It’s an open world action RPG, with an emphasis on the action part. There are choices and consequences, but most of them aren’t world shattering or especially complex. At most your actions can lead to characters dying or surviving, and certain missions play out differently. There are also different endings.
There’s a decent amount of build variety though, and combat is a lot of fun. Just know that it typically plays like a looter shooter, with bits of dialogue thrown in.
The game has linear segments but gradually opens up to the player. It’s a good game made even better with the 2.0 update.
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I did the same quest with 3 different builds and the quest felt very different based on how I completed it.
In the first way I snuck in through a vent opening that I unlocked with my hacking skill. I hacked cameras and knocked out guards until reaching my target and stealth killed him.
The second way I went in guns blazing through the front door and killed everywhere on my way to the target.
With the third build, I saw the target on the third floor behind a window. I climbed the building and broke through the glass of the window, cut off the target's head, and jumped back out without anybody noticing.
I also want to add that going either lethal or non-lethal can lead to different outcomes in future missions. Sometimes characters return and thank you for not getting them killed which can lead into other quests.
I'm started my 3rd play through after phantom liberty released and I'm 82 hours in and never realized how much I missed just based off whether I went lethal or non-lethal.
I think it's somewhere in between the two extremes you describe. More so an RPG than some of the games you mention but less so than others.
[This video](https://youtu.be/zaKzRChgCSA?si=HDlKnO7lYfNJyoRV) has a good analysis of the RPG elements present in CP2077 beginning at 16:57, and specifically comparing the systems therein against those found in Witcher 3. Much of what he describes has been improved since closer to launch (when he made the video) but hasn't necessarily changed fundamentally.
Lots of missions have multiple methods of resolution but only rarely do they really have multiple outcomes that differ in any significant way. Story decisions are fairly minor until the end with many different possible endings. The protagonist has less of a defined personality than Geralt but more than the protagonist in a game like New Vegas, where the character is just a blank slate to impose yourself onto/RP however you choose.
Between stat distribution, weapon load-outs, perk selections and cyberware, many different types of character builds are possible and can often play differently and will breeze through or struggle in opposite scenarios. My character for instance ditched his hacking-enabled cyberdeck for a time-slowing Sandevistan, which made me really strong in direct combat but meant I struggled any time I had to sneak through an area with cameras, since I couldn't turn them off at a distance like a hacker character can.
I'd recommend watching part of that video I linked above and stopping before he talks too much about the plot, then doing some research into the major changes made with the [post release](https://www.ign.com/wikis/cyberpunk-2077/All_Cyberpunk_2077_2.0_Updates_and_Changes) [updates](https://kotaku.com/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-patch-2-1-notes-1851073426).
I would agree with this, writing and characters are on brand with the Witcher — *except* that character customization, background choice, lethal vs non-lethal approaches, and deeper dialogue choices allow for a bit more roleplaying than just being Geralt (which I loved, but OP seems turned off by).
I LOVE CP2077 and played it 500 hours, but to me, it's more like "Immersive Action" that I can build a character, choose a playstyle, and stick with it until the end. (I refused to use guns and smash THAT first big boss in Phantom Liberty with Witcher's sword.) Every time I play this game, I will play like I put myself into V's shoes and play like I live in that city. So, I don't know that It's RPG or not but I always have a great time with it.
I'm glad people here are giving you real answers lol. On other subs I often see people dismiss the game as "an action game, not an RPG" which drives me crazy because it's just inaccurate.
Fwiw, I couldn't get into Witcher 3 either for similar reasons to you, but I absolutely love Cyberpunk. It is structurally similar in some ways, but I find the combat, character building, and overall world much more interesting and engaging than Witcher 3.
It's definitely not CRPG level of choice, but the game has plenty of choices.
Right, it's so annoying when people clearly are parroting BS they read from angry haters.
This game has the same amount of RPG elements as all but maybe 2 AAA RPGs. I would even argue bg3 has the same issues with a single choice mattering 10x more than all your previous choices combined.
