Gamereactor talked to Mike Pondsmith at Gamelab 17 about Cyberpunk 2077, pen and paper role-playing, Japanese anime, and much more.
Few games among the Nintendo Switch 2 launch line-up can match Cyberpunk 2077 in putting the system through its paces. It's a staple of our PC benchmarking suite for good reason: the open world design is a solid stressor for any CPU, while its effects-heavy battles challenge GPU resources as well. This Switch 2 release has clearly been a big undertaking for developer CD Projekt Red too, who produced the port in-house with unique optimisations for Switch 2's ARM-based architecture. It's also remarkably the Ultimate Edition of the game, with both the core adventure and the more taxing Phantom Liberty expansion bundled in - an extra portion that proved too demanding to justify a last-gen console release, and was instead restricted to PS5 and Series X/S, and yet here it is running on Switch 2.
To cut to the chase, Switch 2 offers a truly viable way to enjoy Cyberpunk, either in a portable format or docked under a TV. However, CDPR has shot for the stars in its ambition to include Phantom Liberty as well, and it's here that Switch 2 hits some technical limits - with frame-rates struggling as we explore its newer Dog Town region. Still, that aside, there's a lot to admire in the game's engineering for Nintendo's new console overall, and how competitive it is in comparison with other consoles.
I am happy for CDPR. Their hard work paid off because the Switch 2 version are always in the top 5 Switch 2 launch game sales.
This may be one of the weakest launch lineups Nintendo has ever had, with Mario Kart being the only first party game, but Cyberpunk 2077 will definitely give you tremendous value for your money.
One tip I can give people who have never played the game is to first read books from the cyberpunk subgenre. This will allow you to appreciate the story much better. If you find yourself asking which life path is the best to take at the start of the game, in this case it is Corpo, Streetkid, and Nomad. You likely don't know enough about the genre, and certain things will fly right over your head. While it is not mandatory, the game will be 10 times better if you read or listen to some books first.
Some books I have enjoyed in that genre are:
Cyber Dreams by Plum Parrot,
Stray Cat Strut by RavensDagger
Tower of Somnus by Cale Plamann
Mist Runner by Nicholas Searcy
If you can only read or listen to 1 book, then I recommend Cyber Dreams by Plum Parrot. It is the closest thing to Cyberpunk 2077.
DF are Nintendo's occasional bootlickers after that blatant Zelda games ad scandal.
Games like CP2077 are meant to be played on big console or powerful PC on a big screen.
Got to love how they're simp for full price purchase of 5-year-old game and still getting the worst version to play on.
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Now’s the best time to travel to Night City as Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is the best pickup on the Switch 2 at the moment.
This game will set new standards of excellence in all regards. I put faith in very few game companies, but CDPR and Naughty Dog are trusted.