(Note: I didn't play this fully until 2.0 / Phantom Liberty). Everything you've heard about this game being a masterpiece... yeah, it's true. Night City is the most immersive game environment I've ever experienced. I actually found myself just walking around the city on rainy nights just to take in the vibe. The writing / motion capture / and voice acting are absolutely spectacular. Keanu knocks it out of the park. Near the end of the story, this became one of the few games that actually had me set the controller down and really contemplate my choices. I appreciated how the Phantom Liberty expansion slots right into the game, so you can play it alongside the main story. Not surprisingly, the expansion is excellent as well. I honestly don't really have many complaints about this game in its current form. If I had to knock it for something, I would say that the first hour or two (out of a 75+ hour game, to be fair), doesn't really make the best first impression. It's very tutorial heavy, the interface takes some getting used to, and they toss you into an extended braindance investigation. It's... a lot. But once I began the heist that sets off the plot proper, I could not put this game down. I was in.

Reviewed on Oct 30, 2023


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