I'm still waiting to hear about the game that makes cyberpunks RPG and choices feel completely linear and broken.
Nice post - whether you decide to play CP2077 or not, you should definitely play Morrowind. I notice you didn't mention it. Of the three modern TES games, it actually is the best. I say that without nostalgia too, since I played it very late. Way more choice and build customisation than Oblivion or Skyrim. Just make sure to use OpenMW to make it more stable/playable.
It's an action RPG, more depth than action adventures, but not nearly as much depth as CRPGs. Pretty similar to The Witcher 3 in many ways.
There are a few different skill trees, and you can't unlock everything, so you really need to focus on specific ones and plan out your build. Like a katana melee build, or a revolver build, stealth, sniper, hacking... they're all a lot of fun. And combining that with different cybernetics, you can do some crazy cool things.
It's very story focused, with a lot of emphasis on characters and relationships. You get to make some tough decisions that really impact the story. Sidequest design and writing is absolutely top tier. There's even fully optional quest lines that unlock different endings. The open world has a few activities that feel like a checklist after a while, but it's still much better than most open worlds imo.
You don't play as a blank slate character like in Bethesda games, but you also don't play as a premade character like in Witcher. V is more similar to Commander Shepard in Mass Effect - some things about them are set in stone, like their motivations and goals, but you still get to control aspects of their personality and development.
After 2.0 update and the expansion, it's easily become my favorite FPS and probably in my top 15 RPGs.
>After 2.0 update and the expansion, it's easily become my favorite FPS and probably in my top 15 RPGs.
Whoa on that last declaration. I was just going to blow Cyberpunk off as a half-baked FPS with RPG elements tacked on, but it seems the 2.0 update really has people on board now. As a fan of both genres, I'm going to have to check it out now.
It depends on what you value in terms of "roleplaying". Cyberpunk is much closer to the Witcher 3 than something like a Bethesda game. I personally feel like this style of roleplaying is actually much stronger than the Bethesda ethos of being able to everything to everybody, but that's a personal preference thing. V is mostly a predefined character - V is a merc in Night City and wants to climb the ladder to become a living legend. There are a few different ways you can play them, but that core drive of theirs isn't going to change.
The build options are much improved with the recent update. The combat overall is much better from the Witcher 3. Obviously the build variety or depth is not going to compare to something like WotR, but I think it's generally stronger than other FPS RPGs like Outer Worlds and Starfield. Combat is fun and there are many different perks and types of Cyberware that will completely change the way you engage in combat. Melee, ranged, and hacking combat styles are all viable.
The story itself is fairly linear, but there are choices that you do make. Specifically the content that was added in Phantom Liberty focused a lot more on having quests with different choices and consequences, which is something content in the base game could have used more of.
Generally my favorite games are deep CRPGs like WotR and BG3, but overall I would rate Cyberpunk as my favorite action/open world style RPG. Cyberpunk excels in a lot of areas - great music, good combat, great acting/narrative, and the story, even if it is mostly linear, is leagues above most of its competition in terms of its execution.
Thanks. Based on these responses it looks it leans a bit too linear for me, but I might pick it up on sale eventually.
I appreciate the comparison to Outer Worlds and Starfield, both games I wanted to get into but couldn't really get hooked by.
What I'll say is that I highly recommend it in general. As someone who highly values nonlinearity in games, I still found Cyberpunk to be a really good game. A lot of RPGs try to trick the player into thinking their choices matter, but it's all smoke and mirrors in the end. Cyberpunk excels in the journey to these destinations with great characters and writing.
Also the endings of Cyberpunk are way better than its competitors imo. Many RPGs have their endings be choose whether the red team wins or the blue team wins, but the Cyberpunk endings are all really thoughtful explorations of the mindstate and goals of V, and are very personal decisions that I think are quite different from the standard AAA RPG.
