Month: August 2019

Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red hosted a deep-dive stream and delivered a whole lot of information on the game. Among the deluge of details was a breakdown of what the Netrunner character class will be capable of. The team has made it clear that all of its classes and the gameplay opportunities are flexible and malleable to some degree, but from what we saw the Netrunner definitely looks like one that players who like to cause mischief will enjoy.

On the stream, quest designer Phillip Weber explained what opportunities Netrunners will have open to them, saying that it’s a class that lets players be “very creative in how you play the game.”

He continued: “We have access points and in the world of Cyberpunk they can control all the different devices in the area, which of course as a Netrunner is pretty useful because you can hack that access point.

“If you successfully do that you can now use quick hacks. You can, from a distance, take over different devices like a camera for example. You can do many different things; look through the camera and have a completely different view, or just turn it off if it’s in your way. You can take over a turret and make it fight for you.

“We also tried to come up with nice custom things, depending on where you are–let’s say if you’re in a gym where there are some nice boxing robots. Of course, maybe you can do some fun things with that.”

The gameplay shown during this explanation featured a robot boxer taking on a mostly human opponent in a sparring match but, after the Netrunner had done its thing, the robot delivered a punch so hard that its opponent’s head erupted into a shower of blood.

“If I would use lots of Netrunning skills, it’s also useful to use cool skills that make me really good at stealth and [be] really under control. Netrunner can also be really good at using distractions like, if there’s a vending machine make it spit out some drinks and people may look at that.”

As previously mentioned, flexibility is a key part of Cyberpunk 2077, so netrunners don’t have to be sneaky and use subterfuge if they’d rather bulldoze their way through problems.

“A Netrunner isn’t just a stealth character,” he continued. “There’s also cool aggressive netrunning abilities, because we always want to give you a choice in how you want to play. We have the Nanowire cyberware, which is really good at hacking enemies from a distance and then taking over their cyberware. Most people in the world have cyberware and they’re just like access points so, a good time for Netrunners. As an example, [you can] hack someone’s cyberware in their hand and make them do some things that they might not want to have happen to them. The Nanowire, of course, is very sharp so you can use it as a weapon, a whip. So a Netrunner can be very effective at using skills in combat as well.”

Like the classes, Cyberpunk 2077’s life paths are also quite flexible. Though, at the start of the game, the game will ask you to pick your allegiances–for lack of a better phrase–the decisions you make and actions you undertake will ultimately shape who you are.

The stream also provided us insight into how Cyberpunk 2077’s sidequests will work and revealed that the development team plans to address an annoying problem found in many RPGs.

CD Projekt Red gave fans another extended look at Cyberpunk 2077 with its latest deep-dive gameplay video. Following the demonstration, a few of the developers sat down to further discuss the anticipated title, and one topic they touched on was how sidequests, a longtime RPG staple, will work in the upcoming game.

Those who’ve played The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will remember that sidequests and other jobs could be accepted from various notice boards in each town, but in Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red says the quests will be more organically tied into the world. One way is through “fixers” like Dexter DeShawn, who played a major role in last year’s gameplay demo.

Most districts in Night City will have its own fixer, and these characters may contact you with jobs they need to get done. These jobs can come in the form of “street stories,” which will show up on your map as an icon denoting what kind of street story it is.

CD Projekt Red has previously said Night City will have a denser map than The Witcher 3 did, and the studio revealed during the interview that it created a dedicated team to fill the world with engaging sidequests and other activities for players to do.

“After [The Witcher 3:] Wild Hunt, we actually founded a completely new team, the open world team, which is creating some amazing content to fill this world with things that are meaningful,” quest designer Phillip Weber said. “We want to make this [so that] you can do many, smaller things around the city, but they’re all cool and unique in their own way.”

The latest Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay demo gave us a glimpse at Pacifica, one of the districts in Night City. Pacifica was originally intended to be a tourist hot spot, but it fell into disarray after funding was pulled and has since been overrun by two gangs: the Voodoo Boys and the Animals, the latter of which have taken over the Grand Imperial mall. Another interesting tidbit CD Projekt Red revealed is that it is working with real city planners to design Night City.

Cyberpunk 2077 launches for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on April 16, 2020. The game is also coming to Google Stadia. You can read more about the game and its collector’s edition in our Cyberpunk 2077 pre-order guide.

