Does Cyberpunk 2077 Hold Up in 2026? Our Review

Cyberpunk 2077 is an open world, action-adventure role-playing game (RPG) set in Night City — a crowded, futuristic megalopolis overwhelmed by gang violence, corruption and organized crime. It’s dangerous, even by in-universe standards. This dystopian setting is home to V, a lone mercenary determined to bring down the megacorporation Arasaka at all costs. 

I picked up a copy because the game went on sale just a few months after launch. Even though I went into it without expectations, it left much to be desired. In the years since — after countless bug fixes and plenty of new content — I’ve put hundreds of hours into the game. Here’s my honest, spoiler-free review of Cyberpunk 2077 in its current state.

Looking Past Its Sorry State at Launch

At launch, Cyberpunk 2077 was a buggy mess. Even if you overlooked cars clipping into the street or NPCs T-posing, you were met with a lifeless world. Night City was breathtaking, but it was clear that content was missing, having been unceremoniously scrapped so that CD Projekt Red (CDPR) could meet the release date.

Cyberpunk’s launch was so disastrous that Sony not only offered full refunds but pulled the game from the PlayStation store entirely. Its publisher refunded over 30,000 copies out of the 13.7 million it sold. For months, it was all gamers were talking about online. 

Despite the justified backlash, CDPR didn’t want to give up. Since 2020, it has released countless updates, bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements. The popularity of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, the 2.0 update and the release of the Phantom Liberty DLC contributed to the game’s rising popularity. 

Today, tens of thousands of people are actively playing the game on any given day — and that’s only counting Steam users. Heading into 2026, its lifetime review score is “very positive,” with the vast majority of recent and total reviews being positive. 

Does Cyberpunk 2077 Hold Up in 2025?

No Cyberpunk 2077 review is complete without covering the game’s storyline, character customization, NPCs, stability and modding scene:

Main Story and Life Paths 

The main story takes you on a gripping, action-packed ride through Night City. You play as V, a merc who quickly decides going out in a blaze of glory is better than living the quiet life. Faced with near-certain death at the hands of a megacorporation, you’re forced to team up with Johnny Silverhand — an infamous rockerboy voiced by Keanu Reeves. 

Whether you pick Nomad, Corpo or Street Kid impacts the game’s introduction, dialogue options and side quests. Depending on your choice, you get a unique weapon, vehicle or outfit at the start of the game. 

Character Customization

The game lets you create your own cyberpunk. You can customize everything from your nail polish to your face implants. The 2.0 update introduced new cosmetic cyberware options, including faceplates and cyber-eyes. There are countless clothing items and accessories, too. 

NPCs and Romances 

The NPCs in Night City may not have unique schedules as promised before launch, but bug fixes and performance optimization tweaks have improved crowd density and behavior. NPCs react if you bump into them, drive on the sidewalk, aim at them or shoot a gun, making for an immersive and believable world. 

There are four romance options in the game — two for male V and two for female V. Each has their own storyline with unique outcomes. When you’re not doing a side quest with them, you can exchange messages, make small talk or hang out at one of your apartments. 

Stability and Bug Fixes 

In early versions, hard crashes, disappearing NPCs and levitating vehicles weren’t unusual. In one story mission, my ride left without me, turning a high-octane car chase into a tedious sprint down a poorly rendered road. CDPR has fixed most of these bugs. On current-gen consoles and modern PCs, the game runs smoothly with minimal game-breaking bugs.

The Modding Scene 

Modding is a major factor in a game’s long-term appeal. On Nexus Mods, Cyberpunk 2077 has nearly 20,000 unique mods. Modders figured out how to add items to the game without replacing existing assets. I recommend Virtual Atelier, Equipment-EX, Arasaka cyberarms and Nova City 2 for character and city customization.

Gameplay Rebuilt From the Ground Up

CDPR has reworked driving, fighting, navigation and exploration with dynamic events and new mechanics that add excitement to travel and combat. You might encounter a gang shootout or a police car chase while on your way to a side quest. 

Builds — which impact gameplay significantly — have also been rebuilt. You can be a hack-and-slash netrunner, a slugger solo, a slow-mo cowboy or a shinobi spy. You can use cyberware and perks to make your cyber-enhanced build truly unique. 

Countless other features make the game feel more alive. You can purchase vehicles at AUTOFIXER, customize your car’s paint job with CrystalCoat or purchase a swanky apartment on the nice side of town. The game barely resembles its original state at launch. 

