CD Projekt Pink’s personal Paweł Sasko has acknowledged fan criticism about Cyberpunk 2077’s comparatively linear story is “utterly justified”.
Whereas there are a number of choices for gamers to select from all through the sport that in flip curate completely different experiences for various gamers (for instance, beginning off on both the Nomad, Road Child, or Corpo lifepaths or its 5 completely different endings), many felt Cyberpunk 2077 ought to have given extra – particularly given how a lot was promised forward of the sport’s launch.
Sasko, chatting on his Twitch channel (by way of PCGamesN) was requested by one viewer, “How do you’re feeling about gamers criticising the sport for being linear?” To this, the developer replied that it was “utterly justified”, earlier than elaborating additional.
“There are lots of issues that occurred. Initially, gamers anticipated extra, they anticipated extra due to how The Witcher 3 is constructed, and I believe Cyberpunk has an insane quantity of non-linearity, however I believe expectations have been greater,” he acknowledged.
“Second factor is, the expectations have been particularly relating to huge branches [in the narrative]. And once more there are a bunch of huge branches in Cyberpunk […] however you’re excited about branches in a unique method.”
Sasko additionally touched on elements of the sport that have been meant to be non-linear, however nearly grew to become a non-choice due to the relationships a participant can develop with characters within the recreation. At this level, Sasko mentions Takamura, a personality it can save you or let die.
“[This choice] is such a giant gigantic department that truly influences so many issues alongside the best way and was a lot work to make it work each these methods,” Sasko acknowledged.
“However for the gamers, for the time being they discovered the right way to do it, they kind of ran to save lots of him. So, in a approach, it nearly grew to become a non-choice.”
He continued: “So one thing that was designed to be non-linear… wasn’t actually a alternative. When everybody discovered the right way to save Takamura, everybody began doing that, and within the participant’s thoughts it grew to become linear, although it is not.”
Sasko moreover acknowledged builders have a tendency to think about “non-linearity [in games]” in a “a lot broader vogue” than a participant base does.
“Gamers simply go right down to ‘can I make utterly completely different selections and see utterly completely different content material’,” he shared, whereas totally appreciating once more that CDPR didn’t meet participant expectations on Cyberpunk 2077’s launch.
“We do know the right way to make it higher and I might anticipate extra from us,” he completed.
In the meantime, Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty DLC is ready to launch later this yr. This DLC is Cyberpunk 2077’s solely deliberate enlargement, with the developer confirming will probably be a paid one.
Phantom Liberty will happen in an “all new district” of Evening Metropolis often called Dogtown, with CDPR describing the enlargement as a “spy-thriller”. You may learn a few of the issues (along with Idris Elba) that caught my consideration from its most up-to-date trailer right here.
