After thinking about it more, I think a Gaga cameo would probably be a net positive.
A few things to keep in mind...
The thing is, the world we live in is not logical. Most people do not sit down and think through their feelings on many subjects. They see or hear something, they have an emotional response ("OMG I LOVE LADY GAGA!" for example) and then they are often swayed by it.
This isn't me being elitist or anything - I'm vulnerable to that sort of stuff too. Everybody is.
So, yes, game mechanics, story, etc. all matter WAY, WAY more to people like us (and, I'd say, most avid gamers). Of course they do, that's what we care about. But what about millions and millions of other people like my sister, who don't game all that often but might be inclined to if given a reason that's more in their wheelhouse?
/rant
It was functional, at least, but it could have been much better.
Despite all of the innovation CDPR aims for, they still pull a LOT of mechanics from other "modern" games rather than inventing their own. This is nothing to be ashamed of, most developers do it, it just so happens that the mechanics they use sometimes don't make a whole lot of sense from a logical standpoint.
Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is up to the individual to decide, and I'm not making a judgement here. To use one of the most-hated phrases, "it is what it is."
A few things to keep in mind...
- She can act. This is subjective of course, but in my opinion, she has more than proven herself capable in this area. I thought she was quite good in American Horror Story, even if I don't care for the show itself.
- Her fashion is crazy and outlandish, which seems to fit in very well with the whole Cyberpunk pop star theme.
- She is known throughout the world, and as @Mybrokenenglish said, some people might buy or at least be interested in Cyberpunk 2077 based on her name alone. My sister has only a passing interest in games (Spyro, Mario and the like), and she would probably instantly consider buying it if she knew one of her favorite singers would be in it.
The thing is, the world we live in is not logical. Most people do not sit down and think through their feelings on many subjects. They see or hear something, they have an emotional response ("OMG I LOVE LADY GAGA!" for example) and then they are often swayed by it.
This isn't me being elitist or anything - I'm vulnerable to that sort of stuff too. Everybody is.
So, yes, game mechanics, story, etc. all matter WAY, WAY more to people like us (and, I'd say, most avid gamers). Of course they do, that's what we care about. But what about millions and millions of other people like my sister, who don't game all that often but might be inclined to if given a reason that's more in their wheelhouse?
/rant
To each their own, I guess.
It was functional, at least, but it could have been much better.
Despite all of the innovation CDPR aims for, they still pull a LOT of mechanics from other "modern" games rather than inventing their own. This is nothing to be ashamed of, most developers do it, it just so happens that the mechanics they use sometimes don't make a whole lot of sense from a logical standpoint.
Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is up to the individual to decide, and I'm not making a judgement here. To use one of the most-hated phrases, "it is what it is."