Nearly two years after release, Cyberpunk 2077 has reached a milestone regarding reviews on Steam, reaching 90% Very Positive for the first time. After frequent community interaction, several promising updates, and a recent anime prequel that enjoyed universal critical acclaim, Cyberpunk 2077 is experiencing a renaissance that many believe it deserves.
Cyberpunk 2077's launch was one of the most controversial thus far in gaming, with the long anticipated title facing problems so extensive that it was removed from the PlayStation Store shortly after release. CD Projekt Red had to honor countless refunds and endure a winter of fierce criticism for the way in which they handled marketing for the title, particularly for refusing media outlets to review the game on PS4 and Xbox One before launch. Since then, however, Cyberpunk 2077 has returned to the PlayStation Store, surpassed a sales total of 20 million, and seen an impressive resurgence for a singleplayer game.
Much of the shifting sentiment towards Cyberpunk 2077 is embodied by the ever improving review scores, captured in an image uploaded to Reddit by u/Lymbasy and still viewable on the game's Steam page. Although only 77% of the nearly half a million existing reviews are positive, that percentage increases to 90% of the most recent 16,460, emphasizing just how far Cyberpunk 2077 has come. Comments were celebrating the achievement, pleased to see that the game was receiving the recognition many believed it deserved. Some others took a different tone, critical of CD Projekt Red's decisions, broken promises, and refusal to delay the title further.
Cyberpunk 2077's revival is not merely down to patches, with substantial credit that can be afforded to the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime, animated by Studio Trigger and overseen by CD Projekt Red. The prequel told a beautiful and emotional story set in Night City, the same region that players inhabit during their time with Cyberpunk 2077. Those exploring Night City have been discovering locations from the anime in-game, making use of Rebecca's shotgun, and turning the narrative of Cyberpunk 2077 into a revenge story following the conclusion of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
The positive sentiment toward Cyberpunk 2077 was already evident given the ostensibly warm reception to an announcement of the open-world RPG's one and only expansion. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners likely gave the developers even greater confidence when announcing a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, dubbed Project Orion, which is intended to "prove the full power and potential of the Cyberpunk universe." CD Projekt Red has proven that this IP is built upon rich and compelling foundations, so hopefully it learns valuable lessons for whenever the launch comes around.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.