During its Cyberpunk 2007 deep dive gameplay stream, CD Projekt Red talked at length about various aspects of the upcoming PS4, Xbox One, and PC RPG. One of the interesting tidbits that was discussed was the conflict that can often arise between how items impact the way a character looks and their capabilities. This, according to the developer, is something that the team is very aware of and intends to tackle.

In many RPGs, players often have to make sacrifices between equipping items that bestow valuable stat changes and items that are in line with the way they want their character to look. We’ve all had that situation where a piece of equipment looks good but has rubbish stats–or vice verse–and agonized about what to do and, according to senior level designer Miles Tost, CD Projekt Red knows this is a concern.

“It’s really important to us for you to be able to realize your character. Of course that comes in the character creation but also how you dress your character, right? We’re aware that, in most RPGs, there’s this disconnect between the stats on an item and the looks … Let’s just say we’re aware of this conflict of interest, I guess.

“So, we’re looking into how you would be able to make your character still look cool despite having the best stats of an item. It just goes to show that is really important to us. Of course, the whole role-playing aspect goes even further because we’ll have customization options not only for the way you look but also for your guns.”

The stream was replete with information about the game. Among the cooler revelations was that CD Projekt Red has real city planners working on Cyberpunk 2077 so that it can build its setting, Night City, to be realistic and believable. We also got a pretty in-depth breakdown of how sidequests will work in Cyberpunk 2077.

Cyberpunk 2077 is set to launch on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on April 16, 2020. The game is also scheduled to release for Google Stadia some time in 2020.

While The Witcher 3 saw you play as the fixed character of Geralt of Rivia, CD Projekt Red’s upcoming action-RPG Cyberpunk 2077 will feature a substantial character creator where there are few limits on who you are and what you can become.

CD Projekt Red wrapped up its Cyberpunk 2077 livestream, where we saw new gameplay showcasing separate playstyles. In the deep dive livestream, we also got a glimpse at the game’s character creator, which first has you selecting from different backgrounds or “life paths”–Corporate, Nomad, and Street Kid. Each path impacts Cyberpunk 2077’s beginning, with you starting in different areas of Night City depending on your background.

CD Projekt Red’s lead quest designer Pawel Sasko said this choice is taken into consideration throughout the entire game. “You, as the player, can actually associate yourself with Nomads [or] Corporate people, or you can be part of the streets,” Sasko explained. “It’s really up to you what path you want to pick through the main story.” You aren’t bound to your life path, but your origin will be “[taken] from the very beginning till the very end [of the game].” As such, Sasko said you can use these origins to your advantage, allowing you to exploit and, perhaps, unlock branching dialogues and quests depending on your interactions with your chosen group.

We also saw a brief look at the character creator screen in the Cyberpunk 2077 deep dive livestream. You start by selecting a body type, then you can define your appearance, fine-tuning things like skin color and facial features. Following this, you’re taken to the attributes menu, where you slot points into traits like “Cool” and “Intelligence.” On top of attributes, you have skills that further define your character’s intricacies. One skill is called “Cold Blood,” unlocked via the “Cool” attribute, and it grants you extra damage and survivability when your health is nearly depleted. Using skills repeatedly results in you getting better with that skill and unlocking perks in that skill’s tree. For example, with special perks added to your “Athletics” skill, you can run while carrying a dead body, potentially bolstering your stealth playthrough.

Cyberpunk 2077’s “Cool” attribute pertains to your ability to handle pressure, not how stylish you are in-game. The cooler you are, the better things like accuracy will be. And the cooler you are, the better you’ll be able to handle tense dialogue situations.

There are a few other details to note out of the Cyberpunk 2077 deep dive livestream. CD Projekt Red announced that it has hired real city planners to construct and flesh out the fictional Night City. The studio established a brand-new team dedicated to sidequests after how successful they were in The Witcher 3. Finally, you won’t have to worry about cool-factor and functionality in Cyberpunk 2077, as CD Projekt Red is aiming to address the common RPG discrepancy between how something looks and how well it functions.

CD Projekt Red confirmed Cyberpunk 2077 will feature non-binary gender options in the character creator. “You know, we really want to make a video game that’s really inclusive,” senior concept artist Marthe Jonkers said. “Of course, if you tackle certain subjects then you will expect people to have an opinion about it and we respect that. And it’s good that people give us feedback.”

Cyberpunk 2077 is set to launch on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on April 16, 2020. The game is also scheduled to release for Google Stadia some time in 2020.

