Cyberpunk 2077 has been delayed again, which is a bummer in many ways. However, amid all the impressive details available, this offers more time to comb through it all and point out some of the finer examples. Let’s take a closer look at 10 extraordinary examples of attention to detail in the game en route to its release on December 10th.
Lip-Syncing for 10 Different Languages
Lip-syncing in any video game can be a tall order, especially one with the size and scale of Cyberpunk 2077. So it’s pretty crazy that there’s accurate lip-syncing for all 10 of its dubbed languages. This includes English along with Polish, Japanese, French, German, Mandarin, Brazilian Portuguese and more. CD Projekt RED detailed how this was possible, using facial animation technology by JALI Research, but senior quest designer Philipp Weber on Twitter noted that the animation and cinematic teams also delivered “great artist-driven work on top of that” for results seen in-game.
Stats Affecting Open-World Activities
Skill checks in any role-playing game are a given but in Night City, your stats will also determine how you carry out the most basic open-world tasks. Breaking into cars is a good example – when investing in the Body stat, you’ll be able to walk up to NPCs driving vehicles and simply toss them out. But if you’re trying to be a bit sneakier and hack into any cars standing around to steal them, it’ll be impossible without investing in the Technical stat. The mind boggles at all the different ways that basic activities can be impacted by one’s stats.
Character Customization Parameters
The extensive character customization system has been detailed already but it’s worth pointing out the different parameters that players can choose from. Along with several face types, there are multiple types of eyes, noses, mouths, ears and jaws available. You can choose different tattoos, determine their light and glow colors; multiple options for skin mods, eye mods, surface wiring and bodily scars are also available; and you customize make-up and piercings. While there doesn’t seem to be a slider for options – at least judging by the last WIP footage – you’ll still be spending a lot of time customizing your own personal V.
Outdated Movie Posters
We’ve seen quite a few in-game ads thus far and they’re definitely something (to say the least). But explore Night City enough and you’ll start to notice a current-world practice that’s still being done. As pointed out by Reddit user Fikoblin, there are posters for performers like Lizzy Wizzy, who appears in-game and is voiced by Grimes. But you’ll also spot posters for schlocky action movies like Bushido. Even more hilarious is the fact that some of these are old – Bushido 3 is still being advertised despite Bushido 5 being a thing – but haven’t been taken down. It’s a nice little detail and reminds us that the future may not be so different after all.
Detailed Vehicle Interiors
In the last Night City Wire, we got a better look at the selection of vehicles available in-game. Along with extensive variety and details for the various brands, the interiors displayed even more impressive craftsmanship. Some cars have screens representing the dashboard, which flicker when hitting bumps and such; others, like the Executive-class cars, offer exquisite seating and premium paneling. Given the number of fictitious vehicles in the game, it’s impressive to see how much detail has gone into making each one look so unique, both inside and out.
Vehicle Damage
Another thing worth noting is the vehicular destruction in-game. Reddit user ArtisticTap4 pointed out how hitting a road-bump can cause the back-right corner tail-light of a car to break while the rest remains intact. This is thanks to the “structural analysis simulation” that the game uses for depicting vehicle damage, as noted in the cover story for PC Gamer magazine’s latest issue. So depending on where the car has been damaged and from what, the destruction will be unique. Ramming into a wall continuously will result in a car being destroyed differently from, say, a head-on collision with another vehicle (as one would expect).
BudgetArms Weapon Details
BudgetArms is one of the weapon manufacturers in Cyberpunk 2077 and, as their name indicates, you shouldn’t expect the highest level of craftsmanship in their products. When going through the Tools of Destruction trailer, which highlights the various weapons you can use, you’ll notice some rather poor welding on the BudgetArms shotgun Carnage. It’s not exactly pretty but reflects the low-budget nature of the brand very well.
Routines for Over 1000 NPCs
Night City is bustling with people and it shouldn’t be too surprising that many have their own daily routines. What is interesting is the scale – more than 1000 NPCs have their day planned out and follow it accordingly. As revealed in a podcast by GameStar, each NPC has different tasks that they’ll perform along with their own unique behavior, which carries on regardless of the player’s influence. So it might be interesting to just sit around and watch the populace go about it’s business, observing their different mannerisms.
Braindance Murder Detail
Braindance is already looking fairly involved as an investigative system, allowing players to relive past experiences of characters and feeling their emotions in the process. But in the gameplay trailer that revealed the same, there’s one interesting detail to note. As pointed out on Reddit, before the thief in the memory is betrayed, he racks the gun once but there’s no bullet. Racking it again also causes no bullet to come out, which means the gun wasn’t loaded in the first place. Lo and behold, he’s betrayed and loses his life. It’s a nice little detail and one that foreshadows what’s coming.
Day/Night System Affecting Crimes
Back in 2019, a special event with the development team was held in Warsaw and there was a Q&A session involved. Reddit user Shavod revealed details from the same, including how the time of day would impact one’s success when sneaking around. You may find some places more heavily guarded in certain cases while in others, the guards may be asleep (especially if it’s the nighttime). There are also apparently changes to some story scenes depending on what time it is. It’s also been noted that the police will react differently depending on the crimes committed (along with where they’re being committed). Beat someone up and they won’t bat an eye but engage in murder, that too in a wealthier district, and they’ll hunt you down.