CD Projekt RED are no strangers to choice and consequence mechanics, which is something they seem to be doubling down on with their upcoming Cyberpunk 2077. But apparently, that’s just not going to be limited to the narrative- it’s going to bleed into the way you play, mechanically speaking, as well.
A pretty comprehensive story on Cyberpunk 2077 in Edge magazine (Issue 324, November 2018) reveals some interesting details about this. True to its cyberpunk setting, the upcoming RPG will allow players to modify their character with cybernetic enhancements, but thanks to something known as “cyberpsychosis”, doing too much of this will start to produce detrimental consequences for your character’s mental health.
On top of that, the plain and simple fact that you’re constantly having to purchase these upgrades also takes a bit of a toll on you. “All the travails of the flesh fade away, and you become a perfect machine of chrome,” says Patrick Mills of CD Projekt RED, the game’s quest designer. “But you had to buy those body parts from someone, and now you’re in debt to them; if you need parts, you’ve got to go to their store. You have this very utopian idea of being liberated by technology.
“And it’s like, not so fast–you haven’t solved the problems,” Mills adds. “The problems are still there, and technology actually makes them worse. ‘High tech, low life’ is one of Mike’s [Pondsmith, Cyberpunk 2020 creator] mottos.”
With every bit of information CD Projekt RED reveals about Cyberpunk 2077, it sounds like more of a complex and enticing prospect. If balanced right and pulled off properly, this can be a truly unique mechanic- and if there’s any studio that can achieve that balance, it has to be CD Projekt RED.
Recently, the developer also spoke about the side quests and their importance in the game. Read more on that through here. Cyberpunk 2077 is slated for a launch on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC, but currently has no release date.