The six month montage after the prologue should have been the main bulk of the game. [Opinion!]

[StarfleetCommand]

I really feel like at some point the devs decided to put all the focus of the story on Keanu and Johnny Silverhand when originally it was about you and Jackie moving up in NC and forming a friendship. Imagine how great the story would be if the main bulk of the story was the six months with Jackie that got reduced to a montage, where you could actually explore and immerse yourself in the world and its side quests and stories, then at the very end where everything is seen and done, then you get the corrupted relic and move on with the Silverhand quest chain.

Right now I personally can't enjoy any of the sidequests because there is this nagging sense of false urgency telling me to focus on the main story and saving my life. This is my subjective opinion on the CP2077 story, I still think it's a good game when all you do is follow the main plot, but it feels more like a Telltale Games type of experience than an open-world RPG. Not to mention all the false promises of a truly interactive world and all that, but to me, this game is not about your character, it's rather all about Johnny Silverhand.

 

[Liquios]

They just shouldn't have rewritten the whole story after Keanu Reeves got in the boat.

 

[EMT-Fields]

Once Keanu was on board, they knew they had to use as much of him as the could. It was probably expensive to utilize him. That money couldn't go to waste, so they gave him a major role in the game. To the point where the entire story revolves around him essentially. Personally, I wasn't a fan of this when they first announced it. But atleast I though it was just going to be a small cameo. Boy was I wrong lol.

 

[Subenu]

They just shouldn't have rewritten the whole story after Keanu Reeves got in the boat.

Shush yeah we aaaalll know about this bickering about now. Might also stop it, please?!

I really feel like at some point the devs decided to put all the focus of the story on Keanu and Johnny Silverhand when originally it was about you and Jackie moving up in NC and forming a friendship. Imagine how great the story would be if the main bulk of the story was the six months with Jackie that got reduced to a montage, where you could actually explore and immerse yourself in the world and its side quests and stories, then at the very end where everything is seen and done, then you get the corrupted relic and move on with the Silverhand quest chain.

Right now I personally can't enjoy any of the sidequests because there is this nagging sense of false urgency telling me to focus on the main story and saving my life. This is my subjective opinion on the CP2077 story, I still think it's a good game when all you do is follow the main plot, but it feels more like a Telltale Games type of experience than an open-world RPG. Not to mention all the false promises of a truly interactive world and all that, but to me, this game is not about your character, it's rather all about Johnny Silverhand.

Actually, the first 6 month part should maybe "only" be about 1/4 to 1/3 of the game, if it ever will be accounted for (which I'd like). But I still like the setting and story as a whole, but for personal preference I'd have like to expand the "middle" section, the tension with arasaka, the hiding and fleeing and "underground"-work to be more of the story, since I really digged into working with Takemura, while sabotaging and working behind the scenes to get things done. (even though this might hamper with the open-world aspect. Or build upon this and let the city kind of reshape (which would be massive work) after certain things happen in the main story.

At least the core of the game with the chip of immortality (together with Johnny) is still a very good story to play out and I liked it. But maybe let's get more meat onto the story inbetween and afterwards.

 

[Liquios]

Shush yeah we aaaalll know about this bickering about now. Might also stop it, please?!

No as that is one of the issues with the whole game. They had to rewrite the story so that it fits Johnny as the main plot. 2018 deep dive was different, with a different story setting. Probably that time frame was, when Keanu got on bord and they had to rewrite it, therefore changed the game.

I like Keanu and I love that he's in the game, but if they'd just let it be one of the side-stories, it would have been great — we probably would have got the game like it was envisioned back in 2018.

 

[Subenu]

No as that is one of the issues with the whole game. They had to rewrite the story so that it fits Johnny as the main plot. 2018 deep dive was different, with a different story setting. Probably that time frame was, when Keanu got on bord and they had to rewrite it, therefore changed the game.

I like Keanu and I love that he's in the game, but if they'd just let it be one of the side-stories, it would have been great — we probably would have got the game like it was envisioned back in 2018.

But I think you try to come up with your own explanation. Sure it might have happened, but it also might not.
There was no "deep dive" in 2018, "just" the first gameplay trailer which was showing an unfinished version of the game. As far as I remember, they already talked about the chip of immortality there, didn't they? And we got exactly that kind of Story.

