It's really a shame man. Despite the fact that I had no real hype for this game, it still managed to disappoint me. I don't think it would be hyperbole to say that this game is the biggest letdown in video game history, not just for the game itself but for the company CD Projekt Red.

Lets get one thing out of way now, if you enjoy this game then more power to you. I'd have to be a real POS to want you to not have fun. That said I think we can agree that how CDPR handled this game both pre and post launch has nothing short of deceitful. It doesn't matter what you think of this game, the fact that CDPR did what they did is inexcusable and damaged a lot of respect that I had for this company. I never really played that much Witcher 3 (please don't hit me) but I had respect for what they tried to do as a company, plus their DRM-Free GOG service is something I also can always appreciate. It really seemed like they were the diamond in the rough of these AAA gaming companies but that entirely got washed away with the release of this game. Not only was it not released "when its ready" but they did everything they could to make sure nobody knew just how jacked up this game was.

Anyway, that rant aside this game just isn't anything special in my opinion. Now I wasn't expecting this to be like "Video Games 2" like most people seemed to but I had some basic expectations that somehow also were not met. For one thing I expected the game to actually not be falling apart completely which y'know... oops. I was expecting bugs but man this thing was held together by duct tape on launch and still has a lot way to go now, and the less said about the console versions the better. I also expected this to be... y'know... an RPG. Now yes it has leveling and stats and items and all that good stuff but I mean an RPG where how you play your character actually... y'know... matters. Yeah yeah it was relabeled as an action adventure game at some point but come on, the way this game is presented clearly gives off a kind of choices matter kind of RPG. Plus even if the game was re-branded, I recall an article like 4 months (give or take) where one of the devs said that the game is an RPG first, not a shooter, so bite me. I've heard some people tell me that choices matter but only to such a minimal degree. There are like a couple missions where the actions you take actually have some kind of consequence, everything else is just a different flavored way to have the same outcome. Even if the game wasn't great I likely would have been fine just playing a decent open world RPG and what really annoys me is that the framework for such a game is there... just not utilized.

The game does have a pretty interesting story, one I wont broach here for the sake of spoilers, though the endings leave a bit to be desired. There are some great characters and the writing can really keep you engaged at times. The game also looks really nice, assuming your PC isn't on its last leg trying to run this unoptimized mess. Thing is, the city looks beautiful but has no life, no soul. I walk around Night City and nothing feels... there if that makes sense. Yeah there are NPCs walking around but they have about as much AI as the peds from GTA 3... in 2001. You have some NPCs here and there that deviate from this but all the random NPCs dont do anything to help make this city alive, same with the traffic system (or lack there of really). The games open world feel don't compare to open world games I've played 10 more years ago that made the city you were in feel alive.

I remember someone that I know saying current gen hardware couldn't handle this game is because of all the advanced stuff this game does which is just... the poorest excuse for this game being in the state that its in. Even if this game was that advanced the state of it on current gen consoles is unacceptable. That said... advanced? What's so advanced? What is this game *possibly* doing under the hood? The city has no complex systems and the mechanics in the game are nothing new that I haven't seen in other games released in years past. Also from what I understand there are like 10 perks in the game that straight up don't even work so... yeah, real advanced there bud.

Now I'm not saying that there isn't fun to be had with this game. The combat is decent, and if you like looter shooters this game may scratch that itch a bit, and there are some cool missions and even side quests. The story isn't great but its interesting enough to perhaps carry you through the game, especially if you like the Cyberpunk setting. What I *am* saying though is that even if there's fun to be had, this game just doesn't really do anything that good. There's nothing this game accomplishes that is unique or outstanding, its just average. The only thing this game has is its setting but even that gets a bit quashed due to how lifeless it feels. Patches will help with the bugs and maybe fix things like the police AI or even AI in general and maybe it can help breath some life into the city. However there are still many problems that can't be patched and will leave the game just your average open world adventure. Maybe it needed more time, maybe it needed more love, I don't know what happened with this game but its not nearly what CDPR was selling us on. Its fine, but that's all it is... fine.

There are folk that have gotten upset at me with criticizing this game so much and I know that there are a lot of people really enjoying it who may see all this as nitpicky or that I was expecting too much. I feel like I'm pretty lenient with games, hell I still manage to enjoy the original watch dogs... I'm not saying that game is good just that I enjoy it. Thing is, why would I want to hate this game? I spent 60 bucks on it like everyone else so what do I have to gain by speaking so low about it? I really wanted to like this game, I tried my damnedest to get into it and get immersed but I just couldn't.

I think the biggest loss here is not even this game that has been hyped up for years and years, but the fact that a company that was once revered as the last bastion of AAA gaming has now fallen from grace just like the rest. It's disappointing and I wonder what CDPR will do now. They have a chance to make this right but I think the damage is done and it will never fully recover. Who knows though... maybe I'll be proven wrong.

I cannot recommend this game, especially for 60 dollars. If you see it go on sale or somehow the state of this game improves then maybe its worth taking a look at.