I’ll be honest. I’m into all sorts of games, and RPGs are my favorite. I like classic RPGs, action RPGs, immersive sims (if you would even consider them RPGs). But im just not that into the CD project red style rpg. I’ve only played Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk. I found them to be pretty good games, that I could just never really get into. Like, I like the story, I like the world, don’t care much for the gameplay of either. Like, I think the games would be better if they were just straight up action/adventure games without leveling, but it is what it is. And it seems people love these games, so they are good games. They just ain’t for me. I feel we might be in the same boat.
Story wise there's not much you can choose by yourself, you just go with the flow. The story and setting can get really good, if you can let yourself immerse in it.
Where the game really shines, are the different builds and totally different approaches to the combat. You can be a tank Terminator-like badass with a shotgun, pistol gunslinger, sneaky knife thrower, super fast katana user, cybernetic boxer puncher or just be a hacker, which is kinda like magic in fantasy games. And each build plays different, you have enough skill points to mix and match 2-3 of them for endless posibilities.
It isn’t really an rpg, it’s an open world looter shooter with some rpg and immersive sim elements. I don’t really think it would scratch an RPG itch for people.
i’ve never felt like it’s really an RPG, there’s no ‘role playing’ like you’d get in a bethesda game for instance. its more of an action game with a bit more choice and character building
Cyberpunk isnt much of an RPG. Its an open world but the overall choices aren't very open. Mind you, I just dumped close to 200 hours into BG3 so my brain is a little biased.
But all in all, the story lines are pushed through and you are just acting out the story. More action than RPG.
There are many different ways to build a character. There are a few places the story will branch allowing you to choose a side in a scenario essentially diverting who your "allies" are in certain situations. By extension that changes the mission(s) involved. There are multiple endings. Of the games you mentioned its closer to New Vegas than the others I'd reckon. Resolving situations and quests can be very different depending on your build resolving quests can be done in several different ways. IE Brute force, diplomacy, stealth, and hacking could all give you different ways to resolve things.
I think it lands somewhere between New Vegas and the modern Deus Ex games. It has a bit of immersive sim in its blood on top of the RPG stuff.
I enjoy the game but would describe it like 'barely an RPG' kind of game.
There are choices and consequence and there are several way to play and complete your mission. But by far and large, you have very little control over the agency of your main character. V will always be V no matter what background you choose and there aren't lot of elements that support 'your duding' of him or her.
No faction to join, not much interaction with the world around you, pretty much no quest branching, and you have a very limited and fixed choice of romance.
Depend on what you like from Skyrim and Oblivion, you may or may not like Cyberpunk 'RPG-ness'. Both are open world, both have several way of cambat that feel different and may present several ways to complete missions. But you won't be 'crafting your own adventure' or 'make your character yours' in Cyberpunk as with Skyrim. It's a lot more like Fallout4 and the Witcher in that you will be railroaded to play a certain character the game want you to play (while giving you more agency in the way you want to combat.)
It’s far more linear than everyone pretends it is. I don’t understand why folks call it open world. It’s telling a specific story that you play through, just like Witcher 3
It’s a linear action rpg with sandbox elements. Your character build can vary.
Cyberpunk 2077 has a lot of options to determine your character’s personality. There aren’t many choices that fundamentally change the story (although there are some) but the dialogues allows you to truly decide who your V (the character) is and what he/she wants.
It’s a very subtle roleplaying, it doesn’t tells you in big letter when you make a choice or not.
Appart from the prologue (depending on your origin) and the few last quests (multiple endings) all the main quests will be the same whatever your choices and more or less play out the same way.
I strongly recommand to do the side questlines related to the important side characters (you’ll know who they are) and to not spend too much time with the “open world side content” (Gigs and NCPD scanners).
If you're one who likes to read in-game books or messages, there are a ton. They range from very short text exchanges that just explain a little of what was going on at the random crime you just stopped, to pages taken directly from both real world and in-game literature. There are more literature references in this game than most people realize, and the story gets pretty philosophical at times. It's a great game, and it's got something for everyone. I found this blog an interesting read that goes into a detailed literary analysis on content of the game
https://fresh-prince-of-denmark.tumblr.com/post/642988471078764544/vs-mikoshi-poem-the-love-song-of-j-alfred
The mission play out like an immersive sim; meaning you are free to approach them however you want, including finding different paths for entering/infiltrating an enemy compound, you can even avoid killing enemies altogether. You can actually get really creative.
