So, where to begin? I've thought long and hard about when to write my review. After my first play through? My second? Or after my third?
I'm currently on my second play through, and have to say simply: This is my favorite game of all time. I'm someone who absolutely loves story based games, especially those that involve player choice. Witcher 3 was my favorite game of all time, before Cyberpunk.
So, "Why is this?", you may ask.

(THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS) Just in case you were wondering.

First some TLDR:
Cyberpunk is a breathtakingly beautiful game. It has bugs, mostly visual ones that didn't mess with my game. None made me want to stop playing. The story is amazing and the characters are some of the best in games ever. The choices make a difference, in the same way they did in Witcher 3. The music is beautiful and the gameplay alone provides replay value, as you truly have to focus on a 1 specific build to really experience it. Each build provides a completely different experience. The world, like in Witcher 3 feels lived in, but aside from the vendors and main/side missions and activities, there's not much. Witcher 3 was similar. Why is this game getting flack for it? Yes, this game has flaws, but which game doesn't. It is and will always remain a masterpiece in my opinion.

Now let's unpack, for those of you who want some more detail:

BUGS:
Let's get this out of the way. There have been no game breaking bugs in my entire 108 hours of playing. I have experienced many visual bugs (items floating, T-posing NPCs), and 1 story bug that required me to reload to a specific previous save to cause a character to spawn. NONE of these bugs took away from my desire to play the game. Yes, they distract, and if you came expecting to find a perfect game, you will be disappointed. This game has it's flaws, but the bugs are no worse than in other games I've played. The bugs I've experienced in AC Valhalla are similar, and that game has less depth than this one. Although I like that one too. But, let's get back on topic.

GRAPHICS:
This game is demanding, and with good reason. It's absolutely gorgeous. The detail in the world and on the characters are astounding. The expressions and the animations are breathtaking. Due to this fact, and it being in First Person, this game has been the most immersive experience I've had in my 13 years of gaming. I've never experienced a game that pulled me in quite like this one. (I even found myself making the expressions I thought my character would make during conversations. Just something for you to laugh about while reading).

STORY & CHARACTERS
Okay, so this is where this game shines, just like in Witcher 3. This game has some of the most believable characters I've ever encountered in a game. They feel like real people, with real lives and each one feels unique. Your choices and background make a difference, but similar to how your choices made a difference in Witcher 3. The side quests (some self contained and some connecting to others and even the main quest) have multiple choices and ways they can play out, meaning characters could live or die, or just simply see you in a completely different way depending on how you play things. The romance options feel natural and realistic. I don't know why people are complaining about the amount of romanceable characters. This game has 4 main romanceable characters (that's double the amount of Witcher 3) that feel super fleshed out. And, there are side romanceable characters, with their own story beats and motivations. The characters in this game have preferences though, which adds a layer that make them feel even more realistic. Bravo CDPR.

The story was INCREDIBLE and I loved Keanu Reeves' performance. In the main quest there are many choices you can make that truly feel like you are defining your character's personality. And just like in Witcher 3, you have specific goal (For Geralt it was finding Ciri, and for V it is leaving your mark on Night City). I saw some people complaining about how V changed goals without their "permission". V, like Geralt, already have their core desires in place, but you determine the personality, the way in which those goals are pursued. This game is not like Fallout, or Skyrim, where your character is a blank slate, and in my opinion, it's a better game because of this fact. There are also multiple endings, that change depending on choices made throughout the campaign (not every dialogue option, but the type of relationship you build with the characters). And in the same fashion as the Witcher 3 you have a recap at the end of how your choices have affected the lives of all characters both in the main quest and in the side quests. So I would simply say: This game builds on the quest system of the Witcher 3.

MUSIC:
So, music, imho, cannot be explained in words. I absolutely love the music in this game. Check out songs like "Night City" by Arielle Sitrick. The music is so enjoyable and there's so many radio stations in the game.

GAMEPLAY:
Okay, so this game. The RPG elements. WOW! Okay so, I've heard many people say that the RPG elements are basic. We probably played a completely different game. I played a hacker (Cyberpunk's Mage), and by the end I was hacking enemies off the battlefield, with my RAM (Cyberpunk's mana) regenerating each time one died, which meant constantly. Removing enemies left and right, I could almost finish a shootout without using my gun at all, since enemies' implants exploded and their systems fried at the touch of a button, causing my RAM to almost immediately regenerate due to a perk. I'm currently playing a character who basically only uses guns and the experience has been completely different, and has caused all the various encounters in the game to feel new and fresh. This game has many RPG elements and I advise you to dive in and read up on all of the skills and perks and what they provide. Though I believe if you try to be a jack of all trades, you won't feel as satisfied, as you won't reach your full potential in the build you are going for.

WORLD:
So, this world is gorgeous and incredible immersive. It feels lived in and alive, similar to Witcher 3's world. Although, so many people are hating on this game because it's not like GTA's world where you can do so many different activities. This is not a Rockstar game, this is a CD Project RED game. Witcher 3's world felt alive, but had very few activities outside of the main/side missions and the question mark activities. This game is almost exactly the same. Replace the question mark activities with NCPD missions and you've got almost the exact same open-world formula. There are cars you can buy and clothes you can shop for. But you won't be able to own EVERYTHING in one play through, maybe only if you do EVERY single NCPD mission. And that seems fair doesn't it? Why should someone who only speeds through the easy stuff, be able to buy everything. In Witcher 3 that wasn't the case, and it isn't the case here.

So, to end my little review. I loved this game. Give it a chance. You might love it too.

