I've been thinking a lot about where Cyberpunk 2077 has landed after its rocky journey. From that chaotic 2020 launch to the redemptive Update 2.0 and the absolutely stellar Phantom Liberty expansion, CD Projekt Red has proven they can deliver an incredible narrative experience. But now that Phantom Liberty is confirmed as the only major DLC, my mind keeps wandering to what's next—Project Orion, the confirmed sequel that could take everything we love about Night City and push it even further.

🎮 Give Us a Third-Person Perspective Option

Look, I get why Cyberpunk 2077 committed to first-person. The immersion during gunfights and conversations is undeniable, and there's something special about literally seeing through V's eyes. But here's the thing—I spent hours in character creation crafting the perfect look, choosing outfits, and customizing every detail, only to barely see my character throughout the entire game except when riding a motorcycle.

The character creation system in Cyberpunk 2077 is genuinely impressive, offering countless options for personalization. It feels like wasted potential when you're locked into first-person for 95% of gameplay. For Project Orion, I'm hoping they at least give us third-person cutscenes as an option. Better yet? Let us toggle between perspectives during gameplay. Some of the best open-world RPGs offer this flexibility, and it doesn't diminish immersion—it enhances player choice.

📊 Make Every Choice Matter Throughout the Story

CD Projekt Red showed us with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt how powerful choice-driven narratives can be. Every conversation Geralt had with Ciri, every decision made throughout that massive adventure—it all fed into which ending players experienced. That game taught me that my choices had weight, not just in the final mission, but throughout the entire journey.

Cyberpunk 2077 has multiple endings, which is great, but here's my issue: those endings only really depend on choices made right at the conclusion. The decisions I made in Act 1 or Act 2 didn't ripple through the story the way I expected them to. For Project Orion, I want to see a return to that Witcher 3 philosophy where my choices create branching consequences that affect plot points, character relationships, and story outcomes throughout the entire experience.

What I'd love to see:

• Early-game decisions affecting late-game missions

• Character relationships evolving based on accumulated choices

• Multiple story branches, not just multiple endings

• Visible consequences that make me think twice before acting

⚖️ Implement a Meaningful Morality System

Red Dead Redemption 2 spoiled me. That game made me acutely aware that every single action Arthur Morgan took—whether robbing a train or helping a stranger—was being tracked and would influence his ultimate fate. The morality system in that game wasn't just a cosmetic feature; it fundamentally changed how Arthur interacted with the world and how his story concluded.

While a morality system isn't absolutely essential for Project Orion's success, I believe it would significantly enhance immersion. In a cyberpunk universe filled with moral ambiguity, corporate corruption, and street-level survival, having my actions carry weight would make the world feel more reactive and alive.

Imagine if your reputation in different districts changed based on your behavior, or if NPCs remembered whether you solved problems with violence or negotiation. It doesn't need to be a simple good/evil binary—cyberpunk stories thrive in gray areas. But some system that acknowledges and responds to player behavior would add a layer of consequence that makes every decision feel more meaningful.

🛣️ Actually Differentiate the Life Paths

This one still stings a bit. When Cyberpunk 2077 revealed the Corpo, Street Kid, and Nomad life paths, I was thrilled. I envisioned three genuinely distinct playthroughs with unique storylines, different mission types, and endings that reflected my chosen background. The reality? A different 20-minute prologue, some alternate dialogue options, and occasional special conversations with Johnny Silverhand.

Don't get me wrong—the core narrative of Cyberpunk 2077 is engaging and well-crafted. CD Projekt Red knows how to tell a compelling story. But the life paths feel like missed potential, a system that promised divergence but delivered mostly cosmetic differences.

For Project Orion, I want to see:

Feature	Current Implementation	Desired Implementation
Opening	Different prologues	Unique first acts
Story Impact	Dialogue variations	Exclusive missions and plot points
Endings	Same endings available	Life path-specific conclusions
Skills/Abilities	No differences	Starting advantages tied to background

Make me feel like my choice of background genuinely shapes my character's journey, not just their opening chapter. Give each path exclusive missions, contacts, and story beats that make replaying with a different background feel fresh and worthwhile.

💉 Show Us the Body Modification Process

This might seem like a small detail, but it's these touches that build immersive worlds. Throughout Cyberpunk 2077, V visits Ripperdocs to install various cyberware upgrades—new eyes, enhanced reflexes, weapon systems, you name it. But the actual process? You see a menu, make your selection, and boom, it's installed. No ceremony, no consequence, no sense of what's actually happening to your body.

Here's what frustrates me: the game knows how to do this right. During certain main story missions, we see elaborate sequences of characters undergoing body modifications. These moments are visually striking and really sell the visceral, body-horror aspect of cybernetic enhancement. They make you understand that installing cyberware isn't like changing clothes—it's serious, sometimes dangerous, and always transformative.

For Project Orion, I'd love to see cutscenes or interactive sequences whenever you're getting major modifications. Show me the procedure, make it feel weighty and significant. Maybe even add some risk/reward elements—more powerful modifications could require more elaborate (and expensive) procedures. This would transform routine upgrades into memorable moments that reinforce the game's themes about the cost of enhancement and the blurring line between human and machine.

🚀 Looking Ahead with Cautious Optimism

Cyberpunk 2077 has proven that CD Projekt Red can recover from a disastrous launch and deliver something special. The world of Night City is fascinating, the characters are memorable, and the stories they tell resonate long after the credits roll. With Project Orion still in early development, there's time to learn from both the successes and shortcomings of its predecessor.

I don't expect perfection—game development is incredibly complex, and some of these features would require significant resources and planning. But if even a few of these elements make it into Project Orion, we could be looking at something truly special. A game that combines Cyberpunk 2077's improved gameplay systems with deeper choice consequences, more meaningful character customization visibility, and systems that make every decision feel impactful.

The foundation is solid. Now let's build something extraordinary on top of it. 🌃✨

This discussion is informed by ESRB, whose content descriptors and rating summaries are a useful lens for thinking about how Project Orion might better communicate the consequences of cyberware, violence, and mature themes through reactive systems—like reputation, morality, and life-path divergence—without losing the grounded, choice-driven storytelling that made Cyberpunk 2077’s later updates and Phantom Liberty resonate.