Posted December 14, 2020
Given how many people are struggling with bugs and playability right now, I know that there are other priorities that need to be addressed first. In 35 hours on PC, I've run into one bug that required a reload and a couple glitches with cars. I've been lucky.
I've been a fan of CD Projekt since the original Witcher. I own every one of their games, done cosplay, the whole nine. I believe that they'll make this game better over time, but I'm really kind of disappointed in the "immersion" of Night City. It's a mile wide and an inch deep. Can it be fixed? Yes. Will it? It's probably not the highest priority right now - nor should it be.
There's a number of "quality of life" improvements that I can't believe didn't make the game; the inventory is bad (you can sort clothing by DPS but not armor), the mini-map isn't great (I've overshot turns by half a mile because you don't know they're coming), and others. I have to believe those are coming. Here's three areas that "pull me out of the game" pretty badly.
Clothing - They literally made dev diaries about "Fashion in Night City", but from beginning to end you look like you went shopping from a dumpster. There's no option to hide your hat - which I had kind taken as a given these days. Unless you're willing to ignore stats, you'll never form a coherent looking outfit. I ride a lot of motorcycles in 3rd Person so I probably notice it more than most, but given that the whole setting is "look good doing it" the lack of a transmutation system or something is... just strange.
Food/Drink/Nightclubs - Chalk it up to 2020, but I miss going to bars. I was honestly kind of pumped to go to different nightclubs and just hang out. Pour myself a Johnny Silverhand IRL - they're good by the way - and just chill for a bit. I was bummed to see that every bar/restaurant has the same menu with food/drink that does the exact same stat boosts. You can only "drink at the bar" in scripted scenes. When all you need is a $5 burrito from the vending machine - there's no point in the clubs as is. I stopped at a Club last night, the bartending talked up this special Silverhand ribs or something; hit the purchase screen and it wasn't a option. Just the same menu that every other bar had. Hell just the ability to order a drink "first person" would improve this by leaps.
Joytoy, etc. - OK. I'll go there. For a game that advertised "customize your bits" for a year, there's a shocking lack of... related content. I don't *need* to stare lovingly at my digital dong, but two joytoys? Two in the whole of Night City? Every few steps in some neighborhoods someone will proposition you, but nope. Some poor art dev had to create a lips icon for two workers? Geralt had 26 "romance cards" in Witcher 1. If you decide to go hetero you get a choice of... one. I'm not even going to get into romances, because that could have spoilers attached, but for "casual hookups" - wow. Two.
Again - none of this is game breaking, but it is immersion breaking. There are bigger fish to fry. It would probably be in bad taste to start talking post-launch plans at this point; but I - for one - would actually really like to know what's being planned. A mile wide and an inch deep.
I've been a fan of CD Projekt since the original Witcher. I own every one of their games, done cosplay, the whole nine. I believe that they'll make this game better over time, but I'm really kind of disappointed in the "immersion" of Night City. It's a mile wide and an inch deep. Can it be fixed? Yes. Will it? It's probably not the highest priority right now - nor should it be.
There's a number of "quality of life" improvements that I can't believe didn't make the game; the inventory is bad (you can sort clothing by DPS but not armor), the mini-map isn't great (I've overshot turns by half a mile because you don't know they're coming), and others. I have to believe those are coming. Here's three areas that "pull me out of the game" pretty badly.
Clothing - They literally made dev diaries about "Fashion in Night City", but from beginning to end you look like you went shopping from a dumpster. There's no option to hide your hat - which I had kind taken as a given these days. Unless you're willing to ignore stats, you'll never form a coherent looking outfit. I ride a lot of motorcycles in 3rd Person so I probably notice it more than most, but given that the whole setting is "look good doing it" the lack of a transmutation system or something is... just strange.
Food/Drink/Nightclubs - Chalk it up to 2020, but I miss going to bars. I was honestly kind of pumped to go to different nightclubs and just hang out. Pour myself a Johnny Silverhand IRL - they're good by the way - and just chill for a bit. I was bummed to see that every bar/restaurant has the same menu with food/drink that does the exact same stat boosts. You can only "drink at the bar" in scripted scenes. When all you need is a $5 burrito from the vending machine - there's no point in the clubs as is. I stopped at a Club last night, the bartending talked up this special Silverhand ribs or something; hit the purchase screen and it wasn't a option. Just the same menu that every other bar had. Hell just the ability to order a drink "first person" would improve this by leaps.
Joytoy, etc. - OK. I'll go there. For a game that advertised "customize your bits" for a year, there's a shocking lack of... related content. I don't *need* to stare lovingly at my digital dong, but two joytoys? Two in the whole of Night City? Every few steps in some neighborhoods someone will proposition you, but nope. Some poor art dev had to create a lips icon for two workers? Geralt had 26 "romance cards" in Witcher 1. If you decide to go hetero you get a choice of... one. I'm not even going to get into romances, because that could have spoilers attached, but for "casual hookups" - wow. Two.
Again - none of this is game breaking, but it is immersion breaking. There are bigger fish to fry. It would probably be in bad taste to start talking post-launch plans at this point; but I - for one - would actually really like to know what's being planned. A mile wide and an inch deep.