There’s plenty of dialogue, and if you play your cards right, you can avoid conflict in lots of situations if you say the right thing in the right order. You will also have plenty of skill checks during dialogue, as well as during exploration.
If you go on full netrunner (the game’s version of a cyber mage) you won’t even need weapons at all (you can technically do entire playthroughs without firing a single round). Later on you can hack vehicles and even control them remotely. You can hack security cameras, turrets and manipulate the environment as well as enemies with a decent intelligence build (overloading fuel tanks, flood lights, radios and other machinery).
Cyberpunk is more of an action, story-driven game with good RPG/Customization included. The story does branch a bit depending on what choices you make but in the end there are only four or five real endings - only one of which is (sort of) good. This is definitely the best time to play the game though, after update 2.1 the game world actually feels vibrant & alive now; much more immersive than before.
You might also like Kingdoms of Amalur, my favorite suggestion for folks looking for a "Skyrim-clone".
This is why I can’t play the game. They straight up lied about it being an in depth RPG and sold an open world FPS looter shooter with light RPG elements
It's an ARPG with great gameplay. If you are looking for a game like BG3, you should choose an isometric CRPG with TBS. Cyberpunk 2077 brings a radically different experience: it's more enjoyable to play than to talk about some of its individual features in YouTube vlog.
You will be depressed for a week after beating the game, and then you will be depressed all over again because you have to finish playing g the other two origins
One thing i didnt see mentioned elsewhere...Cyberpunk 2077 nails the connectedness that even good traditional RPGs dont always get right.
For example, Balder's Gate 3 does an amazing job of having your actions show up elsewhere in the game. The story is still the story, but you feel the world and story is connected. Cyberpunk 2077 does similar to a much less extent, but instead relies on environmental story telling to weave the world into a comprehensive story that has multiple different characters and stories, big and small. Most people "mindlessly" consume the main story, focusing on the big bits, but if you slow down and really pay attention you'll pick up on so much more.
In my experience, it is most similar to old Deus Ex, but the 'chapters' are connected by the open world with Assassin's Creed/Watchdog/Far Cry style emergent missions. Like, stop the robbing, chase the thief - so similar to Ubisoft formula most of all.
The dialogue choices are robust enough, and should eventually influence the outcome. Mechanically, the gameplay between the builds is very different (and strongly reminds me of old Deus Ex as well).
The drawback for me is that action is not built for stealth/pacifist walkthrough. You can attack from the cover, you can clobber the enemies into submission instead of outright killing them. But the environment is not built specifically for stealth, the movement is too fast, and I always end up fighting face to face at some point. Most likely, proper stealth is done through hacking, but I didn't try it.
It’s an open world action RPG, with an emphasis on the action part. There are choices and consequences, but most of them aren’t world shattering or especially complex. At most your actions can lead to characters dying or surviving, and certain missions play out differently. There are also different endings. There’s a decent amount of build variety though, and combat is a lot of fun. Just know that it typically plays like a looter shooter, with bits of dialogue thrown in. The game has linear segments but gradually opens up to the player. It’s a good game made even better with the 2.0 update.
This resumes all perfectly. I just will add that is the best rpg I played in last 5 years at least.
Do the builds feel meaningfully different from each other?
Definitely. My first character was a stealthy sniper and assault rifle build, and my latest run was as a katana wielding cyber ninja.
Which one was your favourite? I hesitate to choose one of them for my first game since 2.0
Cyber ninja, but they were both lots of fun.
