Summary
It will probably still be awhile before players get a glimpse ofProject Orion, the sequel toCyberpunk 2077, and this dearth of information makes it easy to speculate about how the game might differ from its predecessor.Cyberpunk 2077has grown to become a great gamedespite its rocky launch, but it still has quite a few shortcomings that a sequel could, and hopefully will, address.
In retrospect, the writing was on the wall forCyberpunk 2077’s rocky state at launch. The game suffered numerous delays, and there was a period when it seemed like CD Projekt Red was regularly issuing statements about major changes in development, radically altering or removing features that were once advertised as core parts of the experience. Among the more infamous canned features were third-person cutscenes: earlyCyberpunk 2077trailers suggested that all in-game cinematics would show the player-character themselves, fully animated and interacting with other NPCs. This made the game seem like a good balance between the immersion of the first-person perspective and the gratification of actually seeing a custom character decked out in sci-fi cosmetics. Of course, the final product only offers limited glimpses of V, relegating itself to a strict first-person POV.
Project Orion Should Include a Third-Person Mode
The Lack of Third-Person Options in Cyberpunk 2077 Is Disappointing
Character customization has a lot of potential inCyberpunk 2077. The initial character creation system, while not the most robust or granular of its ilk, opens the door to creative expression. Players are given a bevy of tools to craft their ideal science-fiction low-life avatar, with customization options for things like cyberware that help flesh out the cyberpunk fantasy.
Then, there’s the matter of all the cosmetics players can uncover throughout their playthrough. The base game ofCyberpunk 2077alone has a dizzying amount of different apparel and accessory options, and this collection is furtherexpanded with thePhantom LibertyDLC. Just like with the character creation resources, these cosmetics are well-designed and fit in nicely with the game’s theme, but all their strengths mean little when players almost never see them.
Put simply,Cyberpunk 2077’s admirable customization tools come up short, not because they are bad or lackluster, but because they don’t get a chance to shine due to the game’s first-person perspective. The only time that players will really get a chance to see their character is when they are riding a motorcycle, looking in a mirror, or during the final cutscene of the main campaign, and this is hardly enough to make up for the limited perspective of the rest of the game.Cyberpunk 2077’s great character customizationactually makes the lack of a third-person mode worse, as every new piece of cool clothing or high-tech accessory reminds players of their limited visual powers.
Character customization may have been more impactful inCyberpunk 2077’s scrapped multiplayer mode, which may have allowed other players to see each other’s custom V’s.
A Third-Person Mode in Project Orion Would Be Great, if CD Projekt Red Can Get It Right
It should be obvious why athird-person camera would improveCyberpunk 2077, but it will be imperative forProject Orionto nail the potential feature. As earlier Bethesda Game Studios releases demonstrate, it’s easy to make a game feel janky and low-budget with a tacked-on third-person perspective, especially if character animations aren’t up to snuff. In other words, a third-person mode inProject Orioncould be a worthwhile inclusion, but it should look and feel at least as good as the first-person option, or else it could break immersion and undermine its possible strengths.
Cyberpunk 2077
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?
