Review: Cyberpunk 2077 on Xbox Series X is the best console experience, but still way too buggy

by Daniel Falconer | 18 December 2020

Picture Credit: CD PROJEKT RED

It’s been a messy launch for arguably the most anticipated game of 2020, Cyberpunk 2077. Looking back at the year so far, should we really be surprised? Base console (Xbox One/PS4) users have been hit with continuous crashes and a lack of consistent playability, whilst bugs have plagued everybody regardless of which platform they may be playing on.

The problems have gotten to a point where this week (December 18th), Sony have offered all those on PlayStation the chance for a refund, removing Cyberpunk 2077 from their e-store entirely until further notice.

As a gamer, it’s hard to remember a debut as chaotic as this one. The likes of Fallout 76 and No Man’s Sky saw their problems, but has a game of this scale ever been pulled entirely by a leading company because of the outpouring of complaints about how it runs? Not one of high enough note that I can remember.

Still, when I’ve not been raiding in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, I’ve been delving into Night City, finding out a little more about Keanu Reeves’ role in the game and meeting a whole bunch of eclectic rogues and anti-heroes in Cyberpunk 2077, on an Xbox Series X console.

Doing a little research, it does appear that if you are picking up the game on a console, the next-gen offering from Microsoft is the way to go. Two modes are available, with performance mode locking to 1080p and running with a frame-rate of up to 60 frames-per-second, unlocked for raw output. PlayStation 5 wins the battle here, but switching to quality mode on Series X is a console feature currently only reserved for those players.

It’s in that quality mode where Cyberpunk 2077 is really given the opportunity to shine. Capping at 30fps, resolution is dramatically increased and can reach beyond 1728p in some of the simplest scenes, capping around 1512p in busier moments, according to Eurogamer.

But what about my own personal experience? It was hard to go in with an unbiased judgement after reading so many early impressions, some good but many bad, of how the game was running. Still, I did my best to put my journalist cap on and got to work.

Picture Credit: CD PROJEKT RED

Kicking things off with undoubtedly the most intricate customisation a video game of this calibre has ever offered, you’ll be able to modify almost every aspect of your character’s body, from their eyes, facial hair and ears, to their nipples, genitals and pubic area.

It must have taken a lot of work to implement all of this, which is why it’s strange to see studio CD PROJEKT RED only offer a first-person camera when playing. Perhaps we’ll see more of why the customisation was brought in when the online multiplayer (hopefully) launches in 2021.

So, down to gameplay. Within the first 30 minutes, I’d already come across two bugs.

The first was when one NPC had been cloned so that what appeared to be a very clingy twin in exactly the same clothing was stood right next to them. The second was when I spotted another NPC enjoying a cigarette, or three. The first was in his hand as I expect was the goal. The other two floated at various points where the animation would hold for a second or two before continuing.

These bugs were in my starting zone; it bewildered me as to why I could so easily spot them but those working on the game had missed them entirely.

Still, there were moments that made me smile. Simple things, such as seeing a magazine hang freely, drooped over as one character held it in a single hand, impressed. Physics on objects like this are usually forgotten about, leaving the magazine static and rigid, fighting against gravity. The devil’s in the details; it’s just a shame that this same ideal wasn’t implemented across the board.

Picture Credit: CD PROJEKT RED

Combat was also a pleasant experience. I’d definitely recommend running through all of the tutorials that teach you the basics of fighting, whether it be with your fists, blunt instruments or an array of light and heavy guns. Shots registered perfectly in all instances, with headshots in particular feeling extremely gratifying when they’d land.

As for how it looks and sounds? Honestly on the whole, it’s beautiful and sounds great, with some stellar voice acting performances.

I can’t wait to see what the next-gen upgrades, set to drop in 2021, bring to the overall atmosphere. I imagine it’ll be one of the most stunning and immersive games of all-time. CD PROJEKT RED just need to make sure they get it right before releasing.

Where Cyberpunk 2077 really prevails however, is in its narrative. The writers do a perfect job of enveloping you within the story they want to tell, quickly ensuring you feel an emotional connection not just with your own character V, but many of those that they come into contact with throughout the game. Whether that’s a positive or negative one; whether you feel you can trust somebody or you want to cut them loose; it’s a job well done.

Unfortunately, the biggest bug I encountered came at the end of one of my campaign missions, forcing me to go back to a previous save so that I could actually progress. Mistakes like this are frankly unforgivable. Wasting player time with something that has to be Googled to be remedied effectively is shameful.

There was also a point where my game froze entirely for around 10 seconds, before resuming at the same point it stalled. A friend on Xbox One says that this happens regularly, but most of the time the game will crash and close completely, requiring a reboot to get back in. Again, this should not be happening.

I hate to say it, but there should have been yet another Cyberpunk 2077 delay to ensure that the game was as smooth an experience as possible. Right now, it’s enjoyable in parts, but not enough so that you should be picking it up whilst all of these bugs and glitches remain in place. There’s still a lot of work to be done and I imagine that CD PROJEKT RED are crunching harder than ever before, behind-the-scenes.