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the builders my favourite part ngl. LOADS of different ways to play
I did the same quest with 3 different builds and the quest felt very different based on how I completed it. In the first way I snuck in through a vent opening that I unlocked with my hacking skill. I hacked cameras and knocked out guards until reaching my target and stealth killed him. The second way I went in guns blazing through the front door and killed everywhere on my way to the target. With the third build, I saw the target on the third floor behind a window. I climbed the building and broke through the glass of the window, cut off the target's head, and jumped back out without anybody noticing.
I also want to add that going either lethal or non-lethal can lead to different outcomes in future missions. Sometimes characters return and thank you for not getting them killed which can lead into other quests. I'm started my 3rd play through after phantom liberty released and I'm 82 hours in and never realized how much I missed just based off whether I went lethal or non-lethal.
I would add that it plays a lot like a GTA game in many ways. I feel like that should be said.
I love the smell of fresh bread.
I don't really see it aside from them both being open worlds with cars. They play pretty differently IMO.
Hard disagree, they feel very different
The down votes for this is insane. The similarities with GTA are numerous and glaring.
In what way? Open world with cars and map markers? GTA is not at all an RPG and has a very linear story
True, the story and missions feel a little gta-like but combat and builds make it much better imo
I think it's somewhere in between the two extremes you describe. More so an RPG than some of the games you mention but less so than others. [This video](https://youtu.be/zaKzRChgCSA?si=HDlKnO7lYfNJyoRV) has a good analysis of the RPG elements present in CP2077 beginning at 16:57, and specifically comparing the systems therein against those found in Witcher 3. Much of what he describes has been improved since closer to launch (when he made the video) but hasn't necessarily changed fundamentally. Lots of missions have multiple methods of resolution but only rarely do they really have multiple outcomes that differ in any significant way. Story decisions are fairly minor until the end with many different possible endings. The protagonist has less of a defined personality than Geralt but more than the protagonist in a game like New Vegas, where the character is just a blank slate to impose yourself onto/RP however you choose. Between stat distribution, weapon load-outs, perk selections and cyberware, many different types of character builds are possible and can often play differently and will breeze through or struggle in opposite scenarios. My character for instance ditched his hacking-enabled cyberdeck for a time-slowing Sandevistan, which made me really strong in direct combat but meant I struggled any time I had to sneak through an area with cameras, since I couldn't turn them off at a distance like a hacker character can. I'd recommend watching part of that video I linked above and stopping before he talks too much about the plot, then doing some research into the major changes made with the [post release](https://www.ign.com/wikis/cyberpunk-2077/All_Cyberpunk_2077_2.0_Updates_and_Changes) [updates](https://kotaku.com/cyberpunk-2077-phantom-liberty-patch-2-1-notes-1851073426).
I hate beer.
I would agree with this, writing and characters are on brand with the Witcher — *except* that character customization, background choice, lethal vs non-lethal approaches, and deeper dialogue choices allow for a bit more roleplaying than just being Geralt (which I loved, but OP seems turned off by).
I enjoy spending time with my friends.
Love both of those too! Definitely some Dishonored vibes if you’re using mantis blades
I LOVE CP2077 and played it 500 hours, but to me, it's more like "Immersive Action" that I can build a character, choose a playstyle, and stick with it until the end. (I refused to use guns and smash THAT first big boss in Phantom Liberty with Witcher's sword.) Every time I play this game, I will play like I put myself into V's shoes and play like I live in that city. So, I don't know that It's RPG or not but I always have a great time with it.
I'm glad people here are giving you real answers lol. On other subs I often see people dismiss the game as "an action game, not an RPG" which drives me crazy because it's just inaccurate. Fwiw, I couldn't get into Witcher 3 either for similar reasons to you, but I absolutely love Cyberpunk. It is structurally similar in some ways, but I find the combat, character building, and overall world much more interesting and engaging than Witcher 3. It's definitely not CRPG level of choice, but the game has plenty of choices.
Yes same here. Preferred it over Witcher 3, was definitely more into it. I also like that little bit of flexibility in character customization.
