Cyberpunk 2077 review in 2026: a city finally in focus

Cyberpunk 2077 sells a huge neon city, but its lasting power comes from smaller rooms: a tense conversation, a compromised friendship or a job that exposes the human cost behind the technology. The broad spectacle works because these stories give it perspective.

What works

Quest presentation is consistently strong, combat builds support distinct approaches and the city’s art direction remains exceptionally coherent. The best side stories turn familiar genre questions into personal dilemmas.

What holds it back

Open-world activity can feel more mechanical than the authored quests, and some systems still create friction between role-playing intention and reward optimization.

Verdict

Viewed as a character-driven action RPG, Cyberpunk 2077 is now easier to recommend for what it does well. The city is vast, but the game succeeds when it makes that scale feel close.

• Pros: memorable characters, flexible builds, outstanding atmosphere.
• Cons: uneven open-world filler and occasional systemic friction.