CD Projekt Red promised a game unlike any other with Cyberpunk 2077. In its 8-year production and development cycle, the game was consistently shrouded in mystery. Every E3 conference would bring some demo footage and some clues as to what users could expect. However, CDPR kept it all an elaborate secret until the first official trailer. The gaming community was stoked with all the possibilities the trailer promised. It would push the limits of what a single-player game could be.
Expectations could hardly be higher than when it finally released. Barring a sensational recovery, it is one course to be the biggest disappointment in gaming history. Sony and Marvel followed a similar strategy with their game; Marvel’s Spiderman. However, once released, the game surpassed all expectations, being considered as, perhaps, the greatest comic-book character-inspired video game. So what did Spiderman did right that Cyberpunk 2077 couldn’t? Find out more in this Cyberpunk 2077 vs. Marvel’s Spiderman comparison:
Redefining Open-World
As far as hype goes, few studios have ever put their faith in a game like CDPR did for Cyberpunk 2077. Not that it wasn’t worth it. The game was supposed to set new benchmarks for gameplay, graphics, storytelling, and imagination. CDPR managed to raise numerous eyebrows with their decision to keep Cyberpunk 2077 a single-player game driven by a linear form of storytelling inside an open-world setting. The logic was almost the exact opposite of GTA V or RDR2, where the sheer size of the map gives users an abundance of activities. Instead, CDPR chose to follow a less is more route. Each interaction with AI or each activity within the world would be distinct every time. So, each time you’d repeat an activity, your experience would be different and unique.
Marvel’s Spiderman took an almost identical route, albeit with one crucial difference. This approach works on it while it doesn’t on Cyberpunk 2077. The reason is the game itself. Regardless of what kind of strategy you prefer within the game, you’re still Spiderman. So, you can choose whether you want to be a night owl, patrolling the city during the night or if you wish to be a friendly neighborhood Spiderman protecting them in the sunshine.
Similarly, you can choose your suit, your dialogues, and what missions you want to take. It makes sense since, at the end of it all, you’re still Spiderman. In its current state, Cyberpunk 2077 puts a lot of restrictions on its players. CDPR plans to remove some of these restrictions, such as being unable to enter specific locations, unable to engage certain AI characters, and most importantly, can’t access parts of the map. Considering how there were no such restrictions in Marvel’s Spiderman, it’s reasonable to say it succeeded where Cyberpunk 2077 has so far failed.
Improvements
Once you start playing Cyberpunk 2077, it’s a great game. None of the reviews, even the 1-star ones, do not criticize its gameplay. When the game isn’t glitching, freezing, or randomly crashing, gamers will find it more than decent. The game’s map is not as expansive as some other entries like God Of War or RDR2, but it is expected that CDPR will make additions to it. Furthermore, gamers can expect patches to solve several issues. This could be what makes or breaks Cyberpunk 2077‘s long term reputations. While no title has failed spectacularly at launch in a while, there have been minor hiccups for other eagerly awaited titles in the past. Prompt action and a willingness to improve gamers’ experience allowed them to the initial bumps behind. No Man’s Sky is one such example. Cyberpunk 2077 has time on its side for the time being. There’s hope that a few patches will solve the game’s issues on the current-gen consoles and eliminate the pesky bugs and glitches.
Marvel’s Spiderman didn’t have any launch issues. Sony and Marvel had heavily marketed the game as an entertaining game that allows you to feel what being Spiderman is like. In the months after the game’s release, three major Downloadable Content (DLC) packs were released. This allowed gamers to experience new storylines. New suits such as the Sam Raimi suit, the Amazing Spiderman suite as well as the Iron Spider and Secret Wars suits were added to the game more fun to play.
Going Forward
Both games seem to have a completely different road ahead of them. For Cyberpunk 2077, it is all about damage control. There’s no denying that CDPR’s goodwill among the gaming community has taken a hit. CDPR has made the right moves since the release, apologizing to gamers for not meeting their expectations, offering discounts, and keeping them aware of the upcoming patches. In the meantime, CDPR is also releasing minor patches to fix some of the
While Cyberpunk 2077 continues to deal with its colossal failures, Marvel’s Spiderman is looking firmly ahead. More DLCs have been promised for 2021. However, the biggest highlight is the official sequel, Spiderman: Miles Morales. The game covers the story of a teenage Miles Morales who gains similar abilities as Pete Parker. The game is one of Sony’s first launches for the PS5 while also being released for the PS4. If you’re a Spiderman fan, 2021 is going to be a year full of new content.
Verdict
Cyberpunk 2077 was a let-down. There are no ifs and buts about that. CDPR are scrambling to fix it, going so far as apologizing to current-gen console owners for misleading them. There are three patches expected in December, January, and February that’ll hopefully solve some of the issues users have. But, is this really what anyone hoped for after an 8-year delay? CDPR promised that they’d deliver a near-perfect game, and regardless of whether they fix the issues, they failed in that promise.
Marvel’s Spiderman, on the other hand, is easily one of the best games available on the market right now. It has an expansive world, a remarkably interactive open-world. Despite the lack of character choice, the gameplay possibilities are endless within the game. So, unless Cyberpunk 2077‘s completes a 180° turnaround and transforms into a new game entirely, Spiderman is head and shoulders above it in every category possible.