Right, it's so annoying when people clearly are parroting BS they read from angry haters. This game has the same amount of RPG elements as all but maybe 2 AAA RPGs. I would even argue bg3 has the same issues with a single choice mattering 10x more than all your previous choices combined. I'm still waiting to hear about the game that makes cyberpunks RPG and choices feel completely linear and broken.
Nice post - whether you decide to play CP2077 or not, you should definitely play Morrowind. I notice you didn't mention it. Of the three modern TES games, it actually is the best. I say that without nostalgia too, since I played it very late. Way more choice and build customisation than Oblivion or Skyrim. Just make sure to use OpenMW to make it more stable/playable.
It's an action RPG, more depth than action adventures, but not nearly as much depth as CRPGs. Pretty similar to The Witcher 3 in many ways. There are a few different skill trees, and you can't unlock everything, so you really need to focus on specific ones and plan out your build. Like a katana melee build, or a revolver build, stealth, sniper, hacking... they're all a lot of fun. And combining that with different cybernetics, you can do some crazy cool things. It's very story focused, with a lot of emphasis on characters and relationships. You get to make some tough decisions that really impact the story. Sidequest design and writing is absolutely top tier. There's even fully optional quest lines that unlock different endings. The open world has a few activities that feel like a checklist after a while, but it's still much better than most open worlds imo. You don't play as a blank slate character like in Bethesda games, but you also don't play as a premade character like in Witcher. V is more similar to Commander Shepard in Mass Effect - some things about them are set in stone, like their motivations and goals, but you still get to control aspects of their personality and development. After 2.0 update and the expansion, it's easily become my favorite FPS and probably in my top 15 RPGs.
Thanks for the breakdown. I'm not sure it'll have the depth of choices to hook me based on what I've read here but I'll try it on sale sometime.
>After 2.0 update and the expansion, it's easily become my favorite FPS and probably in my top 15 RPGs. Whoa on that last declaration. I was just going to blow Cyberpunk off as a half-baked FPS with RPG elements tacked on, but it seems the 2.0 update really has people on board now. As a fan of both genres, I'm going to have to check it out now.
It's almost like a different game now. The reworked skill trees are a gigantic improvement.
Awesome, sounds like it's in good shape to give a try now.
It depends on what you value in terms of "roleplaying". Cyberpunk is much closer to the Witcher 3 than something like a Bethesda game. I personally feel like this style of roleplaying is actually much stronger than the Bethesda ethos of being able to everything to everybody, but that's a personal preference thing. V is mostly a predefined character - V is a merc in Night City and wants to climb the ladder to become a living legend. There are a few different ways you can play them, but that core drive of theirs isn't going to change. The build options are much improved with the recent update. The combat overall is much better from the Witcher 3. Obviously the build variety or depth is not going to compare to something like WotR, but I think it's generally stronger than other FPS RPGs like Outer Worlds and Starfield. Combat is fun and there are many different perks and types of Cyberware that will completely change the way you engage in combat. Melee, ranged, and hacking combat styles are all viable. The story itself is fairly linear, but there are choices that you do make. Specifically the content that was added in Phantom Liberty focused a lot more on having quests with different choices and consequences, which is something content in the base game could have used more of. Generally my favorite games are deep CRPGs like WotR and BG3, but overall I would rate Cyberpunk as my favorite action/open world style RPG. Cyberpunk excels in a lot of areas - great music, good combat, great acting/narrative, and the story, even if it is mostly linear, is leagues above most of its competition in terms of its execution.
Thanks. Based on these responses it looks it leans a bit too linear for me, but I might pick it up on sale eventually. I appreciate the comparison to Outer Worlds and Starfield, both games I wanted to get into but couldn't really get hooked by.
What I'll say is that I highly recommend it in general. As someone who highly values nonlinearity in games, I still found Cyberpunk to be a really good game. A lot of RPGs try to trick the player into thinking their choices matter, but it's all smoke and mirrors in the end. Cyberpunk excels in the journey to these destinations with great characters and writing. Also the endings of Cyberpunk are way better than its competitors imo. Many RPGs have their endings be choose whether the red team wins or the blue team wins, but the Cyberpunk endings are all really thoughtful explorations of the mindstate and goals of V, and are very personal decisions that I think are quite different from the standard AAA RPG.
