So I have finished the game and I have played almost 100 hours of the game, done most quest (the ones I could find I didn't watch solutions and probably have missed a few). I have voluntarily skipped the car races and fist fights, I already spent enough time killing things and doing this and that for X and Y while my condition was degrading.
So I did only 2 endings, one with Panam the other with the Arasaka. I read the others endings all end up with V dying and to be fair, I am not too upset about that, however:
When I finished the game with the Arasaka, I kinda felt like a void, something was missing, the ending was really unfulfilling. You end up in the hospital in the space station and I think the scenes with the doc and nightmares/voices were well made.
I called my lover (Judy) and friends, then after learning the procedure couldn't stop the disease from progressing and would eventually kill me, it was really sad, declined the offer to be stored as an engram and decided it was better to spend the time left with Judy, however, in the credits for some reason she leaves the character while in the previous call she just ask you to comeback to earth as fast as possible. This made no sense to me, plus, what would make it (the game) think I wouldn't leave NC with her? (just like you discuss in her appartment).
So then I was like: "Ok let's try the mission with Panam." I didn't want to involve the Nomads to a difficult mission knowing they probably would die and won't have the medical care/knowledge to cure what ails me.
However the Ending with Panam is, I think, supposed to be the happy story because you keep your lover, you cruise in the badlands with your newfound family and Mitch somehow survives his suicidal actions (don't care much for Saul, nor the others that die, sorry) and Misty says you have good tarot cards at the end to somewhat keep your hopes up to find a cure with Panam's contacts (I'm sure it won't happen and V's still dies until a DLC comes out to find the cure).
And then I realized the Arasaka ending was supposed to be a "bad ending", and Panam a "good ending". And DAMN, i was so sad about this manichean view. Especially since the Witcher 3 most actions and consequences and a lot more measured and subtle.
Despite finishing with "the good ending" that I was still very unsatisfied by the ending and It's not that V's fate is sealed.
So I decided to do the Arasaka ending again but I then I wanted to Kill Yorinobu and his sister possibly. But you can't even use the gun in the room. What a missed opportunity. Why can't you kill Yorinobu? There is a gun for it on the ground making you think you can use it to kill him, his sister and then either you die because Hellman won't make the procedure or maybe Goro forces Hellman to do it?
My main issue with the ending of the game is that, there isn't, at any point, a moment you feel like you have an impact on the game world all that much.
Many RPGs, when they end, have a summary of the main characters' actions and the ramifications of what he did in different areas; for example in Dragon Age: Origin, I chose to sacrifice my character. I was so moved at the end by your companion's speech (Alistair becoming king) and then the game would proceed to have a list of how the world and the different places you visited evolved and how each character you met would continue on and how you made a difference (or didn't) on them.
In Cyberpunk, many things you'd think leave you a choice with possible consequences, and I was shocked there wasn't any (or at least nothing memorable or with no emphasis on the consequences)! e.g. a mission with Lizzy Wizzy, I refused to take care of the body of her lovers she killed. Simply had a Failed quest. Couldn't call the cops to denounce her nor had any consequence about what would happen to her etc. Just one example but I had the same feeling for all the game.
That is very sad because I loved The Witcher 3 (and 2) and I was hoping to have similar mechanics to those fresco showing choices and consequences... And man, ... Cyberpunk would have been a marvel had it had that for key Character/Quests/Storyline I think.
I mean why don't you have the choice to rush the main quest to save yourself but forgetting the dream of being a legendary Merc of NC OR become one of the most well known and competent Merc the City has seen but removing the possibility to save your hide? Is it for a DLC only?
It also ties down to the main quest: You start as a low/average reputation merc on the streets of NC, you do a mission that goes bad, you are doomed, you try to solve the issue, doesn't work, you die. THE END. Player impact: NONE.
So ok, the game isn't about the destination, but the journey you take, the choices, the impact you have on people, ... Here again close to none, so underwhelming.
You don't have a rise to power or anything to validate it (the 3 gauge in the game's pause menu don't mean anything, they aren't explained at all, they don't seem to have any impact except for a 70% Johnny relation for the secret ending, which seem to be the max? should be 100% then. I though you had to keep it down to avoid merging with his personality, slow the disease progress).
I was constantly refusing to take cigarettes, refusing to execute ppl he'd tell me to simply to remain myself and in control of my actions, thinking it'd make a difference but it doesn't. So . Disappointing.
So in a way the game tricked me into doing certain things so that's neat but I was expecting a payoff to be mindful of my decisions. Never came or was never shown properly.
You don't become a Legend, you don't make it to the big league or if you do, there is no mention/celebration of you reaching it (or even a monologue: "That's it Choomba, We made it, The Big League, ain't nothing that can stand in our way, ... I would never have made it without you Jackie. Cheers Choom, you'll always be a legend to me, it's you and I, ... You and I.")
Hell do you even get a drink with your name in the afterlife? Working with the running Mayor because Judy referred you? It's Judy the star here, she's the one with the reputation not you!
I liked the game, the world and most characters and I was hoping to have a game with deep ramifications, interconnexions with choices and characters because I was hoping to have a game with the same narrative qualities as The Witcher 3 did. But it's not the case and that broke my heart.