 

[StarfleetCommand]

Johnny and Keanu might have always been the plan for the story, but nevertheless, how can they justify spending hours actually enjoying the side content when the game puts you in this urgent life or death situation? It just does not add up to what was originally advertised as an open living world with ample opportunities for interacting with the world outside the main plot.

 

[StarkHelsing]

But I think you try to come up with your own explanation. Sure it might have happened, but it also might not.
There was no "deep dive" in 2018, "just" the first gameplay trailer which was showing an unfinished version of the game. As far as I remember, they already talked about the chip of immortality there, didn't they? And we got exactly that kind of Story.

They talked about the chip, but Johnny Silverhand was dead in 2076 - as in he died in 2076. He wasn't so much the focal point. We do know from Keanu was that he only came on board in 2018, from an interview. The games development started in 2012. So, four years + of storyline development was changed as the focus wasn't on Johnny so much, if at all. And if it was, then Johnny Silver hand was a 70+-year-old dude with his demons who was Soul Killed? But the way the radio presenter portrayers it, it's like he just ODd or something. No mystery death.

 

[Liquios]

But I think you try to come up with your own explanation. Sure it might have happened, but it also might not.
There was no "deep dive" in 2018, "just" the first gameplay trailer which was showing an unfinished version of the game. As far as I remember, they already talked about the chip of immortality there, didn't they? And we got exactly that kind of Story.

Yeah, ok. It was still a GAMEPLAY trailer, even if it states that it's WIP and might change. Just listen to what the radio is saying. So … No, it's not "my own explanation", the story was different.

 

[Subenu]

Johnny and Keanu might have always been the plan for the story, but nevertheless, how can they justify spending hours actually enjoying the side content when the game puts you in this urgent life or death situation? It just does not add up to what was originally advertised as an open living world with ample opportunities for interacting with the world outside the main plot.

I really get your point, and I think they (CDPR) did a pretty good job to urge you on and make it feel urgent, even though it really isn't.

But neither is Cyberpunk the first, nor will it probably be the last game which has this urgency build in. best example might be Fallout, bad example (imho) might be Pathfinder: Kingmaker. The latter one drives you really on with timers until something happens. which might get frustrating, even though it's still a great game.

 

[MetaControl]

I agree. The weight of loosing Jackie would have been way more dramatic. Getting to know the other characters would make you feel way more immersed and you'd carer for them. T-Bugs demise is just a side note, but would be felt much more if you had the chance to get to know her. The connection to Mama Welles and Misty and Vic would be more meaningful, so would be the relation to the Padre and Wakako...
A string of linear quests with some nice cut scenes and a few moments with some side quests to ease you into the game, give you a chance to gain some skills and gear, so that when the actual main story starts, you are not a level 1 nobody with 0 street cred. Ideally this would have been background based; that would have been a great prologue...

I also agree that the addition of Johnny Silverhand wasn't a great choice. As ONE quest among others? Sure! But as THE main quest? You no longer are a free agent, no longer the protagonist of your own story, instead you are part of Johnny's story. It's all about him.
And while I adore Keanu, and I think he fits the role perfectly, the story should be about YOUR V, and not Johnny. And that is what is the biggest fail of the game to me. And I too think, like others, that it was a relatively late decision, probably to make it more main stream, riding the John Wick hype, to make it more marketable - which probably went hand in hand with a whole lot of other cuts they made (especially among the mature elements of the game). Damn Corpos!

With an extended prologue and maybe not as much attention on Johnny, making it not the main story, would probably feel more like an RPG.

 

[lyin321]

I also agree that the addition of Johnny Silverhand wasn't a great choice. As ONE quest among others? Sure! But as THE main quest? You no longer are a free agent, no longer the protagonist of your own story, instead you are part of Johnny's story. It's all about him.

I don't understand how this is a story for anyone else than V. It's about V being put in a very bad situation and how he/she deal with it.

But back to the OP - maybe that montage should have been act 1 or something. It would certainly be very nice RP for my corpo that suddenly have to learn how to live such a different life.