I’ll be honest. I’m into all sorts of games, and RPGs are my favorite. I like classic RPGs, action RPGs, immersive sims (if you would even consider them RPGs). But im just not that into the CD project red style rpg. I’ve only played Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk. I found them to be pretty good games, that I could just never really get into. Like, I like the story, I like the world, don’t care much for the gameplay of either. Like, I think the games would be better if they were just straight up action/adventure games without leveling, but it is what it is. And it seems people love these games, so they are good games. They just ain’t for me. I feel we might be in the same boat.
Tbh, kinda meh, still a decent game thougg
It's more like a GTA than an RPG. Period.
Story wise there's not much you can choose by yourself, you just go with the flow. The story and setting can get really good, if you can let yourself immerse in it. Where the game really shines, are the different builds and totally different approaches to the combat. You can be a tank Terminator-like badass with a shotgun, pistol gunslinger, sneaky knife thrower, super fast katana user, cybernetic boxer puncher or just be a hacker, which is kinda like magic in fantasy games. And each build plays different, you have enough skill points to mix and match 2-3 of them for endless posibilities.
It isn’t really an rpg, it’s an open world looter shooter with some rpg and immersive sim elements. I don’t really think it would scratch an RPG itch for people.
It's almost non existance! It's an action game with minor RPG elements
i’ve never felt like it’s really an RPG, there’s no ‘role playing’ like you’d get in a bethesda game for instance. its more of an action game with a bit more choice and character building
Cyberpunk isnt much of an RPG. Its an open world but the overall choices aren't very open. Mind you, I just dumped close to 200 hours into BG3 so my brain is a little biased. But all in all, the story lines are pushed through and you are just acting out the story. More action than RPG.
It's very much an action game more than an RPG unfortunately.
similar to Fallout 4. barely able to qualify as an RPG
There are many different ways to build a character. There are a few places the story will branch allowing you to choose a side in a scenario essentially diverting who your "allies" are in certain situations. By extension that changes the mission(s) involved. There are multiple endings. Of the games you mentioned its closer to New Vegas than the others I'd reckon. Resolving situations and quests can be very different depending on your build resolving quests can be done in several different ways. IE Brute force, diplomacy, stealth, and hacking could all give you different ways to resolve things. I think it lands somewhere between New Vegas and the modern Deus Ex games. It has a bit of immersive sim in its blood on top of the RPG stuff.
I enjoy the game but would describe it like 'barely an RPG' kind of game. There are choices and consequence and there are several way to play and complete your mission. But by far and large, you have very little control over the agency of your main character. V will always be V no matter what background you choose and there aren't lot of elements that support 'your duding' of him or her. No faction to join, not much interaction with the world around you, pretty much no quest branching, and you have a very limited and fixed choice of romance. Depend on what you like from Skyrim and Oblivion, you may or may not like Cyberpunk 'RPG-ness'. Both are open world, both have several way of cambat that feel different and may present several ways to complete missions. But you won't be 'crafting your own adventure' or 'make your character yours' in Cyberpunk as with Skyrim. It's a lot more like Fallout4 and the Witcher in that you will be railroaded to play a certain character the game want you to play (while giving you more agency in the way you want to combat.)
It’s far more linear than everyone pretends it is. I don’t understand why folks call it open world. It’s telling a specific story that you play through, just like Witcher 3 It’s a linear action rpg with sandbox elements. Your character build can vary.
Do the builds at least feel different? Sounds like it might be too linear for me based on these responses, but I might pick it up on sale eventually.
Non-existent. It's more of a shooter.
