There was a time last year where many people claimed that Cyberpunk 2077 was going to be the next Grand Theft Auto 5, rising to the same level of quality. When the game released in December 2021, it was a seemingly unfinished product and caused developer CD Projekt Red to receive near universal backlash. There were many issues that made Cyberpunk 2077 unplayable. That being said, the biggest issue isn't with something that was missing, but in the supposedly revolutionary NPCs that couldn't even stand up to Grand Theft Auto 5's.
In the lead up to Cyberpunk 2077, many of the marketing materials pointed to the game as being an evolution to the heavy action shooters in the same way Grand Theft Auto 5 was. However, it turns out that the highly-anticipated game of 2020 was as problematic as the entire year had been for the games industry. Fans were particularly focused on the NPCs, as they had been bragged about in the time prior to the release. When the game came out, fans quickly realized that many of the systems were either broken or severely oversold based on what was promised in terms of the game's systemic complexity.
NPC Interactions in Cyberpunk 2077 vs. Grand Theft Auto 5
Its a pretty good test of a game's NPC reaction to run up to them with a gun drawn. If they are truly present, the character might do something like scream, run, or pull out a gun in response. The NPCs do this and more in Grand Theft Auto 5, with characters in cars deciding to run over the player character if they draw a weapon to close. Cyberpunk 2077's NPCs didn't quite have the same level of reaction. If V were to point a gun at someone in a car when the game first came out, they might duck behind the steering wheel but otherwise wouldn't react. This often caused traffic jams that would put LA to shame.
Another example is shown when a player walks up on an NPC minding their own business in Grand Theft Auto 5. The NPC will usually have a few nasty words to say before either choosing to fight the player or leave the area. In Cyberpunk 2077, the NPCs might give someone invading their space a few glances, but rarely more than that. Probably the most striking example though was how the police would often overlook crimes that happened immediately in front of them. This whole series of issues with the NPCs led many fans to be more frustrated with yet another broken promise from CD Projekt.
NPC Routines
Before the game came out it was widely reported that Cyberpunk 2077's NPCs would number over a thousand strong and would take part in daily routines around Night City. The NPCs were marketed as having been hand-crafted by the developers, each with their own goals and daily tasks. What was produced was a sad attempt at this, with many failing tasks as simple as walking down the street. The characters would often initiate animations in the middle of nowhere, miming some action like inspecting a sign that isn't there. It was as frustrating as it was confusing, and way less than what was promised.
Grand Theft Auto 5 came out seven years before Cyberpunk. While not as widely promised as Cyberpunk 2077, Grand Theft Auto 5 was still able to create a number of memorable characters who are much better at keeping up with their daily routines. In Grand Theft Auto, the NPCs will often watch street performers, visit ATMs, have pool parties, and will wait in line at their favorite venues. On top of being extremely reactionary, these events will have an effect on their status in the world too, such as killing someone after an ATM gives more money.
A prime example of an NPC participating in a meaningful routine in Grand Theft Auto 5 takes the form of a dog who misses their owner. When playing as Franklin, players can come across a grave in a cemetery where a dog will visit every day. The pup visits the same grave, most likely to visit the final resting place of its owner. This is one of the more noticeable NPC Easter Eggs and may be a nod to a Skye Terrier from Edinburgh who was known for doing the same thing.
Cyberpunk 2077's NPC Updates
Fans were quick to call out CD Projekt Red when they realized that many features of the games didn't stand up to what was promised, including the NPCs. CD Projekt Red sought to correct the many issues and missing features in a series of patches. The largest so far was the Cyberpunk 2077 1.2 update, and it boasted improvements to NPC intelligence, driving, and keeping the game from crashing. In the update, NPCs would stop tripping over each other, and the police force wouldn't send an army after V for dinging their car.
There was also a big boost in animations, with CD Projekt Red turning up the variety so the same NPC doesn't stare at one sign for three hours. After 1.2, players will notice that the NPCs act better when in traffic, fleeing from a car that has hit them and not causing traffic jams when they're afraid. This is the first of what will likely be many updates bringing Cyberpunk 2077's quality up a notch. That being said, many don't believe the game can rise to Grand Theft Auto 5's NPC status because of its shortcomings.
While both games tell great stories with memorable characters, what's happening in the background is just as important to making a quality game. If the player can't focus on something Jackie is saying because of the ridiculous NPCs in the background, then the experience suffers. If Cyberpunk 2077 can raise its NPCs level of world interaction and reactions to that of Grand Theft Auto 5, it would go a long way in helping revamp the game positively.
Grand Theft Auto 5 is out now for PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X versions also in development.