Edit: forgot...imo the passing of the main quests could be better if it is slower. Give us a time where we can do the side quests/work on becoming better solo. I know we can do that now without any consequences, but I still feel weird ignoring the main quest

 

[Vingolf]

The montage should've been playable. But it should also be skippable as well. As in being able to tell Jackie to go away. I've brought this up in other topics but it didn't make sense to me in the street kid lifepath. I didn't want to be best buds with him after he tried to carjack me.

 

[o0TapeDeck0o]

The more I get to thinking about it the more I would have liked the whole Siverhand biochip angle to be pushed to the tail end of the story with the Heist being the final mission. Remember the E3 cutscene where he reveals himself, how pumped we all were?...

That right there could have been the ending of the story and would have been a beautiful segue to future DLC which would feature Johnny as the focus. To me that would alleviate most of the issues surrounding the story leaving us with way more time with V and crew to establish their characters further because what's here I like but its not enough. That montage is just a copout to bridge the empty shell of a lifepath intro to the Dorsett kidnapping. Honestly Act 1 really is an out-and-out fail for me.

I doubt the story will change much if any at all but who knows what the future holds. I really do hope that CDPR will consider some major story revisions and that any future DLC adds to the story instead of being a band-aid over a bullet hole.​

 

[Gorance]

Yes it should have been. But they pivoted their story to be just that a story not an open world game.. The story is messing up with the open world mechanics in a way that the story is super urgent and on the other side we have an open world game which you can take your time... its really badly thought out... this game should have been just a story game or an open world RPG... and that is why i think they changed it in 2019..

 

[faverodefavero]

I really feel like at some point the devs decided to put all the focus of the story on Keanu and Johnny Silverhand when originally it was about you and Jackie moving up in NC and forming a friendship. Imagine how great the story would be if the main bulk of the story was the six months with Jackie that got reduced to a montage, where you could actually explore and immerse yourself in the world and its side quests and stories, then at the very end where everything is seen and done, then you get the corrupted relic and move on with the Silverhand quest chain.

Right now I personally can't enjoy any of the sidequests because there is this nagging sense of false urgency telling me to focus on the main story and saving my life. This is my subjective opinion on the CP2077 story, I still think it's a good game when all you do is follow the main plot, but it feels more like a Telltale Games type of experience than an open-world RPG. Not to mention all the false promises of a truly interactive world and all that, but to me, this game is not about your character, it's rather all about Johnny Silverhand.

I agree, they can add that part in and leave the rest of the very short main story as the game ending and maybe add an extra ending or two. It would be a lot of progress and a sign of good will from developers already. Much better than nothing.

 

[Madae]

Once Keanu was on board, they knew they had to use as much of him as the could. It was probably expensive to utilize him. That money couldn't go to waste, so they gave him a major role in the game.

Pretty sure I saw somewhere that Keanu is actually flexible with his cost, and most of his involvement came with adding some of the motorcycles from a company he is involved with to the game, which I think was Jackie's bike, the Arch.

 

[ottffss1]

But it would not be necessarily better per se - it all depends on the type of missions and plot momentum and progression of any type of story. Like what we got is still better than just doing "random" unconnected fetch quests and get rich in Night City type of deal until something like the "big one" (the heist) screws it up for example - that is essentially the gta5 plot.

 

[Icinix]

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks the main plot feels like a telltale game rather than an RPG.

It's so weird - since there are so many other side quests that are better and lean much more into player choice and relationships without ever forcing your hand.

Would love to see the Jackie V friendship form. Unlock fixers over time, see more of T-Bug, Misty, Mama Welles, etc.

...I just want more Cyberpunk and Night City - an the freedom to be a part in it.

 

[moonknightgog]

Yeah, I still don't know whoe the hell T-Bug is. They could've had personal quests or activities related to them, making them feel as actual V's friends, but no...it's like they wanted to rush the player to meet Keanu Reeves, as like people bought the game just for him.

Post automatically merged: Dec 27, 2020

Yeah, ok. It was still a GAMEPLAY trailer, even if it states that it's WIP and might change. Just listen to what the radio is saying. So … No, it's not "my own explanation", the story was different.

That was a fucking plot hole, in 2020s lore Johnny Silverhand disappears during the assault on Arasaka tower. Allegedely killed by Adam Smasher