Cyberpunk 2077 has an extensive customization system that CD Projekt Red seems to hope will go above and beyond the standard systems used in RPGs so far. The upcoming game's players will be able to customize everything about their characters’ appearance down to some impressively small details.
Cyberpunk 2077 will allow players to customize the player character’s teeth, the length of their nails, and even their genitalia, and that's just what is confirmed to be "extra" in a sense. However, this level of detail raises a potential problem for Cyberpunk 2077 which many fans will be keeping an eye on when the game releases on December 10.
Cyberpunk 2077's Customization Problem
Cyberpunk 2077 is a first-person RPG, which begs a big question about the level of customization that CD Projekt Red has focused on. Although players will be able to customize various details about V, it’s difficult to see how these would actually be relevant in a first-person game.
It’s unclear how often players will be able to see their teeth, for example, considering the fact that even dialog takes place in a first-person perspective unlike some open-world RPGs like Fallout 4 which switch to a different view during dialog. It’s even less clear when players will have the opportunity to see the length of their nails or nether parts in game. Cyberpunk 2077 is a game which appears hell-bent on prioritizing player customization, choice, and immersion. The ability to totally customize the player character is a part of that, though many of the player’s choices for their character’s appearance will barely be seen in-game.
The Silver Lining
There is a silver lining to this design choice, however. The extensive customization afforded to players in Cyberpunk 2077 is also very likely afforded to Cyberpunk NPCs, which in turn means that NPCs will likely be extremely diverse in their appearances across Night City. Although some characters like Keanu Reeves’ Johnny Silverhand are clearly modeled after their actors, the game’s extensive character customization may allow CD Projekt Red to make new distinct NPCs for the game and any DLCs that follow with relative ease.
This level of NPC customization could also be great for Cyberpunk 2077’s modding community. If Skyrim’s modding community has taught RPG developers anything, it’s that modding accessibility can help greatly extend an open-world game’s lifespan.
It’s likely that the level of detail included in Cyberpunk 2077’s character customization is more of a statement than it is a huge cosmetic boon to the player character. The point CD Projekt Red seems eager to make is that Cyberpunk 2077 will allow some of the most extensive character customization in gaming.
There are few players who would take a greater level of customization as a failure, even if the extent of its effect on the player character is limited by the first-person view. Cyberpunk 2077 has many challenges to overcome, not least the huge expectations that have been placed upon the game over Cyberpunk's long development process. Whether or not it can like up to the hype, even that just for its character creator, remains to be seen.
Cyberpunk 2077 releases December 10, for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One, with a free PS5 and Xbox Series X/S upgrade also available at launch.