Cyberpunk 2077was by far one of thebest games shown during E3 2019last month. The long-anticipated open-world RPG fromThe Witcher 3developer CD Projekt RED isn’t due to release until next year, but thanks to the German magazine, Komputer Swiat, a little more information is known about how the game’s progression and upgrade systems are going to work
CD Projekt RED presented the press with an extended gameplay demo forCyberpunk 2077during E3 that began by introducing Keanu Reeve’s character, Johnny Silverhand. The player is searching for Brigitte, the leader of the criminal faction known as the Voodoo Boys, in order to find Johnny’s girlfriend, Alt Cunningham. The mission was played with multiple builds including one that focussed on combat, and another hacking class known as the Netrunner that could control electronics and turn off cameras.
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Classes won’t be fixed inCyberpunk 2077and players will have the ability to choose and change abilities to suit their preferred playstyle. When the game begins, players canchoose from three different originscalled Nomad, Corpo, and Street Kid, each fit with their own background and starting location. Completing activities rewards experience points which contribute to the overall player level. While no exact number has been confirmed as the game’s maximum, the player in the demo is at Level 18, roughly halfway through the game, with the highest level enemy character at Level 45.
Abilities will fall into 12 categories known as Attributes that include Strength, Reflexes, Intelligence, Tech, Luck, and more. Attributes can be upgraded by installing different cyberware that grants additionals skills from tech upgrades, to combat enhancements, and fashion statements. Depending on what unlocks are chosen, it’s possible tocomplete a non-lethal playthrough. Each of these abilities, attributes, and the player’s origin will have an overall effect on how the player “copes” with situations in-game and additional dialogue options may open up for some players that won’t be available to others.
Additional touches have also been made to the character animations to make the player feel like they’re actually improving and progressing. When using weapons inCyberpunk 2077, the player’s proficiency with that weapon will be increased over time which affects the weapons handling, accuracy, and reload speed. As the player’s proficiency is increased, the weapon animations will change for example reloading animations will become faster and smoother looking.
CD Projekt RED has put player choice at the forefront of what makesCyberpunk 2077allowing players to choose their gameplay style, character design, romance options, and eventhe religion they want to associate with. The progression system bears a number of similarities to that ofThe Witcher 3and it’s entirely plausible for players to expect a similar overall experience.
Cyberpunk 2077releases on August 12, 2025, on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