Edit: Game is decently better now, but I'm keeping the negative review due to CDPR's actions

It's really a shame man. Despite the fact that I had no real hype for this game, it still managed to disappoint me. I don't think it would be hyperbole to say that this game is the biggest letdown in video game history, not just for the game itself but for the company CD Projekt Red. Lets get one thing out of way now, if you enjoy this game then more power to you. I'd have to be a real POS to want you to not have fun. That said I think we can agree that how CDPR handled this game both pre and post launch has nothing short of deceitful. It doesn't matter what you think of this game, the fact that CDPR did what they did is inexcusable and damaged a lot of respect that I had for this company. I never really played that much Witcher 3 (please don't hit me) but I had respect for what they tried to do as a company, plus their DRM-Free GOG service is something I also can always appreciate. It really seemed like they were the diamond in the rough of these AAA gaming companies but that entirely got washed away with the release of this game. Not only was it not released "when its ready" but they did everything they could to make sure nobody knew just how jacked up this game was. Anyway, that rant aside this game just isn't anything special in my opinion. Now I wasn't expecting this to be like "Video Games 2" like most people seemed to but I had some basic expectations that somehow also were not met. For one thing I expected the game to actually not be falling apart completely which y'know... oops. I was expecting bugs but man this thing was held together by duct tape on launch and still has a lot way to go now, and the less said about the console versions the better. I also expected this to be... y'know... an RPG. Now yes it has leveling and stats and items and all that good stuff but I mean an RPG where how you play your character actually... y'know... matters. Yeah yeah it was relabeled as an action adventure game at some point but come on, the way this game is presented clearly gives off a kind of choices matter kind of RPG. Plus even if the game was re-branded, I recall an article like 4 months (give or take) where one of the devs said that the game is an RPG first, not a shooter, so bite me. I've heard some people tell me that choices matter but only to such a minimal degree. There are like a couple missions where the actions you take actually have some kind of consequence, everything else is just a different flavored way to have the same outcome. Even if the game wasn't great I likely would have been fine just playing a decent open world RPG and what really annoys me is that the framework for such a game is there... just not utilized. The game does have a pretty interesting story, one I wont broach here for the sake of spoilers, though the endings leave a bit to be desired. There are some great characters and the writing can really keep you engaged at times. The game also looks really nice, assuming your PC isn't on its last leg trying to run this unoptimized mess. Thing is, the city looks beautiful but has no life, no soul. I walk around Night City and nothing feels... there if that makes sense. Yeah there are NPCs walking around but they have about as much AI as the peds from GTA 3... in 2001. You have some NPCs here and there that deviate from this but all the random NPCs dont do anything to help make this city alive, same with the traffic system (or lack there of really). The games open world feel don't compare to open world games I've played 10 more years ago that made the city you were in feel alive. I remember someone that I know saying current gen hardware couldn't handle this game is because of all the advanced stuff this game does which is just... the poorest excuse for this game being in the state that its in. Even if this game was that advanced the state of it on current gen consoles is unacceptable. That said... advanced? What's so advanced? What is this game *possibly* doing under the hood? The city has no complex systems and the mechanics in the game are nothing new that I haven't seen in other games released in years past. Also from what I understand there are like 10 perks in the game that straight up don't even work so... yeah, real advanced there bud. Now I'm not saying that there isn't fun to be had with this game. The combat is decent, and if you like looter shooters this game may scratch that itch a bit, and there are some cool missions and even side quests. The story isn't great but its interesting enough to perhaps carry you through the game, especially if you like the Cyberpunk setting. What I *am* saying though is that even if there's fun to be had, this game just doesn't really do anything that good. There's nothing this game accomplishes that is unique or outstanding, its just average. The only thing this game has is its setting but even that gets a bit quashed due to how lifeless it feels. Patches will help with the bugs and maybe fix things like the police AI or even AI in general and maybe it can help breath some life into the city. However there are still many problems that can't be patched and will leave the game just your average open world adventure. Maybe it needed more time, maybe it needed more love, I don't know what happened with this game but its not nearly what CDPR was selling us on. Its fine, but that's all it is... fine. There are folk that have gotten upset at me with criticizing this game so much and I know that there are a lot of people really enjoying it who may see all this as nitpicky or that I was expecting too much. I feel like I'm pretty lenient with games, hell I still manage to enjoy the original watch dogs... I'm not saying that game is good just that I enjoy it. Thing is, why would I want to hate this game? I spent 60 bucks on it like everyone else so what do I have to gain by speaking so low about it? I really wanted to like this game, I tried my damnedest to get into it and get immersed but I just couldn't. I think the biggest loss here is not even this game that has been hyped up for years and years, but the fact that a company that was once revered as the last bastion of AAA gaming has now fallen from grace just like the rest. It's disappointing and I wonder what CDPR will do now. They have a chance to make this right but I think the damage is done and it will never fully recover. Who knows though... maybe I'll be proven wrong. I cannot recommend this game, especially for 60 dollars. If you see it go on sale or somehow the state of this game improves then maybe its worth taking a look at. Edit: Game is decently better now, but I'm keeping the negative review due to CDPR's actions