Still enjoyed most of the game though but when I finished The Witcher 2 and 3 I would have rated them at the time respectively 9/10 and 10/10, Cyberpunk 7/10 to me.
So I did only 2 endings, one with Panam the other with the Arasaka. I read the others endings all end up with V dying and to be fair, I am not too upset about that, however:
When I finished the game with the Arasaka, I kinda felt like a void, something was missing, the ending was really unfulfilling. You end up in the hospital in the space station and I think the scenes with the doc and nightmares/voices were well made.
I called my lover (Judy) and friends, then after learning the procedure couldn't stop the disease from progressing and would eventually kill me, it was really sad, declined the offer to be stored as an engram and decided it was better to spend the time left with Judy, however, in the credits for some reason she leaves the character while in the previous call she just ask you to comeback to earth as fast as possible. This made no sense to me, plus, what would make it (the game) think I wouldn't leave NC with her? (just like you discuss in her appartment).
So then I was like: "Ok let's try the mission with Panam." I didn't want to involve the Nomads to a difficult mission knowing they probably would die and won't have the medical care/knowledge to cure what ails me.
However the Ending with Panam is, I think, supposed to be the happy story because you keep your lover, you cruise in the badlands with your newfound family and Mitch somehow survives his suicidal actions (don't care much for Saul, nor the others that die, sorry) and Misty says you have good tarot cards at the end to somewhat keep your hopes up to find a cure with Panam's contacts (I'm sure it won't happen and V's still dies until a DLC comes out to find the cure).
And then I realized the Arasaka ending was supposed to be a "bad ending", and Panam a "good ending". And DAMN, i was so sad about this manichean view. Especially since the Witcher 3 most actions and consequences and a lot more measured and subtle.
Despite finishing with "the good ending" that I was still very unsatisfied by the ending and It's not that V's fate is sealed.
So I decided to do the Arasaka ending again but I then I wanted to Kill Yorinobu and his sister possibly. But you can't even use the gun in the room. What a missed opportunity. Why can't you kill Yorinobu? There is a gun for it on the ground making you think you can use it to kill him, his sister and then either you die because Hellman won't make the procedure or maybe Goro forces Hellman to do it?
My main issue with the ending of the game is that, there isn't, at any point, a moment you feel like you have an impact on the game world all that much.
Many RPGs, when they end, have a summary of the main characters' actions and the ramifications of what he did in different areas; for example in Dragon Age: Origin, I chose to sacrifice my character. I was so moved at the end by your companion's speech (Alistair becoming king) and then the game would proceed to have a list of how the world and the different places you visited evolved and how each character you met would continue on and how you made a difference (or didn't) on them.
In Cyberpunk, many things you'd think leave you a choice with possible consequences, and I was shocked there wasn't any (or at least nothing memorable or with no emphasis on the consequences)! e.g. a mission with Lizzy Wizzy, I refused to take care of the body of her lovers she killed. Simply had a Failed quest. Couldn't call the cops to denounce her nor had any consequence about what would happen to her etc. Just one example but I had the same feeling for all the game.
That is very sad because I loved The Witcher 3 (and 2) and I was hoping to have similar mechanics to those fresco showing choices and consequences... And man, ... Cyberpunk would have been a marvel had it had that for key Character/Quests/Storyline I think.
I mean why don't you have the choice to rush the main quest to save yourself but forgetting the dream of being a legendary Merc of NC OR become one of the most well known and competent Merc the City has seen but removing the possibility to save your hide? Is it for a DLC only?
It also ties down to the main quest: You start as a low/average reputation merc on the streets of NC, you do a mission that goes bad, you are doomed, you try to solve the issue, doesn't work, you die. THE END. Player impact: NONE.
So ok, the game isn't about the destination, but the journey you take, the choices, the impact you have on people, ... Here again close to none, so underwhelming.
You don't have a rise to power or anything to validate it (the 3 gauge in the game's pause menu don't mean anything, they aren't explained at all, they don't seem to have any impact except for a 70% Johnny relation for the secret ending, which seem to be the max? should be 100% then. I though you had to keep it down to avoid merging with his personality, slow the disease progress).
I was constantly refusing to take cigarettes, refusing to execute ppl he'd tell me to simply to remain myself and in control of my actions, thinking it'd make a difference but it doesn't. So . Disappointing.
So in a way the game tricked me into doing certain things so that's neat but I was expecting a payoff to be mindful of my decisions. Never came or was never shown properly.
You don't become a Legend, you don't make it to the big league or if you do, there is no mention/celebration of you reaching it (or even a monologue: "That's it Choomba, We made it, The Big League, ain't nothing that can stand in our way, ... I would never have made it without you Jackie. Cheers Choom, you'll always be a legend to me, it's you and I, ... You and I.")
Hell do you even get a drink with your name in the afterlife? Working with the running Mayor because Judy referred you? It's Judy the star here, she's the one with the reputation not you!
I liked the game, the world and most characters and I was hoping to have a game with deep ramifications, interconnexions with choices and characters because I was hoping to have a game with the same narrative qualities as The Witcher 3 did. But it's not the case and that broke my heart.
Still enjoyed most of the game though but when I finished The Witcher 2 and 3 I would have rated them at the time respectively 9/10 and 10/10, Cyberpunk 7/10 to me.
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