I'm going to start this review with an admission: I am deeply biased in favor of this game, and was always going to be, but not for the reasons you might think.

First, cyberpunk as a genre is my favorite one, to the point that I'm writing a novel in the genre. Second, the character I planned to create back when I thought this was an RPG that let me be whatever character I wanted just happened to be nearly identical to how V is written and performed. Third, I'm not the kind of player that enjoys non story-related content; I primarily play expansive open-world games for their story, not for mini-games, or driving, or any of the other things that create an "immersive" world. Fourth, I have a PC capable of running this game while hitting very few of the bugs that have plagued console versions of the game, all while playing at near-ultra settings.

And finally, and perhaps most importantly, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is one of my favorite games of all time.

In short: the stars aligned, and Cyberpunk 2077 is exactly the game I've been dreaming of for a decade. For me, personally, this is the greatest game I've ever played.

The story and characters are genuinely moving and believable. This is a deeply personal story, one that follows a jerkish rogue of a character, V, as they grapple with the consequences of their actions. The cast of supporting characters is full of memorable moments and incredible acting. The side content is surprising, leading to some of the hardest decisions I've had to make in a video game. I've never cried, laughed, or genuinely fallen in love with a cast of characters in a game like this before.

The open world is beautiful and constantly breathtaking. Every alley is densely decorated, every nook and cranny populated with strange people and stranger details, every skyscraper painted in popping neon. The city has it all, from a Japan-Styled district reminiscent of Ghost in the Shell to a desert that screams Mad Max. This is the first game that's made me want to use photo mode, and I regret not taking more screenshots to catalog the journey I made through this game.

The game play is varied and constantly fresh. Each class of weapon feels different, and its easy to jump between load-outs to engage in scenarios in a variety of ways. You could be a quiet ninja, darting between enemies with a katana and keeping anyone from suspecting they're under attack. Or you could be a gun-toting tank of a fighter who lays everything they encounter to waste. Almost every build has an insanely broken top-tier load-out to work towards, with multiple weapons and augments that I will be wistfully remembering for years to come as I play games with lesser loot pools.

The progression systems are a blast, adding depth to the builds that the aforementioned loot pool enables. I dabbled in cold blood, blades, and pistols and ended the game with a V who turned into a combat goddess from defeating a single enemy. Each tree had multiple perks I wanted to work towards, and I plan on returning to the game to try out other builds.

I could keep talking more about the things I loved about this game, but, in-short, this is the game I dreamed about when I played Deus Ex for the first time. It has that same style of game play that encourages approaching every mission with your personal style, while also being set in a beautiful open-world and populated with a cast of characters I'll never forget. I don't know how long it will be before a game so tailored to exactly what I want comes along, and honestly, I'm worried it never will. For me, this is a story and a game I'll never forget.

This... well, I think this is my game of the century.