The Marriage of Mind and Machine Is Muddled by Consequence
For the sake of immersion, CD Projekt RED is pulling no punches when it comes to detail in Cyberpubk 2077. The crux of the single-player experience seems to be its myriad of choices and consequences. E.g.: Players can choose to surgically install implants throughout their bodies, but the consequences, over time, will present themselves mechanically.
In issue 324 of EDGE Magazine (via GamingBolt), CD Projekt RED spoke at length about how cybernetic implants will impact your playthrough in Cyberpunk 2077. The bonuses, at first, may be relevant and enticing, but players who convert their characters into androids may see detriments in the gameplay mechanics. The benefits of implants can be offset by “cyberpsychosis,” which ruins V’s mental health.
“All the travails of the flesh fade away, and you become a perfect machine of chrome,” says Patrick Mills of CD Projekt RED, quest designer for Cyberpunk 2077. “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. 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.”
Even in traditional cyberpunk, like Willam Gibson’s Neuromancer, the consequences of cybernetic conversion are illustrated as harsh and long-term. It’s no surprise that Mike Pondsmith maintained that reality in the pen and paper RPG. In time, we shall see the same in video game format, assuming our favorite Polish developer can pull it off. After The Witcher 3, however, they deserve some faith. Check back for updates on Cyberpunk 2077 as the data bleeds its way through the internet.
SOURCE: GamingBolt