One ofCyberpunk 2077’s biggest draws is its setting. The crime-ridden Night City is the perfect breeding ground for both conflict and intrigue. From Watson to Pacifica, every trash-covered, neon-lit street inCyberpunk 2077has a story of its own.
Each of Night City’s districts has a distinct and lived-in feel. Besides differences in geography and the inhabitants' economic statuses, one factor that helps to differentiate the districts areCyberpunk 2077’s gangs. Every gang has a unique aesthetic, a distinct mentality, and a myriad of quirks. As V travels from district to district, the protagonist can choose to either fight the residing gangs or do missions for them. This shakes upCyberpunk 2077’s minute-to-minute gameplay, but the overall implementation of gangs in the game leaves much to be desired. Learning from this,Cyberpunk 2077’s upcoming sequel, Project Orion, has the opportunity to make these NPC interactions feel truly worthwhile.
Improving Cyberpunk 2077’s Gangs in Project Orion
V’s neutral mercenary profession always puts the character an arm’s length away from any of Night City’s gangs, yet the game continually acts like V’s ties to certain gangs are important.Cyberpunk 2077’s main story sees V come into conflict with Maelstrom and the Voodoo Boys, and the character seems to have an amicable connection withNight City fixersassociated with the Tyger Claws and Valentinos; connections with the latter are especially true if the player chooses the Street Kid background for V. However, V can easily gun down members of gangs that they’ve worked for or take up missions for gangs they’ve stabbed in the back.
As a mercenary, it makes sense for V to be flexible with the bonds they have with certain gangs — both negative and positive —to get paid and build up street cred. But for a roleplaying game trying to be as immersive asCyberpunk 2077is, V’s inconsequential interactions with gangs make Night City feel flat. CD Projekt Red’s nextCyberpunktitle needs to revamp gangs and implement afaction system like those in other RPG seriessuch asThe Elder ScrollsandFallout. Doing so would place Project Orion’s setting and dynamic storytelling leagues aboveCyberpunk 2077’s.
Bringing Impactful Faction Interactions to Project Orion
When Project Orion players engage with a gang — either positively or negatively — it should have ramifications upon the protagonist’s future encounters with that group. If players regularly complete jobs for a gang or make decisions that benefit the organization’s cause, the protagonist could then build up a positive reputation with that gang. Not only would this be financially profitable for the protagonist, but fostering a better working relationship with the group could open the door to the protagonist eventually joining as an official member.
This could lead to a bevy of benefits for the player. Being an official member could result in better paying missions, gang-exclusive gear — likepowerful quickhacksfor the Voodoo Boys or intense cyberware for Maelstrom — and alternate endings for certain story missions or potentially even the game as a whole. However, while a player could build up their reputation with certain gangs, they could just as easily tank their relationship with others.
By helping a gang gain ground in Project Orion’s setting, the game’s protagonist would likely end up in the crossfire of rival organizations. Either by completing quests for one gang or picking too many fights in the open world, players could build up a negative reputation with another gang. This might result in the gang withholding mercenary work from the player at first, but continued aggression would lead to more noticeable consequences. Direct routes through points of interest in the gang’s turf could become closed off, and a far enough drop in approval could lead the gang to send their own mercenaries after the player — working in a similar fashion toPhantom Liberty’s police update.
Improving the Player Experience With Factions
Adding this sort of depth to gangs could take a good idea fromCyberpunk 2077and turn it into a great feature in Project Orion. The missions currently doled out by gangs inCyberpunk 2077are only worth pursuing to make money andgrind XP. A faction system would let those same objectives have a legitimate impact on open-world exploration and the protagonist’s story.
For a game focused on player choice, factions would help to greatly differentiate playthroughs. Players could mix and match which gangs they would work with and which they would work against every time they start a new game. This would not only add variety to the storylines they get to experience, but the benefits certain gangs offer could provide noticeable boosts to certain builds. Implementing this popular RPG feature would go a long way in making Project Orion’s world feel far more engaging.
Cyberpunk 2077
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Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action-adventure from the creators of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt Red.Set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification, you play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality.Upgraded with next-gen in mind and featuring free additional content, customize your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades.The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be?