So, where to begin? I've thought long and hard about when to write my review. After my first play through? My second? Or after my third? I'm currently on my second play through, and have to say simply: This is my favorite game of all time. I'm someone who absolutely loves story based games, especially those that involve player choice. Witcher 3 was my favorite game of all time, before Cyberpunk. So, "Why is this?", you may ask. (THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS) Just in case you were wondering. First some TLDR: Cyberpunk is a breathtakingly beautiful game. It has bugs, mostly visual ones that didn't mess with my game. None made me want to stop playing. The story is amazing and the characters are some of the best in games ever. The choices make a difference, in the same way they did in Witcher 3. The music is beautiful and the gameplay alone provides replay value, as you truly have to focus on a 1 specific build to really experience it. Each build provides a completely different experience. The world, like in Witcher 3 feels lived in, but aside from the vendors and main/side missions and activities, there's not much. Witcher 3 was similar. Why is this game getting flack for it? Yes, this game has flaws, but which game doesn't. It is and will always remain a masterpiece in my opinion. Now let's unpack, for those of you who want some more detail: BUGS: Let's get this out of the way. There have been no game breaking bugs in my entire 108 hours of playing. I have experienced many visual bugs (items floating, T-posing NPCs), and 1 story bug that required me to reload to a specific previous save to cause a character to spawn. NONE of these bugs took away from my desire to play the game. Yes, they distract, and if you came expecting to find a perfect game, you will be disappointed. This game has it's flaws, but the bugs are no worse than in other games I've played. The bugs I've experienced in AC Valhalla are similar, and that game has less depth than this one. Although I like that one too. But, let's get back on topic. GRAPHICS: This game is demanding, and with good reason. It's absolutely gorgeous. The detail in the world and on the characters are astounding. The expressions and the animations are breathtaking. Due to this fact, and it being in First Person, this game has been the most immersive experience I've had in my 13 years of gaming. I've never experienced a game that pulled me in quite like this one. (I even found myself making the expressions I thought my character would make during conversations. Just something for you to laugh about while reading). STORY & CHARACTERS Okay, so this is where this game shines, just like in Witcher 3. This game has some of the most believable characters I've ever encountered in a game. They feel like real people, with real lives and each one feels unique. Your choices and background make a difference, but similar to how your choices made a difference in Witcher 3. The side quests (some self contained and some connecting to others and even the main quest) have multiple choices and ways they can play out, meaning characters could live or die, or just simply see you in a completely different way depending on how you play things. The romance options feel natural and realistic. I don't know why people are complaining about the amount of romanceable characters. This game has 4 main romanceable characters (that's double the amount of Witcher 3) that feel super fleshed out. And, there are side romanceable characters, with their own story beats and motivations. The characters in this game have preferences though, which adds a layer that make them feel even more realistic. Bravo CDPR. The story was INCREDIBLE and I loved Keanu Reeves' performance. In the main quest there are many choices you can make that truly feel like you are defining your character's personality. And just like in Witcher 3, you have specific goal (For Geralt it was finding Ciri, and for V it is leaving your mark on Night City). I saw some people complaining about how V changed goals without their "permission". V, like Geralt, already have their core desires in place, but you determine the personality, the way in which those goals are pursued. This game is not like Fallout, or Skyrim, where your character is a blank slate, and in my opinion, it's a better game because of this fact. There are also multiple endings, that change depending on choices made throughout the campaign (not every dialogue option, but the type of relationship you build with the characters). And in the same fashion as the Witcher 3 you have a recap at the end of how your choices have affected the lives of all characters both in the main quest and in the side quests. So I would simply say: This game builds on the quest system of the Witcher 3. MUSIC: So, music, imho, cannot be explained in words. I absolutely love the music in this game. Check out songs like "Night City" by Arielle Sitrick. The music is so enjoyable and there's so many radio stations in the game. GAMEPLAY: Okay, so this game. The RPG elements. WOW! Okay so, I've heard many people say that the RPG elements are basic. We probably played a completely different game. I played a hacker (Cyberpunk's Mage), and by the end I was hacking enemies off the battlefield, with my RAM (Cyberpunk's mana) regenerating each time one died, which meant constantly. Removing enemies left and right, I could almost finish a shootout without using my gun at all, since enemies' implants exploded and their systems fried at the touch of a button, causing my RAM to almost immediately regenerate due to a perk. I'm currently playing a character who basically only uses guns and the experience has been completely different, and has caused all the various encounters in the game to feel new and fresh. This game has many RPG elements and I advise you to dive in and read up on all of the skills and perks and what they provide. Though I believe if you try to be a jack of all trades, you won't feel as satisfied, as you won't reach your full potential in the build you are going for. WORLD: So, this world is gorgeous and incredible immersive. It feels lived in and alive, similar to Witcher 3's world. Although, so many people are hating on this game because it's not like GTA's world where you can do so many different activities. This is not a Rockstar game, this is a CD Project RED game. Witcher 3's world felt alive, but had very few activities outside of the main/side missions and the question mark activities. This game is almost exactly the same. Replace the question mark activities with NCPD missions and you've got almost the exact same open-world formula. There are cars you can buy and clothes you can shop for. But you won't be able to own EVERYTHING in one play through, maybe only if you do EVERY single NCPD mission. And that seems fair doesn't it? Why should someone who only speeds through the easy stuff, be able to buy everything. In Witcher 3 that wasn't the case, and it isn't the case here. So, to end my little review. I loved this game. Give it a chance. You might love it too.