Cyberpunk 2077 may be a well-received game nowadays, but its launch was nothing short of a disaster. When it first came out in December 2020, CD Projekt Red's first-person sci-fi RPG was littered with bugs, glitches, and performance issues, especially on last-generation consoles. NPCs were unresponsive to threats, vehicle handling felt floaty, skill trees were downright lackluster, and the police system was borderline broken. The state of Cyberpunk 2077 was so poor that the action RPG was pulled off the PlayStation Store merely days after it was released. Unfortunately, console users had no choice but to wait for CD Projekt Red to patch out the various issues in the game. PC players, on the other hand, could at least rely on fan-made mods in order to improve their Cyberpunk experiences.
Cyberpunk 2077 is currently one of the most modded games out there. Even though CD Projekt Red has already addressed many of the sci-fi RPG's problems with consistent post-launch support, the modding community continues to make new ways to enjoy the game to this day. The last couple of years have seen several great Cyberpunk mods come and go, from one that makes NPC reactivity more realistic to another that adds a third-person perspective to the game. Some of the most impressive mods out there, though, are the ones that improve Cyberpunk's graphics. Gamers with beefy PCs can take the realism of CDPR's latest to the next level with mods that dramatically enhance the RPG's lighting, shaders, and textures. If the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 sequel gets anywhere close to the same quality of lifelike visuals that these mods can provide, then it could set the standard for graphics in open-world video games going forward.
CD Projekt Red Should Use Cyberpunk 2077's Graphics Mods as a Basis For Project Orion
The Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel, Project Orion, Will Have Photorealistic Graphics
Following the massive commercial success of its predecessor, CD Projekt Red announced in October 2022 that it was working on a new Cyberpunk game, codenamed Project Orion. At the time, there wasn't really much to gather from its reveal. Even still, the mere confirmation of a follow-up to Cyberpunk 2077 being in development was enough to set the internet ablaze with excitement.
Although CDPR has largely been tight-lipped about the development of the sequel, some minor details have come out about Project Orion in recent months. Earlier this year, for example, a job listing on CD Project Red's official website revealed that Cyberpunk 2077's upcoming sequel would feature "high-quality, photorealistic" graphics. While this tidbit of information wasn't all that surprising, it did at least suggest that CDPR has high ambitions for Project Orion on the graphical front.
Project Orion Could Be a Big Step Up From Cyberpunk 2077 on the Graphics Front
There's no denying that the graphics in Cyberpunk 2077 are some of the most impressive out there, especially for an open-world game. However, they can be hit-or-miss in some areas. Many locations in the game, like the Heavy Hearts nightclub in Dogtown, look absolutely stunning, especially at night. Most of the random NPCs roaming Night City, on the other hand, often look quite rough due to poor lighting and occasionally iffy facial animations. As such, there's certainly some room for improvement in Cyberpunk, graphics-wise.
Since CD Projekt Red seemingly does want to make Project Orion a technical showcase, it should use the graphics mods that improve Cyberpunk's visuals as a source of inspiration. Some open-world games out there struggle to achieve photorealistic visuals as well as these mods provide, so if Project Orion is able to look as good on the PS5's successor and the next Xbox as modded CP 2077 does, then it can end up marking a new frontier in modern gaming graphics. This approach also has the potential to attract a wider audience of casual gamers who may buy the game just to see its lifelike visuals firsthand. As such, CDPR is sitting on a gold mine with Cyberpunk 2077's sequel if its realistic graphics don't surpass those of modded CP 2077.
Cyberpunk 2077
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
- Released
- December 10, 2020
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
WHERE TO PLAY
Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action-adventure from the creators of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt Red.
Set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification, you play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality.
Upgraded with next-gen in mind and featuring free additional content, customize your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades.
The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be?
- Engine
- REDengine 4
- Cross-Platform Play
- ps, xbox, pc
- Cross Save
- yes
- Franchise
- Cyberpunk
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- How Long To Beat
- 25 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
