Why missing Cinematic/3rd person Cutscenes is THE biggest flaw

[SuspiciousTitus]

I think that cutting out cinematic cutscenes is one of, if not THE biggest issue I have with cyberpunk 2077.
Why you might ask?
Well, lets just compare two scenes of actual ingame footage and the cinematic we got back in 2019.
If you havent already progressed to “The Heist”- Mission ingame and never seen the E3 2019 trailer displaying that mission, the following does contain heavy story spoilers! If you do not want to see these spoilers, scroll past that video link and read on.

If you don’t remeber the E3 gameplay, here’s a very good video (not mine) which shows ingame- and trailer footage side by side :

-SPOILER BEGINNING!-

-SPOILER END-

Now that’s a huge difference, right? No, I don’t mean the graphics, which are obiviously cgi in the trailer, I mean the emotions that those scenes trigger. Many players have a hard time connecting to “their” V and there’s a simple reason for this. To really engage to a fictional character, we need to see their emotional reactions to build that empathy needed to feel with them.
In the trailer you can see the anger, sadness and desperation in Vs eyes, whereas in the final game we’re just a pack of floating eyeballs.

Sure, the scene is still very emotional, but seeing our main character reacting to the unfortunate events would really help us bond with him/her.
Take the mass effect trilogy for example (or any other movie/game considered “great”): We feel so attached to the main character because we can actually SEE what he/she’s going through and after a certain time we can actually immerse into their view. Also no one minds seeing their hand-made character pulling of some badass moves.

While first person view really suits this game during acutal gameplay, the missed opportunity of telling this absolutely great story in a cinematic and engaging way always leaves a feeling of well....disappointment.

 

[DuncanOConner]

This is a matter of taste.
I really enjoyed the First Person feeling of this betrayal. I find the immersion due to the FPS far better as due to just another movie I would watch in 3P cut-scenes. I don't have to link to prescript feelings, if "I am" the character and have these feelings for my own. And all the incredible details they added to their FPS experience have done that for me.

Matter of taste and preference I think.

Regards

 

[Bukary77]

I prefer the First Person experience. It's one of the advantages of this game.

 

[Czembro]

I somewhat agree, though I don't think this is the biggest flaw, or even a major one. I had problem feeling the tragedy of V's fate in the finale, when the game decided to actually show me his face after all this hours. It really lowered the impact for me. Fully first person perspective works in games like Skyrim, which are not really story driven. In CP77 story is very personal, but without seeing V throught the majority of the game, it's rather hard to identify with what is shown at the very end. I remember when I first played Dragon Age: Origins and choose the ending where

Spoiler: spoilers for DA:O, an 11 years old game

my warden sacrificed his life to end the Blight

I was literally crying throught the epilogue and end credits.

 

[ElsonsoJannus]

I prefer the 1st person. More like I am there, less like watching a movie.

 

[offonoffon30]

I liked short 3rd person cutscenes from 2018 gameplay trailer (Waking up at the apartment, stepping into the elevator). During quests? I prefer first person. I agree it would be cool to get more of those, but definitely not during major events like cgi trailer has.

 

[Elle-Iza]

I think that cutting out cinematic cutscenes is one of, if not THE biggest issue I have with cyberpunk 2077.
Why you might ask?
Well, lets just compare two scenes of actual ingame footage and the cinematic we got back in 2019.
If you havent already progressed to “The Heist”- Mission ingame and never seen the E3 2019 trailer displaying that mission, the following does contain heavy story spoilers! If you do not want to see these spoilers, scroll past that video link and read on.

If you don’t remeber the E3 gameplay, here’s a very good video (not mine) which shows ingame- and trailer footage side by side :

-SPOILER BEGINNING!-

-SPOILER END-

Now that’s a huge difference, right? No, I don’t mean the graphics, which are obiviously cgi in the trailer, I mean the emotions that those scenes trigger. Many players have a hard time connecting to “their” V and there’s a simple reason for this. To really engage to a fictional character, we need to see their emotional reactions to build that empathy needed to feel with them.
In the trailer you can see the anger, sadness and desperation in Vs eyes, whereas in the final game we’re just a pack of floating eyeballs.

Sure, the scene is still very emotional, but seeing our main character reacting to the unfortunate events would really help us bond with him/her.
Take the mass effect trilogy for example (or any other movie/game considered “great”): We feel so attached to the main character because we can actually SEE what he/she’s going through and after a certain time we can actually immerse into their view. Also no one minds seeing their hand-made character pulling of some badass moves.

While first person view really suits this game during acutal gameplay, the missed opportunity of telling this absolutely great story in a cinematic and engaging way always leaves a feeling of well....disappointment.

I agree. There are some scenes first person is totally okay for me I'd like to have the option to chose which scenes I want to experience first and which third person.

 

[Grindders]

Another thing that no one talks about for some reason. Look how the first-person perspective is used in the Pick Up mission and in the first Sandra Dorsett mission - lots of animations:
V puts Sandra's head in her lap.
V meets Meredith - V falls down, then is pinned against the car.
V meets Royce - V jumps up from the couch and points a gun at his head.

Nothing close to that in the rest of the missions. V is just a camera in the rest of the game. You just sit and watch as a character sits in front of you and talks to you.

Really, just compare the way the first person camera is used in the missions shown at E3 and how it is used in the rest of the game.

 

[oomwoc]

Staying in first person really nails the point home that this is all happening to you. Third person cutscenes and/or gameplay would destroy that, in my opinion.

 

[Masoterian]

I seriously dont understand how anyone can see lack of 3D cutscenes as a 'flaw'. 3D cutscenes in 1st person games totally ruin the immersion and i wish more developers would realize that. I mean this has been known since Half life. Not to mention, when the game does switch to 3D person eventually - CP endings - it has impact you would never achieve if scenes like those were common.

