Cyberpunk 2077has gone through quite a bit of tumult since its initial release in 2020, but it’s now considered to be one of the best western RPGs of the past several years. Its strengths are myriad, with gaming audiences generally praisingCD Projekt Red’s strong writing, environment design, and progression model. But nevertheless, one element stands head and shoulders above all these hefty pros: Night City itself.
Project Orion Should Improve Cyberpunk 2077’s Vendors
Vendors Are a Mostly Useless Part of Night City
When it comes to open-world, AAA game design, there are certain features that seem almost obligatory: a mini-map or compass of some sort, objective markers, a quest log, and, of course, stores at which to spend one’s hard-earned in-game currency.Cyberpunk 2077is no different in this regard, as it includes a number of vendors, both large and small, selling a variety of weapons, attire, et cetera.
The problem is that, aside from ripperdocs and other tech slingers that may carry rare quickhacks and the like,the vendors ofCyberpunk 2077aren’t very impactful. For instance, the weaponry and armor sold at these stores is almost always inferior to what can be obtained through completing various quests, which also have the obvious benefit of being the more interesting route for acquiring new items. Even worse are the food and drink vendors, which only offer the most insignificant consumables, making them little more than set dressing.
With the changes made toCyberpunk 2077’s healing system through post-launch updates, Night City’s food and drink vendors have become even more obsolete than they were originally.
How Project Orion Could Punch-Up Vendors
It’s hard to get into specific ways thatProject Orionshould enhance in-game stores, since there hasn’t been any information about its gameplay, narrative, or premise. That said, there are a few baseline improvements that could be made, assuming, of course, thatProject Orionretains the open-world formula of its predecessor, which seems likely.
At a basic level, vendors inProject Orionshould offer items that can’t be found in the overworld. Perhaps ammunition for certain rare weapon types, for instance, could only be obtained through specific gun stores, or maybeProject Orioncould double-down onCyberpunk’s apartment features, allowing players to purchase decor, furnishings, and collectables from vendors. If the game leans into the social simulation side of the role-playing experience, perhaps gifts for NPCs can be found at various vendors as well, further increasing their utility.
Put plainly,Cyberpunk 2077’s storefronts are, by and large, fat that should be trimmed from a generally consistent product. As previously mentioned, they feel somewhat obligatory and perfunctory, only included because a city-based open-world game simply “needs” vendors. They may not be harming the game, but they definitely reek of missed potential, andProject Orioncould bring this potential to fruition.
Cyberpunk 2077
WHERE TO PLAY
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?
