From Sandevistan operating systems altering the perception of time to mantis blades and double-jump enabling leg tendons, the vast array of implants available from the many ripperdocs in Cyberpunk 2077 is an important element of the game's player fantasy and build variety, not to mention an integral aspect of V's ticking clock narrative. Whether Cyberpunk 2077's sequel is set in Night City or another neon-soaked mega-metropolis, the ripperdoc NPCs and implant upgrade system are due for a bit of a facelift.
Little else is known about the project, but with a new CDPR studio opened in Boston to take on the brunt of the workload, all signs point to Project Orion being an even more expansive and ambitious title than its predecessor. With all the embedded lore orbiting Night City, as well as the monumental effort spent designing the imposing urban sprawl, many speculate Project Orion will not be going for a change of scenery, but until more is divulged, nothing is off the table.
Cyberpunk 2077: The Road to Night City and Beyond
At launch, Cyberpunk 2077 had myriad issues and a laundry list of criticisms and features that felt half-baked. Following the release of its 2.0 update alongside Phantom Liberty, nearly all of those issues were put to rest, but there are still plenty of avenues for growth in Cyberpunk 2077. The game's ripperdoc system gave players variety in their V's approach to combat and conversation, making them as customizable under the hood as their exterior was with the character creator and wardrobe system.
Showing the Nitty Gritty
One aspect of customization that fans have requested since the game's launch is a marriage between the ripperdoc implants and character appearance. When players create their V, they can choose between a variety of surface-level cybernetic augments that alter looks but nothing else. Conversely, going to a ripperdoc can improve combat capabilities, but offers no permanent alteration to appearance. Having each implant, or at least any that would logically alter V's appearance, do so, would take the immersion of living as a suped-up edgerunner to the next level.
The Promise of Cyberpunk 2077's Project Orion
Along with the visual feedback of implants on V, the surgery to have them implanted could also stand to be more stimulating. The introduction to ripperdocs in Cyberpunk 2077 starts with a bang. Vic is an engrossing character and V getting their first implant, followed by the diagnostic running that uncovered Silverhand's engram imprinted on the relic, was an intense and provocative experience.
Every trip to a ripperdoc following that one, however, is a relatively static encounter, with the player choosing which implant to buy, followed by a brief cutscene where they lay down on the operating table and then a fade-to-black. Four or five varying, replayable cutscenes that show V under the knife would do wonders for ratcheting up the experience.
Focusing on one core system as an area in need of improvement for Cyberpunk 2077' s follow-up might seem nitpicky, but with the ironclad foundation CD Projekt Red laid down in 2020 and then ironed out in the years that followed the next iteration will seek out innovative improvements over inventive ones.
Small additions like more visual feedback from cybernetic augmentation would get a lot of mileage in terms of fleshing out Project Orion into a worthy successor as well. CD Projekt Red may have even bigger plans, what with the opening of a whole new studio to undertake the task, but a similar jump in scope from Witcher 2 to Witcher 3 could be more than enough to satiate fans hungry for more Cyberpunk.
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- 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
- Engine
- REDengine 4
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- How Long To Beat
- 25 Hours
- Metascore
- 75
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
