Why Cyberpunk 2077 Should Have Abandoned RPG Design

As I stroll through Night City in 2025, five years after Cyberpunk 2077's rocky launch, I can't shake this persistent feeling: this gorgeous, neon-drenched world would've been so much better if it had ditched the RPG label entirely. Yeah, I know that sounds blasphemous coming from someone who's poured hundreds of hours into CD Projekt Red's redemption arc. The game has transformed since those disastrous early days – update 2.3 finally smoothed out most performance issues and added meaningful features. But at its core, Cyberpunk's fundamental identity crisis remains unresolved. That beautiful skyline still feels strangely hollow behind the chrome and neon.

🎭 The Role-Playing Paradox

Here's my biggest gripe: Cyberpunk 2077 wears the RPG badge while fundamentally rejecting what makes role-playing games magical. Sure, you get skill trees and stats, but where are the consequences? In my recent playthrough, I realized most "choices" are illusions – they barely ripple through Night City's stagnant waters. Unlike The Witcher 3 (which I replayed last month), where decisions constantly haunted me with life-or-death stakes, Cyberpunk's biggest moral dilemmas usually boil down to:

• Unlock a new car or not 😒

• Get slightly different ending slides 🖼️

• Miss optional content that doesn't alter the world

The emptiness extends beyond narrative. Walk down any street and you'll notice:

RPG Element	Cyberpunk 2077	The Witcher 3
NPC Depth	Generic crowds with copy-paste dialogues	Unique reactions and stories everywhere
World Reactivity	Static environment with no dynamic events	Hidden monster nests, treasure hunts, organic encounters
Choice Impact	Mostly cosmetic changes until finale	Cascading consequences throughout entire game

🔫 A Linear Shooter Alternative

What if Cyberpunk had embraced its shooter roots instead? Imagine a tightly crafted linear experience inspired by Deus Ex. With focused level design:

• Every alley could become a tactical playground

• Hacking mechanics would feel purposeful rather than repetitive

• Johnny Silverhand's flashbacks could be cinematic set-pieces instead of jarring interruptions

In this version, Night City's beautiful but shallow NPCs wouldn't be a flaw – they'd be atmospheric background dressing. And those brilliant character builds? They'd shine brighter when each cyberware upgrade directly enables new approaches in handcrafted scenarios. No more clearing identical gang hideouts for the hundredth time!

🤖 The Immersive Sim That Could've Been

Alternatively, what if CD Projekt went all-in on immersive simulation? Current-gen hardware could handle systems where:

🔥 Environmental storytelling drives exploration

🔥 Every vent, terminal, and turret offers multiple solutions

🔥 Enemies dynamically adapt to your playstyle

Cyberpunk already has fragments of this DNA – hacking cameras to scout areas or using Mantis Blades for verticality. But these mechanics drown in repetitive open-world bloat. A leaner, reactive Night City where factions remember your actions? That would've truly felt alive.

❓ People Also Ask

"Is Cyberpunk 2077 worth playing in 2025?"

Absolutely! Despite its identity flaws, the core combat and visual design make it a unique experience – just temper RPG expectations.

"What lessons should Cyberpunk 2 learn?"

Embrace either:

1) Truly branching narratives with persistent world changes

2) Drop RPG pretense for focused immersive sim/shooter hybrid

"Why does The Witcher 3's world feel more alive?"

Because every NPC serves a narrative purpose, and your choices violently reshape the political landscape – not just V's personal ending.

✨ Final Thoughts

Five years later, Night City's glow remains captivating yet emotionally sterile. The irony? Cyberpunk 2077's greatest sin was trying to be something it fundamentally wasn't. Those breathtaking vistas deserved either:

• A reactive playground where every choice echoes

• OR a razor-focused narrative shooter without RPG illusions

Here's hoping the sequel picks a lane. Maybe then we'll finally get that living, breathing dystopia we dreamed of back in 2020. Until then, I'll keep wandering these beautiful, hollow streets – a ghost in a city that never truly wakes up. 💀