Is Cyberpunk 2077 on PS5 Worth It in 2026? An In-Depth Analysis

The Bottom Line Upfront

After thoroughly analyzing all aspects of Cyberpunk 2077 on PS5, my verdict is yes, it is absolutely worth playing in 2024. The game has improved tremendously since its disastrous launch state. On PS5, it now delivers a smooth, immersive gameplay experience in a stunningly realized futuristic world. For just $30-40, you get hundreds of hours of top-notch content and RPG mechanics. Minor bugs still exist but no longer detract from the overall experience. Given the massive improvements by CD Projekt Red, Cyberpunk 2077 has become a must-play title on PS5 in 2024.

Examining Cyberpunk 2077‘s History

As an avid gamer, you likely know already that Cyberpunk 2077 had one of the most controversial launches ever. When it released in December 2020 after multiple delays, the backlash was swift and brutal.

Here are some key facts about what went wrong:

• It was glitchy to an unacceptable degree, with over 1,000 reported bugs at launch
• Frequent crashing and poor performance, especially on PS4/Xbox One
• Numerous graphical issues like low resolution textures and visual artifacts
• Severe AI and physics issues that broke immersion
• Missing promised features and cut content compared to marketing
• Review embargos prevented testers from showcasing issues pre-launch

This resulted in:

• User score of 2.8 on Metacritic at launch compared to 87 critic score
• Delisting from PlayStation Store and refund offer by Sony
• Class action lawsuits by investors claiming deception
• CDPR‘s share price tanked by nearly 50% in a month

Clearly, Cyberpunk 2077‘s launch was a colossal mess and one of the highest profile failures in recent memory. Now let‘s see how things have improved in the 2+ years since.

Cyberpunk‘s Post-Launch Support & Turnaround

Facing heavy backlash, CD Projekt Red got to work trying to fix the mountain of bugs and issues. Here are some of the major changes:

• 11+ major patches with hundreds of fixes and optimizations
• Visual upgrades like improved resolutions, textures and assets
• Major AI improvements to driving, crowd NPC behavior and police
• Much better performance with crashing and bugs drastically reduced
• Quality of life changes to UI, menus, controls and gameplay systems
• Free DLCs that added new missions, gear and player customization

Over time, these updates transformed Cyberpunk 2077 from a broken mess at launch into a much more stable and polished game. It still has some occasional glitches but most of the immersion-breaking problems have been ironed out. The team at CDPR deserve kudos for sticking with it and substantially improving things across the board.

Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay, Story and Content

But technical issues aside, how good is Cyberpunk 2077 as an actual game? In my opinion, it has:

• Fantastic visuals that sell the unique cyberpunk aesthetic convincingly
• A compelling and emotional main story with great characters
• Top-notch voice acting that brings characters like Johnny Silverhand to life
• Satisfying real-time FPS and melee combat with a good variety of weapons
• Driving around Night City‘s stunning open world feels immersive
• Deep RPG systems and build customization through abilities like hacking
• Great side missions with interesting self-contained stories and strong writing
• Hundreds of hours of content between main quests, side activities, collectibles etc.

For me, Cyberpunk 2077 absolutely delivers on the RPG experience thanks to its gameplay depth, stellar world design and focus on storytelling. Night City is a visual marvel to behold and seamlessly blends advanced tech with retro vibes. The characters stick with you long after the credits roll. There‘s a reason it garnered praise prior to launch – fundamentally, it‘s a terrific single-player narrative-driven RPG.

Cyberpunk 2077 on PS5 – A Massive Upgrade

But what really makes Cyberpunk 2077 worth playing in 2024 is how fantastically it takes advantage of current-gen consoles like the PS5.

Compared to the clunky last-gen versions, the PS5 enhancements are dramatic:

• Native 4K resolution with high quality assets and textures
• Two graphics modes – one prioritizing visuals, one focused on 60 FPS frame rate
• Support for ray tracing with realistic real-time lighting and reflections
• Significantly improved crowd density and traffic for an immersive city
• Faster loading times thanks to the PS5 SSD
• DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers heighten immersion
• Tempest 3D audio makes Night City‘s soundscape more lifelike

These upgrades truly bring Night City to life in a way simply not possible on PS4. It runs superbly at 4K/60 FPS with ray tracing making the neon-bathed city pop. The crowds and traffic now live up to the scale you‘d expect from a futuristic megalopolis. Immersive details like haptic trigger recoil when firing guns add to the experience. For me, Cyberpunk 2077 is an excellent showcase of the PS5‘s capabilities and plays like a dream.

How is Performance Now vs Launch?

Let‘s directly compare some key performance and technical metrics between launch and now:

As you can see, the difference is night and day. While not perfect, the game‘s technical shortcomings have been worked on extensively. It now delivers a polished and fun experience that lives up to the original vision.

What Players Are Saying About Cyberpunk 2077 on PS5

Beyond just specs, what is the consensus from actual players who have experienced Cyberpunk 2077 on PS5?

The community feedback is largely very positive:

• Many players acknowledge the incredible turnaround compared to launch
• Praise for the graphical enhancements only possible on new hardware
• Mostly stable 60 FPS results in smooth combat and driving
• DualSense features add to immersion and feel next-gen
• Some minor bugs still occur but no longer detrimental

Overall, the sentiment is that CDPR has redeemed Cyberpunk 2077 into the game it was meant to be when running on PS5. For many lapsed players, it feels fresh and polished enough to dive back in.

There will always be some detractors. But most agree – the PS5 version delivers the definitive Cyberpunk 2077 experience.

Is Cyberpunk 2077 Worth Buying on PS5 in 2024?

So should you buy Cyberpunk 2077 on PS5 in 2024? I think there are several compelling reasons why the answer is yes:

• The discounted price of $30-40 makes it very appealing value
• You get hundreds of hours of content-rich RPG gameplay
• Night City is an incredible futuristic playground to immerse in
• The story, characters, music and world-building are top-notch
• It‘s a visual stunner that runs flawlessly at 4K/60 FPS on PS5
• Extensive bugs fixes and updates have paid off
• Next-gen features like ray tracing and haptics vastly improve it
• Positive critical and community reception after fixes
• Free DLCs and upcoming paid expansions will build on it further

For less than the cost of a tank of gas, you can pick up one of the most ambitious and well-realized RPGs in recent times, dialed up to 11 on PS5. Considering the stellar quality after substantial post-launch work, Cyberpunk 2077 absolutely worth buying on PS5 at its current discounted price in 2024.

The Verdict

Cyberpunk 2077 endured one of the most turbulent launches ever seen. Now, over 2 years later, it has risen from the ashes as the game it was meant to be all along. Thanks to massive improvements across the board on PS5, it delivers an immersive cyberpunk playland dripping with atmosphere, exciting combat and a brilliant story. Minor flaws still exist but no longer detract from the overall experience. For just $30-40, you get hundreds of hours of AAA-quality content. Given the incredible post-launch turnaround, I highly recommend Cyberpunk 2077 as a must-play PS5 title in 2024.