Is Cyberpunk 2077 Worth Playing In 2025?

Learn whether Cyberpunk 2077 is worth playing in 2025, or if you’re better off waiting for CD Projekt Red’s next title.

Here's why you should play Cyberpunk 2077 in 2025 (Image via CD Projekt Red)
Here’s why you should play Cyberpunk 2077 in 2025 (Image via CD Projekt Red)

The story behind Cyberpunk 2077’s tragic launch and eventual redemption is one that still puzzles and inspires many players across the world. While the game’s launch is among some of the biggest “gaming-related” disasters of the modern era, only seconded by the likes of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Concord, its story does not end in a tragedy.

In fact, Cyberpunk 2077, as it’s known among fans and newcomers alike, is a game that fundamentally redefined what an “open-world” should feel and play like. It’s a game that, despite its tumultuous launch, ended up making its name as one of the best open-world experiences out there.

However, if you’re still on the fence, here are some really good reasons why you should play Cyberpunk 2077 in 2025. Do note that this article is purely subjective and reflects the author’s opinions. That said, here’s why you should definitely play Cyberpunk 2077 in 2025.

5 Reasons To Play Cyberpunk 2077 in 2025

1. An Open-World Like No Other

Combat in Cyberpunk 2077 (Image via CD Projekt Red)
Combat in Cyberpunk 2077 (Image via CD Projekt Red)

To be fair, the core structure of Cyberpunk 2077 isn’t particularly different from that of any other traditional open-world game. The game does have its fair share of optional quests, collectibles, fetch quests, and the like.

However, it differs from other games of the genre in how it presents these optional hustles. Instead of shoving all the optional quests in your face, the game lets you explore, discover, and complete them as you see fit. There’s no level-gated content in Cyberpunk 2077; as such, you’re not missing out on any useful gear that’s needed to progress through the main story.

Instead, the optional stuff in Cyberpunk is designed in a way that encourages organic exploration and discovery. In many ways, Cyberpunk 2077 feels more like an open-world immersive sim, akin to the Deus Ex games. If you’re looking for an immersive open-world game to play in 2025, you just cannot go wrong with Cyberpunk 2077.

2. Characters and Memories

Characters in Cyberpunk 2077 (Image via CD Projekt Red)
Characters in Cyberpunk 2077 (Image via CD Projekt Red)

One of the biggest reasons why Cyberpunk 2077 is worth playing in 2025 is, well, the characters. Let me explain. Unlike in most open-world games where you usually jump from one character to another after every major story arc, Cyberpunk lets you take your time with its various NPCs. Every major NPC in Cyberpunk has their own set of quests that, surprisingly enough, are mostly optional. However, if you do take the time to complete the NPC quests, you not only get to know them more intimately but also get to witness some of the best character writing in any open-world game to date.

Unlike most open-world games, Cyberpunk’s world is built around the NPCs and their stories. From Claire’s revenge-driven storyline, masked by high-octane street racing, to Johnny Silverhand’s tale of personal growth and coming to terms with the past, there’s plenty in the character stories alone that will keep you busy in the Night City.

3. City of Dreams

Exploring Night City (Image via CD Projekt Red)
Exploring Night City (Image via CD Projekt Red)

Night City alone is one of the biggest reasons that makes Cyberpunk 2077 worth playing in 2025. The map of Night City isn’t particularly big. However, that’s by design. Instead of being a vast open-world with very little of substance (akin to most Ubisoft open-world titles), Night City is densely packed with details around every corner.

Much like a FromSoftware game, Cyberpunk 2077 excels at environmental storytelling. As you explore Night City, you will come across various parts of the map that seem empty. However, if you take your time to thoroughly explore said area, you will find evidence of robust environmental storytelling.

One such area of the game is the Badlands, which is a small deserted area that is primarily inhabited by outcasts and Nomads. However, taking your time to explore the Badlands will reveal a ton about its history, be it via hidden text logs or simple environmental storytelling. Further enhancing the game’s immersion factor is its graphical fidelity. If you have a decent enough PC or current-gen console, you can try out Cyberpunk 2077 with its “ray-tracing” features turned on. And believe me, with RT enabled, Cyberpunk feels like a completely different game.

4. Cyber-Punked

Character customization in Cyberpunk 2077 (Image via CD Projekt Red)
Character customization in Cyberpunk 2077 (Image via CD Projekt Red)

While Cyberpunk 2077 is primarily an open-world action game, it does have some RPG elements. In fact, the primary gameplay loop is pretty much like The Witcher 3, albeit with a mix of Cyberpunk themes. The protagonist “V” can be fully customized based on how you want to experience your Cyberpunk story. The game offers plenty of build options, weapons, cosmetics, and even a robust array of Cybernetics to help you craft your own Cyberpunk adventure. While the RPG elements aren’t as extensive as in The Witcher, they’re still quite well-implemented.

If you’re looking for an open-world RPG with a robust combat system, Cyberpunk 2077 is the way to go.

5. Phantom Liberty

Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty (Image via CD Projekt Red)
Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty (Image via CD Projekt Red)

The base Cyberpunk 2077 is already phenomenal, especially since the game is now mostly free of any major technical issues. However, that’s not everything the game has to offer. In 2023, CD Projekt Red released the Phantom Liberty expansion for Cyberpunk 2077.

Phantom Liberty, on the surface, is just a traditional story expansion. It adds a brand new storyline, new optional content, new weapons, new cosmetics, and some highly requested quality-of-life features. However, instead of just adding more to the game, Phantom Liberty iterated and evolved on everything the base game had to offer.

Not only does the expansion offer a significantly better main story, but it also fleshes out the protagonist’s story. In fact, the expansion adds brand new endings to the game, which are vastly superior to the ones present in the base game.

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