PAX West is officially underway, and there’s a lot more news to come out of the event. Be sure to check out our hub for more news on Cyberpunk 2077 and more.

Almost a decade ago, I first worked with CATHERINE PARKER on a tiny movie called ABSENTIA. Last season, she was unforgettable as Poppy Hill… today, I’m thrilled to announce that she’s joining us at Bly Manor.

— Mike Flanagan (@flanaganfilm) August 30, 2019

The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.

As August comes to an end, we’re officially less than a month away from fall. To herald in the season, two of this year’s most anticipated horror games have just released, and on the same day: The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan (PS4, Xbox One, PC) and Blair Witch (Xbox One, PC). If you were planning to buy either game on Steam, you’ll want to know they’re both on sale already at Green Man Gaming. Plus, Man of Medan’s console versions are also getting price cuts.

The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan

While its MSRP is $30, The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan is already discounted to $26.09, and new customers can save an additional 15% with promo code HELLO15, dropping the price to $25.49. The PS4 and Xbox One version are discounted too at various retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, and Target. Man of Medan is the latest from Supermassive Games, the team behind acclaimed survival horror adventure Until Dawn. The first in an anthology of story-driven, cinematic horror games, Man of Medan follows a group of American students on a holiday diving trip who soon find themselves trapped on a cursed ghost ship.

The game earned a 6/10 in GameSpot’s Man of Medan review, in which critic James O’Connor took issue with its weaker narrative and reliance on jump scares. He did praise its “smart and innovative” online co-op mode. “It is, without a doubt, the definitive way to experience Man of Medan, especially if you’re playing with another person who is familiar with the material,” he wrote. “Shared Story sees you both playing at the same time, taking control of different characters as their scenes play out simultaneously. You’ll both, eventually, get a turn with every character (if they live long enough), and often your paths will diverge. Once the five main characters meet after the initial prologue, Shared Story immediately offers a more engaging experience than the single-player campaign can.”

Despite less-than-stellar reviews, longtime Until Dawn fans will likely still want to dive in and get their first taste of The Dark Pictures anthology. You can grab Man of Medan for $25 at the following retailers.

See at Green Man Gaming See at Amazon

See at Target See at Walmart

Blair Witch

Inspired by the classic horror film franchise, Blair Witch is a first-person psychological horror game from Bloober Team, best known for creating the Layers of Fear games. Its list price is also $30, but new customers can get it for $25.49 with promo code HELLO15 at Green Man Gaming. You’ll get a Steam key with that purchase, but if you aren’t a new GMG customer, you can also buy it directly at Steam for $27. So far, it’s not on sale anywhere for Xbox One.

Blair Witch is set in 1996, when a boy goes missing in the Black Hills Forest in Maryland. You’ll play as Ellis, a police officer investigating his disappearance. We haven’t had a chance to review the game yet, but if you’re familiar with the Blair Witch franchise, you can probably guess what disturbing ways the story may unfold from there.

See at Green Man Gaming See at Steam

Green Man Gaming has some other solid deals available this weekend, including upcoming releases like Final Fantasy VIII Remastered (out Tuesday). You can check those deals out below.

*new customers only

Blasphemous is a gothic pixel-art action-platformer that’s coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on September 10. Before then, however, PC players can sample the nightmarish world of Cvstodia early, courtesy of a demo that’s out on Steam right now. Be quick about it, though, because this early taste is only available until this Sunday, September 1.

In it, you play as The Pertinent One, the sole survivor of the massacre of the “Silent Sorrow.” Armed with a sword called the Mea Culpa and a pointy helmet filled with someone else’s blood, you’ll descend into a dangerous world only you can free from its twisted fate, discovering the “origin of your torment” in the process.

Developed by The Game Kitchen–whose only previous game is the psychological point-and-click horror game The Last Door–and published by Team17, Blasphemous promises “fast-paced, skilled combat” that combines with “a deep and evocative narrative core.” You’ll be able to explore a non-linear world, face off against gigantic bosses, acquire devastating new combos and special moves as part of its brutal combat, and customise your build with various combinations of Relics, Rosary Beads, Prayers, and Sword Hearts.

The demo showcases the starting areas of the game and its first boss. You can grab it now until September 1, or wishlist the game on Steam ahead of its September 10 release on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC for $24.99 // €24.99 // £19.99.