Cyberpunk 2077: Expectation & Reality of Staying True to the RPG Genre

Expectation:-

In picture, Role-playing games seems to be the most popular genre of video games this generation so far. Add to that, an "open world" with a AAA budget and you have yourself a Game of the year contender.

However, most games out there this generation merely just adopt certain elements of an RPG. In reality, they are not truly an RPG. Take for example titles such as Fallout 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, Assassin's Creed: Origins.

All of the above titles suffer from an identity crisis. They prefer to call themselves a game of RPG genre but are neither completely role-playing games, nor an action adventure title. They fall onto the latter just because that genre is more flexible.

In other words, AAA developers are indeed very good when it comes to painting an illusion that the games they are offering to us are RPGs at heart. But are merely what I call "pseudo RPG."

Aside JRPGs, which mostly has a different fan base, the only real western AAA RPGs we have gotten are Deus Ex Mankind Divded, Bloodborne, Dark Souls 3 and of course The Witcher 3:Wild Hunt.( Please tell me in the comments if I missed out on something.)

These games provided us with the freedom to shape our own characters, provided us with tools to overcome obstacles in as much as different ways as possible and let us form our own stories.

Titles such as Deus Ex and The Witcher 3 told us a narrative that took a drastic turn depending upon our consquences and actions. Games like Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3 let us craft our unamed characters the way we wanted which had severe consquences on the gameplay.

But these games, even though are complex to understand and addictive to play, are very less in numbers. Only because they are too much off a hassle to make, especially for a AAA developer when they have other attributes of the game to worry about as well.

Cyberpunk 2077, even though looks fun and flashy, a big budget AAA game that is meant for "everyone" is actually being misunderstood by many, atleast if we keep in mind the amount of hype the game has been generating in the last couple of years.

Cyberpunk 2077 is a true role-playing game at it's heart and CD Projekt RED has been emphasizing on that time after time. If the overhyped fans expect it to be as simpler to get into as let's just say Horizon Zero Dawn, Breath of the Wild or Assassin's Creed Origins,then they will be extremly disappointed.

Reality:-

Cyberpunk 2077

As I mentioned, making a AAA RPG game is not easy anymore as compared to making a AAA action adventure game with RPG elements.

Hence the reason why the RPG genre has taken a back seat and the only way the fans of the role-playing genre are quenching their thirst is by the semi AAA titles like Vampyr or the upcoming The Outer Worlds, which looks pretty solid.

The other reason why AAA RPG games are getting more uncommon nowadays aside the fact that they are complex to make is that the audience for these games are niche. RPGs are not the choice of tea for everyone.

Maybe this is the reason why titles such as the recent Deus Ex, Dark Souls, Bloodborne in spite of being critically acclaimed titles, have a smaller fan base and in result sell less than other AAA titles.

What's different in the case of Cyberpunk 2077 is that this game has generated unprecedented hype due to the success of The Witcher 3 and the nobility of CD Projekt RED as a developer who stays honest with their fans, and doesn't indulge in activites that are unappreciated by the gaming audience nowadays, such as microtranscations.

But all of that doesn't change the fact that Cyberpunk 2077 won't appeal to everyone of those gamers who are going to buy this game. Only because it's going to stay true to it's RPG roots. Something the likes of Bioware and Bethesda abandoned as the dark reality of popularity and fame got them.

Cyberpunk 2077 is a grounded game, that's what is indicated from both the gameplay footages we have seen so far. The game will let you shape your character. Assign back story to them which will have consquences in the game's story later on. Such features were loved by many when it originated way back in 2000's. I especially got to try it first in 2009's Dragon Age:Origins which is still one of my favourite RPGs of all time.

The fact that CD Projekt RED is digging deeper into the RPG roots is god send for the fans of the genre but then of course, one can't satisfy both the sides of coins right?

All I'm saying is that Cyberpunk 2077 will be a treat for the RPG fans, but it may not have the same impact on the rest of the gaming audience.

I would love to hear your thoughts on Cyberpunk 2077 and all the never ending hype surrounding the game. Also for more such features and news, Stick to Sportskeeda and follow me for constant updates.