There isn’t much “punk” outside of superficial aesthetics in the Cyberpunkerinos 2077, either, especially after doing story jobs for cops and the fucking president and getting a Swerve-style lecture from the main narrative that trying to improve society somewhat is actually stupid and bad because look at how too far Keanu Reeves went (and he actually did it for selfish reasons and now his digital phantasm wants to take over Original-V-Do-Not-Steal’s brain!). It’s a diluted concept and kind of a lost cause to try to keep within old margins.
The main game was honestly not that bad (except for the side quest cop thing), the DLC was just pure bootlickery.
Sure, it didn’t level any valuable critiques, but it wasn’t like Black Panther or Bioshock Infinite where attempting to improve society somewhat is framed as sinister and harmful, the tone of Cyberpunk was more that it’s impossible and anyone who tries will end up a jaded asshole like Johnny Silverhand. It’s not the position of diehard centrists who think the status quo is good, but that of liberals who are aware of flaws in the system and may even agree with you that certain aspects of capitalism are unjust, but instead of imagining a better world, they shrug and go “ah well, that’s just how it is, what can ya do”. I found the story inoffensive in that regard, my expectations were low and it met them. I enjoyed vibes-based stuff like the bright neon vending machine in V’s apartment.
The DLC was fucking unbearable. I put over 70 hours into the Cyberpunkerinos but I could not get through the embarrassing story of the DLC where you literally save the president and join the FBI. I also liked how they made the president this tough lady who can fight for herself when the 2 most recent presidents have been bumbling geriatrics.
tl;dr Johnny Silverhand is kinda like if you play Disco Elysium at 20x speed while also playing Subway Surfers on your phone and huffing lead paint.
I suppose my problem was that even the aesthetics fell flat for me. The whole “Japan is scary and its corporate octopus will take over the world” thing was an 80s propaganda product and seeing it presented ostensibly a century afterward felt like a boomer’s idea of what the future looks like.
I could not get through the embarrassing story of the DLC where you literally save the president and join the FBI.
The thin act of humanity Myers and the FIA agents put on in the beginning steadily drops away, with your actual client (Songbird) even all but saying “Myers is actually ontologically evil” in part of the opening sequence, just in much more guarded words than that.
spoilers
It becomes increasingly obvious that the NUSA agents are in fact the bad guys as it sets up the moment of truth where you either keep working for Songbird or betray her and side with them instead, with Sol at one point breaking from the plan to just straight up murder two captive bystanders in front of you, and while I have no clue what side-with-the-FIA questline looks like the Songbird path ends with Myers ordering NUSA troops to No Russian the Night City spaceport and raving about wanting both V and Songbird dead.
I also liked how they made the president this tough lady who can fight for herself when the 2 most recent presidents have been bumbling geriatrics.
It’s a setting where wealth buys superpowers and nearly eternal youth, and Myers is basically Adam Smasher with a human mask.
It’s neither cyber nor punk though.
There isn’t much “punk” outside of superficial aesthetics in the Cyberpunkerinos 2077, either, especially after doing story jobs for cops and the fucking president and getting a Swerve-style lecture from the main narrative that trying to improve society somewhat is actually stupid and bad because look at how too far Keanu Reeves went (and he actually did it for selfish reasons and now his digital phantasm wants to take over Original-V-Do-Not-Steal’s brain!). It’s a diluted concept and kind of a lost cause to try to keep within old margins.
The main game was honestly not that bad (except for the side quest cop thing), the DLC was just pure bootlickery.
Sure, it didn’t level any valuable critiques, but it wasn’t like Black Panther or Bioshock Infinite where attempting to improve society somewhat is framed as sinister and harmful, the tone of Cyberpunk was more that it’s impossible and anyone who tries will end up a jaded asshole like Johnny Silverhand. It’s not the position of diehard centrists who think the status quo is good, but that of liberals who are aware of flaws in the system and may even agree with you that certain aspects of capitalism are unjust, but instead of imagining a better world, they shrug and go “ah well, that’s just how it is, what can ya do”. I found the story inoffensive in that regard, my expectations were low and it met them. I enjoyed vibes-based stuff like the bright neon vending machine in V’s apartment.
The DLC was fucking unbearable. I put over 70 hours into the Cyberpunkerinos but I could not get through the embarrassing story of the DLC where you literally save the president and join the FBI. I also liked how they made the president this tough lady who can fight for herself when the 2 most recent presidents have been bumbling geriatrics.
tl;dr Johnny Silverhand is kinda like
if you play Disco Elysium at 20x speed while also playing Subway Surfers on your phone and huffing lead paint.
I suppose my problem was that even the aesthetics fell flat for me. The whole “Japan is scary and its corporate octopus will take over the world” thing was an 80s propaganda product and seeing it presented ostensibly a century afterward felt like a boomer’s idea of what the future looks like.
The thin act of humanity Myers and the FIA agents put on in the beginning steadily drops away, with your actual client (Songbird) even all but saying “Myers is actually ontologically evil” in part of the opening sequence, just in much more guarded words than that.
spoilers
It becomes increasingly obvious that the NUSA agents are in fact the bad guys as it sets up the moment of truth where you either keep working for Songbird or betray her and side with them instead, with Sol at one point breaking from the plan to just straight up murder two captive bystanders in front of you, and while I have no clue what side-with-the-FIA questline looks like the Songbird path ends with Myers ordering NUSA troops to No Russian the Night City spaceport and raving about wanting both V and Songbird dead.
It’s a setting where wealth buys superpowers and nearly eternal youth, and Myers is basically Adam Smasher with a human mask.
The organ rental kiosk is off to the left, out of frame.