 

[Guest 3573786]

Prior to release, I saw huge numbers of many defending the fpp choice. Now I'm seeing many more realizing what a terrible choice it was; cutscenes being a huge part of it. Those 5sec at the end of Blood and Wine have more emotional impact than anything in Cyberpunk.

 

[the_ktt]

They don't need those, the game looks so good there is no need for pre rendered scenes

 

[Mentos3]

I had problems with bonding to V, too.
Maybe this is individuell. I'm in FP all of my life. But I know what I feel, I recognize how my face changes, if I laugh, if I'm tired or if I'm angry, hey, I can see a little part of my nose and I start to whistle if I'm nervous and after 10 Minutes my mouth get dry and I need something to drink .
"Being V" is not the same, I feel nothing emotional and nothing hurts physical.
He/She is just a camera, with some swinging hands and arms. FP = ultimative Immersion is BS.
Imho.
Cutscenes could show how V feels, but there are almost none, just the endings.
But as I already said: Individuell.
I know I'm not a gangster, merchant, cowboy, assassine, viking, son of a blacksmith or witcher .
The best thing a game can do, is that I have a kind of bond to the gangster, merchant, cowboy, assassine, viking, son of a blacksmith or witcher.

Another thing that no one talks about for some reason. Look how the first-person perspective is used in the Pick Up mission and in the first Sandra Dorsett mission - lots of animations:
V puts Sandra's head in her lap.
V meets Meredith - V falls down, then is pinned against the car.
V meets Royce - V jumps up from the couch and points a gun at his head.

Nothing close to that in the rest of the missions. V is just a camera in the rest of the game. You just sit and watch as a character sits in front of you and talks to you.

Really, just compare the way the first person camera is used in the missions shown at E3 and how it is used in the rest of the game.

As V and Jackie slide down the glas of the building it was really: UGH! ACTION! FUN !
But then... nothing. Looking at Johnny, sitting on a chair, looking at Evelyn, sitting on a couch, looking at Takemura, watching TV... NO ACTION! NO FUN! Knit-club.

I seriously dont understand how anyone can see lack of 3D cutscenes as a 'flaw'. 3D cutscenes in 1st person games totally ruin the immersion and i wish more developers would realize that. I mean this has been known since Half life. Not to mention, when the game does switch to 3D person eventually - CP endings - it has impact you would never achieve if scenes like those were common.

Sounds like a contradiction. If cutscenes wouldn't have any impact, they wouldn't have it at the endings.
And I think KCD was successful, although/because it had FPS and Cutscenes. It was the perfect Mix for this game.

 

[fryota]

That is why V will never be at the same level with Geralt of Rivia (or Ezio Auditore for example). There is no 1st person game's main character that will be memorable like 3rd person game's main character. I really like the game and the story tho.

 

[atomowyturysta]

I think that cutting out cinematic cutscenes is one of, if not THE biggest issue I have with cyberpunk 2077.
Why you might ask?
Well, lets just compare two scenes of actual ingame footage and the cinematic we got back in 2019.
If you havent already progressed to “The Heist”- Mission ingame and never seen the E3 2019 trailer displaying that mission, the following does contain heavy story spoilers! If you do not want to see these spoilers, scroll past that video link and read on.

If you don’t remeber the E3 gameplay, here’s a very good video (not mine) which shows ingame- and trailer footage side by side :

-SPOILER BEGINNING!-

-SPOILER END-

Now that’s a huge difference, right? No, I don’t mean the graphics, which are obiviously cgi in the trailer, I mean the emotions that those scenes trigger. Many players have a hard time connecting to “their” V and there’s a simple reason for this. To really engage to a fictional character, we need to see their emotional reactions to build that empathy needed to feel with them.
In the trailer you can see the anger, sadness and desperation in Vs eyes, whereas in the final game we’re just a pack of floating eyeballs.

Sure, the scene is still very emotional, but seeing our main character reacting to the unfortunate events would really help us bond with him/her.
Take the mass effect trilogy for example (or any other movie/game considered “great”): We feel so attached to the main character because we can actually SEE what he/she’s going through and after a certain time we can actually immerse into their view. Also no one minds seeing their hand-made character pulling of some badass moves.

While first person view really suits this game during acutal gameplay, the missed opportunity of telling this absolutely great story in a cinematic and engaging way always leaves a feeling of well....disappointment.

Well. There are bigger flaws and mistakes. I, personaly, haven't felt the lack of TP cut scenes. But a few of the could be nice, in the likeness of the ending cutscenes.

 

[BullTheDozer.]

I'd say the biggest flaw is the bold-faced lie that is the character customization and the AI. But only one third person cutscene 2 playthrough does suck.

 

[hulkman2456]

I seriously dont understand how anyone can see lack of 3D cutscenes as a 'flaw'. 3D cutscenes in 1st person games totally ruin the immersion and i wish more developers would realize that. I mean this has been known since Half life. Not to mention, when the game does switch to 3D person eventually - CP endings - it has impact you would never achieve if scenes like those were common.

My reaction when I saw those for the first time. I was annoyed. Because that's what I wanted to see for many key areas. Not control a camera to look around when someone talks.

 

[FLyingMonkeyPaints]

1st person = merc simulator

3rd person = movie director simulator

 

[Elle-Iza]

1st person = merc simulator

3rd person = movie director simulator

the option to chose and switch = everyone's favourite simulator

 

[Bukary77]

the option to chose and switch = everyone's favourite simulator

If you have both, none of them works perfectly. I think the game has so much interaction (and animations) in first-person view that it would be almost impossible to switch to third-person view on the fly without making what you see ridiculous.