It was a disaster. There’s really no other way to describe the launch of Cyberpunk 2077 back in December 2020. People were playing on base PlayStation 4 consoles that looked like they were trying to render a slideshow of melted crayons. Cars fell from the sky. Quest NPCs vanished into thin air. Sony literally pulled the game from the PlayStation Store because it was so broken. It was arguably the biggest "oops" in the history of triple-A gaming.
But things change.
I’ve spent hundreds of hours in Night City across multiple platforms, from that jagged launch day to the massive 2.12 update and the Phantom Liberty expansion. If you’re asking is Cyberpunk 2077 good now, the short answer is yes. But the long answer is that it’s actually one of the best RPGs ever made. It just took a few years of frantic, expensive repair work by CD Projekt Red to get there. It’s a completely different beast than the game people were refunding in 2020.
What Actually Changed?
Basically everything. If you haven't touched the game since launch, you're looking at a different experience from the ground up. The most significant shift came with the Update 2.0 overhaul. CD Projekt Red didn't just fix bugs; they ripped out the game's internal organs and replaced them with high-end cyberware.
Take the skill trees. Originally, they were boring. You’d spend a point to get "+2% damage with handguns." It was math, not gameplay. Now? The perks actually change how you play. You can deflect bullets with katanas, perform mid-air dashes, and execute "Edgerunner" style finishing moves. It feels kinetic. It feels like you’re actually becoming a god-tier mercenary instead of just watching numbers go up on a spreadsheet.
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The police system was also a joke at launch. Cops used to just spawn behind you in a locked room. It was immersion-breaking and weird. Now, they have a tiered "Heat" system similar to Grand Theft Auto. They’ll chase you in cars. They’ll set up roadblocks. If you cause enough mayhem, MaxTac—the elite psycho-squad—will drop from an AV to humble you. It makes the world feel alive and dangerous rather than just a pretty backdrop for your errands.
The Phantom Liberty Factor
You can't talk about whether the game is good now without mentioning the expansion. Phantom Liberty isn't just DLC; it’s a masterclass in narrative design. It introduces Dogtown, a walled-off combat zone that makes the rest of Night City look like a suburban park.
Keanu Reeves returns as Johnny Silverhand, but the real star is Idris Elba as Solomon Reed. The acting here is subtle. It’s gritty. It’s a spy thriller that forces you to make choices where nobody really wins. Honestly, the writing in the expansion is tighter than the main game. It feels like CDPR took everything they learned from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and finally applied it to the cyberpunk genre.
The Reality of Performance in 2026
Let’s be real for a second. If you are still trying to play this on a base PS4 or Xbox One, don't. Just don't do it. While it’s "playable" now, it will never be the experience the developers intended. The hardware simply can’t keep up with the density of the crowds or the complexity of the lighting.
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However, on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, the game is a technical marvel. If you have a high-end PC with an RTX card, Path Tracing (Overdrive Mode) makes Cyberpunk 2077 the best-looking game on the market, period. The way neon signs reflect in puddles during a rainy night in Kabuki is enough to make you stop playing and just stare at the screen. It’s the "crysis" of the current generation. It’s the benchmark.
Is Cyberpunk 2077 Good Now for RPG Fans?
Some people were disappointed that it wasn't a "life simulator." You can’t go into every building. You can’t get a job as a garbage man. You can’t sit down at every noodle stall and watch a 5-minute eating animation. If that’s what you want, you’ll still be disappointed.
But if you want a deep, narrative-driven RPG? It’s phenomenal.
The missions have multiple paths now because the "Netrunning" (hacking) and "Sandevistan" (slow-motion combat) builds are actually balanced. You can sneak through a warehouse using security cameras to fry enemies' brains, or you can kick the front door down and move so fast the guards are dead before they can draw their guns. This variety is what makes a game "good" in the long run. It’s the replayability.
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I’ve found that the smaller stories—the "Gigs"—are where the game really shines. There’s one where you have to decide the fate of a cop who’s lost her mind, and another where you’re helping a sentient vending machine named Brendan. These moments build a world that feels cynical, heartbreaking, and deeply human.
The Redemption Arc is Complete
CD Projekt Red spent over $120 million just on fixing the game and developing the expansion after the initial release. That’s a staggering amount of money. Most studios would have just cut their losses and moved on to the next project.
The fact that they didn't is why the game is in the state it's in today. They added a transmog system so you can look cool without sacrificing armor stats. They added a functional metro system so you can actually ride the train through the city. They added vehicle combat. They basically fulfilled every promise they made in those 2018 trailers, even if it took them an extra three years to do it.
Common Misconceptions Still Floating Around
- "It's still buggy." Look, every open-world game has bugs. You’ll still see a clipping issue or a weird physics interaction occasionally. But the game-breaking stuff is gone. It’s as stable as Skyrim or The Witcher, if not more so.
- "The world is empty." If you play on low settings, the crowd density drops. On "High" or "Ultra," the sidewalks are packed. The city feels claustrophobic in the best way possible.
- "Choices don't matter." While the main ending beats are somewhat fixed, the way you get there and the fate of the side characters change drastically based on your actions. Phantom Liberty specifically has endings that are devastatingly different based on a single choice.
How to Get Started if You’re New
If you’re jumping in for the first time, or returning after a four-year hiatus, there are a few things you should do to ensure you actually enjoy it.
- Don't rush the main quest. The story of V and Jackie is great, but the heart of the game is in the side quests with characters like Panam, Judy, and River. If you just follow the yellow quest marker, you'll miss 60% of the best content.
- Invest in a build early. Don't try to be a jack-of-all-trades. Pick a "Vibe." Do you want to be a stealthy ninja? A heavy-hitter with a shotgun? A master hacker? The 2.0 system rewards specialization.
- Listen to the radio. The music in this game is incredible. From the aggressive industrial techno of Growl FM to the jazz on Royal Blue, the soundtrack does a lot of the heavy lifting for the atmosphere.
- Play Phantom Liberty mid-game. You don't have to wait until the end. The expansion unlocks after a specific mission in Pacifica (the Voodoo Boys arc). Jump in then to get access to the new relic skill tree, which makes the rest of the base game even more fun.
Actionable Next Steps for Players
- Check Your Hardware: Ensure you are playing on a Current-Gen console (PS5/Series X) or a PC with at least an SSD. Do not install this game on a traditional HDD, or you will experience significant asset streaming issues.
- Look for the Ultimate Edition: If you don't own the game yet, buy the "Ultimate Edition." It bundles the base game and the expansion. It’s frequently on sale for around $50, which is an absurd amount of content for the price.
- Reset Your Save: If you have an old save from 2020 or 2021, delete it. Start over. The 2.0 changes are so fundamental that trying to "fix" an old character is more confusing than just starting fresh and learning the new systems as you level up.
- Tweak Your Settings: Turn off "Film Grain," "Chromatic Aberration," and "Motion Blur" in the graphics menu. It makes the game look significantly crisper and lets the actual art design shine through without the "fake movie" filters.
Cyberpunk 2077 is no longer a cautionary tale. It’s a comeback story. It is a dense, violent, beautiful, and deeply moving experience that finally earns its place among the greats of the genre. If you’ve been waiting for the "right time" to play, that time was yesterday. Go to Night City. You won't regret it.