Part of the issue is that Cyberpunk 2077 is the anti-Grand Theft Auto in many ways, at least in terms of themes. Grand Theft Auto is a power fantasy about how the world is awful, violence is everywhere, and you are a sociopathic criminal who can become incredibly rich by being a complete piece of shit. Claude? Tommy Verceti? Carl Johnson? All of them end up with massive amounts of money and enormous power on piles of bodies. The Boss from Saints Row kind of pin balls as a power fantasy as well, which is ironic, given they actually do occasionally suffer some karma for their evil deeds.
V?
V is absolutely SHIT UPON by the world and winning all of the fancy cars, apartments, and more means nothing because they have months to enjoy them even if they succeed in regaining their life.
Night City also takes all of the blackly humorous awfulness of the GTA world and plays it entirely straight.
"This world of capitalism, politics, and gross out humor is sad and awful."
V?
V is absolutely SHIT UPON by the world and winning all of the fancy cars, apartments, and more means nothing because they have months to enjoy them even if they succeed in regaining their life.
Night City also takes all of the blackly humorous awfulness of the GTA world and plays it entirely straight.
"This world of capitalism, politics, and gross out humor is sad and awful."