasaka's business. Kiroshi is the most peaceful company, specializing in cybernetics and genetic enhancement. They produce top-of-the-line parts that you are guaranteed to use throughout the game.

Now back to Night City. As mentioned, Arasaka is the biggest corp in the city and owns many buildings and businesses. With such a big corporate influence, you would figure Night City would have high wealth and an incredible economy. That is, unfortunately, not the case. In 2077, the city was voted the worst place to live in the country. The economic divide has dramatically increased poverty rates and kept very few people wealthy. The wealthy are the few citizens who can afford health care and proper living situations. Besides the Arasaka waterfront in Watson, only one of the five districts, predictably the City Center, has a high income average. The rest of the districts vary in levels of squalor and crime. The other districts besides Watson and City Center are Westbrook, Santo Domingo, Heywood, and Pacifica.

Throughout these districts roam a diverse array of dangerous gangs. The first gangs any player will encounter are the Tyger Claws, Maelstrom, Valentinos, and Moxes. The Tyger Claws are a surprisingly stylish and less honorable version of the Japanese Yakuza. They will be a big pain in the butt for most beginning side missions of V's story, which is over a hundred hours long, including the thirty hours or more the main story takes. Maelstrom consists of crazy bikers, a lot of synthetic leather, and cheap cybernetics. What happens with the Moxes could be considered a spoiler, so I will not specify what they do. The Valentinos are a Latino gang concentrated in Heywood with a love for gold. Your partner in crime, Jackie Welles, is a former member and current affiliate. As V, the customizable main protagonist, you will run into the other various gangs as you venture into different districts.

V will start in a different area with a unique backstory depending on which route you choose. The first option is Corpo, where V will start as the hitman and corporate drone of a high ranking Arasaka hot-head. The second is Street Kid, where V will begin as an affiliate of the Valentinos in Heywood, taking care of a friend's debt. The final option is Nomad, where V will start as a disgraced member of the Bakker clan, leaving the Badlands to smuggle in stolen goods to Night City. Regardless of the route you choose, Jackie Welles will always be your partner with an accordingly changed background. Keep in mind that V's backstory and gender does affect romance and dialogue options. Once the opening of your character’s backstories is over (about forty minutes of plot and gameplay), V and Jackie will end up in Watson. Watson is the only district you can explore until Act 1 ends, and the plot is set into motion (cue Keanu Reeves).

You will have plenty of opportunities to build V’s personality through side and main missions. How you handle yourself as a player will affect not only how many eddies (eurodollars) you make, but your relationship with the side characters as well. My advice is to follow gut feelings on who you can trust and who will definitely try to pull a fast one. There are approximately six endings to the game and plenty of decisions V can make during each mission. Very few plot events are set in stone. Act 1 gives you the illusion of choice in some cases, but the last mission has a definite ending. Each character has their own motives, so it is important to consider if they align with V’s.

Another RPG trademark Cyberpunk possesses is the character skill tree, where you can build a unique and overpowered V. The three main combat styles are guns blazing, stealth, and hacking. Occasionally, you can talk your way out of situations and avoid killing, but it is not a solid play style for Night City. I highly recommend investing most points into body, technical ability, and intelligence. Oftentimes, those skills will give you shortcuts and advantages throughout combat and dialogue. Cool is a perfect skill for smooth talking, as it allows you to ask for more eddies. For cybernetics, gorilla arms and double jump have always been my go-to, especially for the “Beat on the Brat” missions where V will be thrown into the fighting ring with quite a few formidable opponents.

If you ever get bored of Night City, V can always venture out into the Badlands. The Badlands are the harsh and unforgiving desert surrounding Night City. They have a gang system of their own, but each member is called a Nomad regardless. There are seven Nomad nations, each divisible into tribes, clans, and finally, families. Nomads are a form of Boogeyman in Night City news and entertainment, oftentimes stereotyped as evil savages that reject societal order. The Badlands residents and atmosphere remind me of Sandy Shores in GTA V; it's filled to the brim with weird bikers, wannabe Mad Maxes, and cybernetic cowboys.

As far as gameplay itself, Cyberpunk 2077 is similar to other first-person shooters and RPGS. Combat is overall easy in normal mode if you know how to handle yourself; I would even recommend doing hard mode for the first playthrough. However, the driving mechanics are the worst I have ever encountered. Steering feels like trying to Tokyo Drift on black ice, and the only enjoyable driving experience is with motorcycles. Aiming can be a pain in the beginning due to the kickback of the guns, but you can unlock perks and spend skill points to easily take care of accuracy issues. Clothing will at first be random as you scavenge throughout Night City, but as you progress you can upgrade, craft, and buy some pretty unique and appealing pieces.

Cyberpunk 2077 is no doubt a great game with an interesting plot and fun role-playing options. My only complaint besides the ridiculous glitches and texture problems is the lack of meaningful connections you feel within the game. Most of the romance options besides Judy are very sudden and should not have been a focal point of advertising. And no, you cannot romance Keanu Reeves. In the many hours I played, I found that the most likable characters were robots. Seriously. Once patches are released, Cyberpunk 2077 will definitely be worth your while.