Cyberpunk 2077 Review: Should You Buy It?

What is Cyberpunk 2077?

Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action role-playing game developed by CD PROJEKT RED, the Polish studio behind The Witcher series. Set in the sprawling, dystopian megalopolis of Night City, the game casts you as V, a mercenary outlaw whose quest for a one-of-a-kind implant that holds the key to immortality becomes a desperate fight for survival.

The premise is a classic cyberpunk tale of transhumanism, corporate dominance, and the search for a soul in a world that has commodified it. While the game launched in 2020 to significant controversy due to technical issues, particularly on last-generation consoles, the version under review in 2026 represents the culmination of years of extensive patches, overhauls, and the transformative 2.0 update.

This is the game that CD PROJEKT RED envisioned, a dense and reactive RPG that has finally shed its troubled past to stand on its own considerable merits.

Gameplay

The gameplay of Cyberpunk 2077 in its current state is a thrilling and deeply customisable fusion of first-person shooter combat, character-driven narrative, and immersive sim elements. The core loop involves taking on jobs from fixers, exploring the vertical and horizontal sprawl of Night City, and engaging in intense, fluid combat.

Perk and Cyberware System

The overhauled perk and cyberware system is the star here. Instead of incremental stat boosts, perks now fundamentally change how you play. A Reflexes build might allow you to dash at blinding speed, deflecting bullets with a katana, while an Intelligence build lets you hack enemies to turn their weapons against them or breach networks from a distance.

The learning curve is gentle initially, but the systems reveal impressive depth as you specialise.

Combat and Movement

Moment-to-moment play feels exceptional. Gunplay is weighty and satisfying, with a tangible difference between tech, power, and smart weapons. Driving, once a chore, is now tight and enjoyable, especially with the addition of vehicle combat.

The real magic, however, lies in how these systems interact with the world. The police system now functions as a proper, escalating force, and enemy gangs have distinct tactics and weaknesses. You can approach most scenarios with brute force, stealth, or subterfuge, and the game's level design often supports creative solutions.

Story and Quests

While not every mission is a masterpiece, the main questline - particularly the intertwining story with Keanu Reeves's iconic Johnny Silverhand - and major side quests like those involving Judy Alvarez or Panam Palmer offer some of the most compelling narrative moments in modern gaming. Choices feel genuinely consequential throughout the experience.

Who is Cyberpunk 2077 for?

Cyberpunk 2077 is primarily for solo players who crave deep, narrative-driven experiences within a rich, atmospheric world. It will strongly appeal to fans of immersive, systemic RPGs like Deus Ex, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, and the later Fallout titles, as well as those who enjoy the dense world-building and morally grey storytelling of CD PROJEKT RED's own The Witcher 3.

It is not a casual drop-in game; its strength lies in its lengthy, involved quests and complex character building. While the action is accessible, getting the most from the game requires engagement with its mechanics and lore.

It sits in an interesting space between hardcore and mainstream. The easiest difficulties allow you to enjoy the story and spectacle with minimal friction, while the hardest setting demands careful build optimisation and tactical use of the environment.

The lack of any multiplayer component means all the development focus is on this single-player journey. It's perfect for players who want to lose themselves in a meticulously crafted universe for dozens of hours, making it a decidedly 'lean-in' experience rather than a casual pastime.

Who it's for

• Fans of narrative-driven RPGs who value deep world-building and character progression.
• Players who enjoy systemic games with emergent gameplay and creative problem-solving.
• Solo gamers looking for a lengthy, immersive single-player experience.
• Those who appreciate morally grey storytelling and dystopian sci-fi themes.

Who it's not for

• Casual players seeking a lighthearted or linear shooter experience.
• Multiplayer enthusiasts who require cooperative or competitive modes.
• Players who dislike first-person perspectives or noir and dystopian tropes.

Graphics and performance

Cyberpunk 2077's visual identity is its crowning achievement. Night City is a breathtaking feat of art direction - a neon-drenched, rain-slicked urban jungle of staggering scale and detail. From the oppressive corporate canyons of City Center to the chaotic, vibrant markets of Pacifica, every district tells a story through its architecture and atmosphere.

The use of ray-traced lighting and reflections on capable hardware is transformative, making the city feel truly alive and physically plausible. Character models, especially during key story moments, are exceptionally well-animated and expressive.

PC Performance

On PC, performance is now reliable and highly scalable. The 2.0 update and subsequent patches have optimised the game engine significantly. With a modern mid-range GPU, achieving a stable 60fps at 1440p with high settings and some ray tracing features is entirely feasible. Top-tier systems can push path tracing for an even more cinematic look.

The days of pervasive bugs and crashes are long gone. Occasional minor visual quirks may remain, but they are no more frequent than in any other complex open-world game. It is a demanding title, as it should be for how it looks, but it now rewards that investment with stable, stunning performance.

Value for money

The value proposition of Cyberpunk 2077 in 2026 is exceptionally strong. The base game alone offers a critical path of 25-30 hours, but engaging with the substantial side content - which includes full narrative arcs rivaling the main story in quality - can easily push a single playthrough to 60-80 hours.

Furthermore, the game is built for replayability. The three distinct lifepaths (Nomad, Street Kid, Corpo) offer different opening experiences and dialogue options throughout, and the radically different character builds (Netrunner, Solo, Techie, or hybrids) can make a second playthrough feel like a completely different game.

This is all before considering the Phantom Liberty expansion, a spy-thriller masterpiece that adds a self-contained 15-20 hour story in a new district, alongside a host of new gear, perks, and an ending for the base game. When purchased as a complete bundle, the amount of high-quality, hand-crafted content is immense and justifies its price many times over for fans of the genre.

Verdict

Cyberpunk 2077 of 2026 is a resounding success and a landmark action RPG, fulfilling its initial promise as a deep, reactive, and breathtakingly realised journey.

The Cyberpunk 2077 of 2026 is a resounding success and a landmark action RPG. It is a game that has undergone a remarkable redemption, fulfilling its initial promise as a deep, reactive, and breathtakingly realised journey into a cyberpunk future. The gameplay is dynamic and deeply customisable, the stories are emotionally resonant and mature, and Night City stands as one of gaming's greatest virtual achievements.

It comes strongly recommended to any PC player with the hardware to do it justice who enjoys narrative-rich, single-player RPGs. You will love this game if you value atmospheric world-building, complex character progression, and stories that grapple with weighty themes.

However, those seeking a lighthearted, linear shooter or a multiplayer-focused experience should look elsewhere. Similarly, players who fundamentally dislike first-person perspectives or stories steeped in noir and dystopian tropes may not connect with its vision.

For everyone else, Cyberpunk 2077 now stands not as a cautionary tale, but as a testament to ambitious game design and a destination worth visiting in Night City.