Not looking good in the reviews:
It’s like the food vendor that hangs out not far from V’s apartment. His stall looks attractive in that cyberpunk/Blade Runner style that makes everything in the game pop. It has steam rising off the food and nice lighting. If I were walking through L.A. and got hungry, I would want to stop and eat there. It helps contribute to the feel of the world — but that’s all it does. You cannot interact with the stall, eat its food, or even talk to the owner.
For myself, I love interactivity in an open world. I love choosing my own journey, not being hindered by missions or required actions--having the freedom to continue on with the main quest whenever I wish. And the main quest is just that--a central mission or theme I am following that feels not like a series of individual steps or missions, but an over arching plot that fits seamlessly with the world, almost as if it were not there, nor a burden, but part of the ethos that I may ultimately wish to pursue, unraveling the mystery as I further unwind the lanyard.
This is why I love games such as Ultima 6 and 7, Ultima Underworld, or even the more recent Prey. Sadly, the review above makes it seem as if this may not be the case with Cyberpunk. A living, breathing, fully interactive world is essential to fulfilling what I love most in gaming. If the environment is simply "window dressing," then we're witnessing props instead of interacting with alternate reality.
And to DBond: For great AI play through Half Life 1, or the remake "Black Mesa."
edit 2: I like games that want me to think, and reward me for doing so, and using creativity--not games that do all the thinking for me.