The 5 Best Changes Made to Night City

There’s no time to cover every change since CDPR added everything from immersive ripperdocs to playable arcade machines. However, we can review the five best changes: 

1. The NCPD Overhaul

At launch, the Night City Police Department (NCPD) would spawn in wherever you were if you committed a crime. Now, they actively patrol the city in cop cars and on foot. If you kill an NPC, they get dispatched to you, which you can hear on your radio. 

Police pursuits are now dynamic and challenging. You can initiate a police chase and engage in a battle against the C-SWAT team, known as MaxTac. Whether you want to roleplay a cyberpsycho or simply enjoy the immersion, it’s one of the best new features.

2. Skill Tree Overhaul

Older Cyberpunk 2077 reviews are outdated because they don’t cover the redesigned perk system. Perks give you passive abilities that impact gameplay and combat. You can gain the ability to hack cars, use special finishers or slow time while driving. You can use CDPR’s free build planner to explore your options. 

3. Cyberware Reworked

Cyberware is cybernetic technology you install, upgrade and swap via a ripperdoc. They let you hack enemy NPCs, slow time, double jump, negate enemy quickhacks or increase your critical hit chance, among other things. The arm cyberware is the only type visible in first person. You can choose from gorilla arms, mantis blades, monowire or a projectile system. 

Initially, your armor rating was tied to your clothing, forcing you to choose between drip and durability. Now, your implants impact your armor and cyberware capacity ratings. CDPR has added new cyberware and an upgrade system. 

4. The NCART System 

Night City has numerous fast travel points. While you encounter virtually no loading screens anywhere else, it still breaks immersion. To remedy that, CDPR added the NCART system — a metro that takes you to several predetermined stops. Also, there are now self-driving Delamain cabs and an autonomous AutoDrive feature.

5. Sound and Graphics

The game’s graphics are stunning. With path tracing, you can see the red glow of your car’s taillights in its exhaust and neon lights reflected in puddles. The soundtrack is memorable, to say the least — I have multiple songs saved on Spotify. 

Growl FM is a Dogtown-based radio station featuring songs sent in by the community. The personal radio is another new addition. Now, you can listen to music when you’re not in your vehicle. Photo mode got extensive visual updates. You can even adjust the lighting and weather.

Don’t Forget The Phantom Liberty Effect

No Cyberpunk 2077 review is complete without reviewing the DLC. The Phantom Liberty expansion is complete with a new district, characters, clothing and quests. It triggers after you complete a few of the main story quests. It thrusts you into a gripping spy-thriller setting where you must complete a high-stakes espionage mission. 

After I finished Phantom Liberty, I had to sit in silence while the credits rolled. It may not be the size of The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine DLC, but every choice you make feels exhilarating and meaningful. 

Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the best RPGs on Steam, even before considering how the DLC impacts the base game. This critically acclaimed addition has been nominated for numerous awards in sound design and visual effects. In 2023, it won Best Game Expansion at the Golden Joystick Awards. 

Final Verdict: Is Cyberpunk a Must-Play?

Our Cyberpunk 2077 review’s final verdict is that the game is finally worth playing. The overhauled perk and cyberware systems give the game an endless replayability factor. If nothing else, you’ll get to hear some fantastic lines from Keanu Reeves as Johnny Silverhand.

Now is the perfect time to start playing. As a new player, the current, polished version is an excellent entry point into Night City. If you’re a returning player, the sweeping changes introduced in the 2.0 update will make a fresh playthrough feel like an entirely new game. 

The game goes on sale often, but it’s worth picking up at full price, especially now that CDPR is starting to talk about the second installment in the series. Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel has officially entered preproduction, as confirmed by CDPR. The Studio estimated it could take four to five years to finish.

Mike Pondsmith — the creator of the Cyberpunk TTRPG — described the new setting as “Chicago gone wrong.” In addition to Night City, it will feature another city. Details are scarce beyond that, but there are plenty of rumours floating around. 

Cyberpunk 2077 doesn’t have a multiplayer component, but it was supposed to. The feature was scrapped so the developer could make the release deadline. Cyberpunk 2 could have this long-awaited feature, so you should get a few friends to download the original with you. That way, you’ll all be up to speed by the time the second game launches. 

Wrapping up Our Cyberpunk 2077 Review 

Our review of Cyberpunk 2077 is largely positive, as CDPR has worked diligently to overcome its rocky start. The game’s journey is one of gaming’s most remarkable comeback stories. Today, it’s one of the best titles an RPG fan can pick up.