Cyberpunk 2077 has a whole lot of eyes on it. After CD Projekt RED redefined open world gaming with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt earlier this generation, everyone wants to see what their take on the cyberpunk aesthetic may be like. After all, if The Witcher 3 was what they achieved on their first try at making an open world, what might they accomplish now that they have a better understanding of what does and does not work?
One of the ways Cyberpunk will continue to evolve the template set by The Witcher 3 will be in terms of how the side quests in the game interact with the main story. Speaking to GamingBolt, Miles Tost, Level Designer for CD Projekt RED, noted that the outcomes of side quests could end up influencing the main storyline itself.
“Side quests are great opportunities for us to tell stories of our cyberpunk world. After all, despite not being a part of the main questline, they are still connected to the world and can elaborate on certain parts of it, like the characters,” he said. “So it’s all interwoven. And yes, that also means that our side quests could affect the main story.”
The world will also feel completely alive, with the player feeling like a part of it—which, after all, they, as V, are. For instance, Tost explained how the police in the game might respond to any lawbreaking done by the player.
“It’s really important to us to portray a world that you feel a part of, so naturally, the world also has to react to your presence,” he said. “Regarding this particular example, let me just say the Night City police don’t react lightly to people stepping out of the line. Their cyber implants, as well as advanced weaponry make them not a pushover, either.”
All of which to me sounds exciting. CD Projekt RED already accomplished a whole lot in terms of contextualization and framing with The Witcher 3, so I am eager to see what they can do with Cyberpunk 2077 when it launches for (most likely) PS4, Xbox One, and PC. If you’re interested in learning more about the opportunities the open world of the game will afford to you, check out CD Projekt RED’s statement confirming that Cyberpunk 2077’s world will let you “goof around”.
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