There is absolutely no doubting that Cyberpunk 2077 is the most anticipated game of the year, perhaps even the decade. Despite being hit for a third time with a recent delay, the game is still in full swing at showing fans what they can come to expect when it does eventually release with the help of Keanu Reeves.
One aspect that has excited fans since its reveal, was the inclusion of much-beloved actor Keanu Reeves, who’s offbeat and eccentric charm almost goes hand in hand with the world of Cyberpunk 2077.
Keanu Reeves will be playing Johnny Silverhand in the game, an ex-rocker who is hellbent on causing a bunch of destruction within Night City.
From the video, you certainly get the sense that Keanu is very involved in this character and the development process, which should mean that we will have a great experience interacting with his character throughout the game.
Keanu enthusiastically stated, “So you get to see Johnny as the rockstar, you hear about his military past, he’s fighting for his survival… it’s really an interpretation, I think we have a little Johnny Silverhand in all of us”. Further adding that “what CD Projekt Red has shared with me in the way they talk about this game, and what I have seen, it’s got a lot of freedom, there are so many different paths you can play the game on.”
Keanu really seems to be a fan of the development crew, working closely with them to ensure their vision is brought to life, and that he has an equal part in embodying the character. His enthusiasm and the way he discusses the character evokes someone who really wanted to be a part of this title and is going to give his all to bring Johnny Silverhand to life.
The footage presents that the main player’s character, V, speaking with Silverhand quite often, showing that they will share a deep connection, with the plot closely tied to the two characters.
“So you get to see Johnny as the rockstar, you hear about his military past, he’s fighting for his survival… it’s really an interpretation, I think we have a little Johnny Silverhand in all of us.”
This new video presents some more information about the character, with Johnny seeming to be some form of a digital apparition within the players head, as he is seen glitching when appearing to the player.
“With three different behavioural attitudes, so that was fun. He’s either a dick, or he’s happy, or he’s trying to convince you…so it’s been fun.”
We even get a look at Keanu in all his glory wearing a mocap suit. It’s great to see that Keanu himself seemed to provide a lot of the mocap for the character, rather than having a stand-in do all the physical performances and just use Keanu’s likeness for the finished product.
During a section of the video, we even get some information from people working directly on Cyberpunk 2077. In response to being asked “What does Keanu bring to Johnny Silverhand?”, English Adaption Director Borys Pugacz-Muraszkiewicz replied with, “What Keanu brings to Johnny Silverhand is nothing more and nothing less than Keanu…to anybody who has seen the applicable movies, Neo is Keanu, Keanu is Neo, John Wick is Keanu, Keanu is John Wick…to anyone that plays Cyberpunk 2077 Johnny Silverhand will be Keanu”.
There is also a portion of the video that shows off some of the gameplay for the title, which was a topic of much debate among the gaming community as CD Projekt Red’s last mainline title The Witcher 3, is the furthest thing from a shooter, yet the gameplay here does seem well rounded and enjoyable. The gunplay may not seem tight like a COD game, but Cyberpunk is deeply rooted with RPG mechanics, so it’s excusable that the enemies seem to have a life bar akin to titles like The Division 2.
The gameplay all looks to be in top form, from driving around the city to interacting with the various detailed NPC’s and shooting up enemies to your heart’s content. Character progression and customisation is set to be a huge part of Cyberpunk 2077, so the ability to tweak your character to suit your preferences is going to be a huge part of the experience.
The city looks detailed and intricate, like a thriving metropolis that you can explore, finding hidden secrets and just taking in the captivating scenery at hand. This truly is set to be a title that leaves nothing on the table, instead, it focuses on every little experience to culminate in a vast and exhilarating title.
With CD Projekt Red’s resume of games and commitment to breathing and fleshed out worlds, I don’t doubt that this game will be one that people will be discussing for years to come.
Cyberpunk 2077 is currently set to launch on December 10th 2020, hopefully, we do not get any further delays and this release date is the final one.
About the Author
Justin White
He/Him
Justin is known for being the clown of any group and has spent his entire life playing and collecting video games. When he is not playing video games he is usually hanging out with his two American Staffies named Django and King (after Django Unchained characters) or his son Shia (yes, after Shia Labeouf).