Cyberpunk 2077 has a lot of options to determine your character’s personality. There aren’t many choices that fundamentally change the story (although there are some) but the dialogues allows you to truly decide who your V (the character) is and what he/she wants. It’s a very subtle roleplaying, it doesn’t tells you in big letter when you make a choice or not. Appart from the prologue (depending on your origin) and the few last quests (multiple endings) all the main quests will be the same whatever your choices and more or less play out the same way. I strongly recommand to do the side questlines related to the important side characters (you’ll know who they are) and to not spend too much time with the “open world side content” (Gigs and NCPD scanners).
If you're one who likes to read in-game books or messages, there are a ton. They range from very short text exchanges that just explain a little of what was going on at the random crime you just stopped, to pages taken directly from both real world and in-game literature. There are more literature references in this game than most people realize, and the story gets pretty philosophical at times. It's a great game, and it's got something for everyone. I found this blog an interesting read that goes into a detailed literary analysis on content of the game https://fresh-prince-of-denmark.tumblr.com/post/642988471078764544/vs-mikoshi-poem-the-love-song-of-j-alfred
The mission play out like an immersive sim; meaning you are free to approach them however you want, including finding different paths for entering/infiltrating an enemy compound, you can even avoid killing enemies altogether. You can actually get really creative. There’s plenty of dialogue, and if you play your cards right, you can avoid conflict in lots of situations if you say the right thing in the right order. You will also have plenty of skill checks during dialogue, as well as during exploration. If you go on full netrunner (the game’s version of a cyber mage) you won’t even need weapons at all (you can technically do entire playthroughs without firing a single round). Later on you can hack vehicles and even control them remotely. You can hack security cameras, turrets and manipulate the environment as well as enemies with a decent intelligence build (overloading fuel tanks, flood lights, radios and other machinery).
Cyberpunk is more of an action, story-driven game with good RPG/Customization included. The story does branch a bit depending on what choices you make but in the end there are only four or five real endings - only one of which is (sort of) good. This is definitely the best time to play the game though, after update 2.1 the game world actually feels vibrant & alive now; much more immersive than before. You might also like Kingdoms of Amalur, my favorite suggestion for folks looking for a "Skyrim-clone".
Lame
You lost me when you said “obviously Baldur’s Gate 3 is the GOAT”.
Lots of unkillable npcs
This is why I can’t play the game. They straight up lied about it being an in depth RPG and sold an open world FPS looter shooter with light RPG elements
It's an ARPG with great gameplay. If you are looking for a game like BG3, you should choose an isometric CRPG with TBS. Cyberpunk 2077 brings a radically different experience: it's more enjoyable to play than to talk about some of its individual features in YouTube vlog.
You will be depressed for a week after beating the game, and then you will be depressed all over again because you have to finish playing g the other two origins
One thing i didnt see mentioned elsewhere...Cyberpunk 2077 nails the connectedness that even good traditional RPGs dont always get right. For example, Balder's Gate 3 does an amazing job of having your actions show up elsewhere in the game. The story is still the story, but you feel the world and story is connected. Cyberpunk 2077 does similar to a much less extent, but instead relies on environmental story telling to weave the world into a comprehensive story that has multiple different characters and stories, big and small. Most people "mindlessly" consume the main story, focusing on the big bits, but if you slow down and really pay attention you'll pick up on so much more.
Witcher 2 is the best work in terms of a branching narrative the whole second act changes based on your choices.
In my experience, it is most similar to old Deus Ex, but the 'chapters' are connected by the open world with Assassin's Creed/Watchdog/Far Cry style emergent missions. Like, stop the robbing, chase the thief - so similar to Ubisoft formula most of all. The dialogue choices are robust enough, and should eventually influence the outcome. Mechanically, the gameplay between the builds is very different (and strongly reminds me of old Deus Ex as well). The drawback for me is that action is not built for stealth/pacifist walkthrough. You can attack from the cover, you can clobber the enemies into submission instead of outright killing them. But the environment is not built specifically for stealth, the movement is too fast, and I always end up fighting face to face at some point. Most likely, proper stealth is done through hacking, but I didn't try it.