While the game doesn't implement a hard timer that forces you to rush, it /feels/ like there's a clock ticking. That's the part that I really disliked. I absolutely LOATHED having that Sword of Damocles hanging over me "you're going to die and there's nothing to be done about it". It genuinely detracted from the gameplay/story experience for me. I get that plenty of players have no problem with it, but this comment is based on my subjective experience... which was that this entire doom setup hit a false note with me. A very offputting note that makes me extremely hesitant to touch the sequel. I'm going to wait until there's enough info out there on the internet to see if every ending in Orion is "player dies" if so, i'm skipping it.
When I say the writing was bad, I'm not talking about V having to give up cyberware and become a normie. That, I would have been fine with. The bad writing is how EVERYTHING else about that ending is ridiculously bleak for the sake of being bleak. I would have been happy with the "V gives up the ability to use cyberware but gets to live, and now they're a normie" if the rest of that ending made any sense whatsoever.
The bad writing:
Why can't you accept the Langley job? My V had a 20 int. They're not stupid. I chose the 'peaceful life' dialogue options whenever possible, never expressing a driving urge to chase glory at all costs. Why can't my V realize given their situation that the Langley job is the best they're going to get now and just accept it?
Why do you have no choice but to go back to Night City?
You just woke up out of a two-year coma. Why in the absolute hell do they just let you leave immediately and go to Night City like it was no big deal. There's not even a one-line mention of a short period of time to get your strength back after lying in a bed for so long not moving.
Why does V not realize they're a normie and avoid dark alleys? (The meeting with those two punks who kick your ass, there's dialogue but it doesn't matter. Every iteration of reponses ends up with you getting your butt kicked. Because, you know, the ham-handed writing MUST reinforce that you are now a normal peon.
Also, if a player got through the game with minimal cyberware, as in not really even using combat cyberware to begin wtih, there's no reason suddenly not having the combat cyberware you weren't even using should make you a complete helpless marshmallow. Did all your stats get reset back to 3? Did you forget how to shoot or brawl or use a sword? (that is not stated, only that you can't use cyberware anymore).
Why can't Reed or anyone else keep in touch with your friends (at least your romance interest) so they don't all think you just disappeared off the face of the earth.
Why does every friend you made along the way suddenly want nothing whatsoever to do with you? Especially Panam. No explanation. Just gone. It's very lazy writing at best, if not bad.
It's the writers saying basically "okay, so a lot of people were not happy with V dying in every ending, so here you go. Here's an ending where V lives... but oh look at that. The original endings where you die don't seem all that bad now. Are you happy?"
It feels like spite.
Also, while there is a lot of darkness and bleakness in CP, to claim that ALL CP stories MUST end on a down note is just plain wrong.
V surviving in the PL ending as a normie would've been fine if all the surrounding stuff made logical sense. It doesn't.
Ideally, I'd have had a cure that let V continue being a merc (the unhappy part there is they failed to become a legend/lost Jackie etc). Maybe they find a way to let Johnny stay in V's head and they share it without any sort of deathclock hanging over them. Maybe a mission to sneak into a Nightcorp basement and plug the relic into a blank body so Johnny is now a separate entity. I dunno. Something. Just not EVERY ending being you're dead (either immediately or in six months).
The logic that Alt gives you "the body is Johnny now so V can't be in it" makes zero sense. If that were true, your body should've rejected Johnny initially. If the technology exists for the chip to "change" V's body, then the tech exists to do the same thing in reverse and put V back to rights. The logic in the writing doesn't care about logic, only in preserving the "you must die no matter what" narrative.
Another grumble about that stupid quest where you get your face ripped off. No way around that. No way to skip it. I don't even want to replay the PL storyline because of that. The writers were considerate enough to let players avoid drinking and smoking... but you have no choice about having your face ripped off. Makes no sense. The game already had Alex with that implant. She could've impersonated one of the twins while V did some stealth stuff in the air ducts or whatever. Make it longer/more difficult. Just... ugh.
