Right now I made a new character, and am refusing to go on the heist quest. So I'm gonna get as far as I can with side-missions.
I won't lie, I got my 60 dollars out of the game, but the bad-taste the ending left in my mouth has absolutely soiled my vibe with this company. I will NEVER pre-order a game again until I know it has the option of a happy ending. They hurt me in a way I didn't even know was possible.
I came to Cyberpunk with an MMOer's perspective. That is, I'm used to grindy bullshit, fluff game-play. I wasn't expecting my character to become a hero or save the world, or anything grand. But I did expect them to at least survive so I can contiune to chase the carrot on the stick and play the Skinner's Box. I was down for the shitty repetitive game-play. BECAUSE that's what an open world is to me. Also, because I am an MMO type guy -- I absolutely expect, and roll with shitty bugs. It's been par for the course for the last decade. Never fazes me.
It just seems so fucking stupid that they would design a game with an open world around all that grindy MMO type game-play and then kill off the main character. Like seriously, why pad it out then?
Bioshock: Infinite had a linear game where they basically killed you too, and the game was so short I think some people beat it in like 2-4 hours? I don't remember, I know it was remarked as being incredibly short. And some people STILL consider it their favorite game ever. So it's possible to make a decent game that kills the main character. But that kind of game is NOT an open-world side-mission fluff-fest type of game.
This was hand's down shitty game design. The type of game does not mesh well with the forced story.
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As a separate topic. A lot of people say "Oh, it's cyberpunk -- so it should be dark
Here's my counter to that. If the cyberpunk theme is suppose to be dark and gritty -- WHY is this game filled with awesome Disney-esq characters with heart's of gold?
When I first met Vik, I was seriously paranoid he was going to fuck with me. Cyberpunk is dark--right? Nah, Vik is hand's down one of the nicest, caring, and empathetic character in this game. He helps you for free, and just wants to see you live a good life. He's rooting for you the entire time. He's like a fatherly figure.
Then you have Jackie who is a lovable goofball. Another heart of gold person. He's got a kind and sweet girlfriend, and he's trying to do right for his mother and friends. His past may be dark, but he wasn't.
And the list goes on and on. Mitch and Pam are great characters. Mitch and Vik could probably be best buddies if they met.
Takemura was basically a corporate shill, and EVEN he believed in honor and ethics. Hanako wasn't an evil dictator, and agreed to listen to your story out of respect for Takemura.
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What I'm getting at, is this game specifically convinced and led players to believe that it wasn't a dark and evil place, because the characters we met and interacted with were all really positive, hopeful, and optimistic.
If their goal was to pull some bullshit "subversion of expectations," by making most of the main cast great people, but somehow fucking you over at the very last moment and pissing everyone off -- then they achieved that.
But all of this stuff combined. The open world, the optimistic build up, and this ending? Absolute garbage.
I probably could have wrapped my head around a self-sacrifice choice for almost any of those 'heart of gold' characters listed above, but not for fucking Johnny. God do I hate that character so much. I absolutely loathe that Keanu Reeves is literally the face of my frustration, because the actor isn't a bad guy. This is the one time I really really wish they didn't use a celebrity for such a despicable character.
He's basically the Joffrey or Ramsey of this game to me now.