Frame Trap - Episode 122 "The Cyberpunk Episode"

Everyone has a very different experience with CP2077. I've played for about 70 hours now (currently in my 2nd play through) and experienced less than a handful of bugs, all of which were minor (floating items). I've really enjoyed the game, particularly the aesthetic, story and characters. I can see how if i had been hit by bugs I would have a different opinion though.

Eric J

I 100% agree with Ian's observation on the problematic encounter with the shady, queer Ripperdoc who exploits women. The issue is not per se that we have an antagonist queer person (which in itself has become a cliché representation since Silence of the Lambs), the issue is that it is the ONLY queer representation that I have encountered now in my 60 hours of gameplay besides the discussed ad poster. See, this is a game catered to a mainstream audience that includes young men that struggle to balance their testeron levels and people who don't care too much about LGBTQ+. The problem I see it can enforce their uneducated view on queer people. I give you an example where this materialises: Earlier someone posted a screenshot of said Ripperdoc in a Cyberpunk FB group simply titled "Eeew". The responses in the thread are a large number of men who brag how they punched/shot the "faggot" in the face. Hundreds of responses that highlight how they killed the Ripperdoc. The problem is CDPR provides them a motive (with the queer Ripperdoc exploiting women) and the reasons why people killing him a) being bad b) being queer c)being ugly merge. In my 60+ hours I haven't had encounters where you meet a sympathetic queer person, for example as a quest giver that balances that experience. The gamer walks away from this experience "doing the right thing by shooting the queer", not encountering any other mission that normalises this experience and in the process it subconsciously strings a dangerous association.

wouldyoukindly

There's plenty of incentive to go exploring if you want to upgrade stuff and get better loot. If you don't like the core gameplay, that's another matter. There's more incentive here than BOTW to change up the way you play because you're leveling up abilities that you use. In BOTW you can get through with pretty much the same sort of weapons and your only real incentive to change up your playstyle is for the fun of it.

Jake Z

With that luck, you just might have a career in unicorn hunting.

Star Tsurugi

Not criticizing, but I'm pretty surprised at how negative the conversations are on Cyberpunk, including in this Frame Trap. Maybe "surprised" isn't the best word, given that there are a couple of unsurprisingly negative things that need to be addressed when discussing it. However, I'm loving this game and feel like it has a lot of great things to offer. Surely there must be others who feel the same way. Obviously CD Projekt Red shot themselves in the foot in this regard, and perhaps I'm lucky to be able to play it on PS5 where the performance is okay, but personally it's in the running for my GOTY.

V8 Dave

Am I the only one who has absolutely no bugs and problems with cyberpunk?

darkPikachu

This is goood content, thats for your thoughts y'all

Mark van Dijken

This is easily the most nuanced discussion I've heard on this. A real breath of fresh air. For whatever reason the discourse around this always seems to become so polarized and angry.

332

I think this just might be the best Frame Trap episode I've watched. Truly excellent, thoughtful and considerate discussions. Excellent work everyone!

SpectR0nn

Ben in one articulate dude. Guy can thread the needle on sensitive topics like whoa.

I agree with Ian's take that Cyberpunk is closer to LA Noire than BotW. That's how I've been approaching it as well. The world serves as a gorgeous backdrop while I follow the largely linear story from way point to way point, there's no incentive to go exploring.

Jason Rumsey

I do not comment often (first time on frame trap), but this was a fantastic discussion. From beginning to end. I know sometimes it may be hard to navigate the minefields of controversy, but I loved Ben, Ian and Bloods' (The entire panels) discussion. It was very well done, seemed genuine, nuanced, thorough; human. Please don't apologize for talking too much/ rambling! That is why we are here.

zk

Great episode. Obviously lots of Cyberpunk in lots of aspects of greater discussion around the game, but all of it felt worthwhile. Really hope the comments recognize the effort you all were exerting to be respectful while expressing your own encounters with the game. Think airing out as many perspectives as possible was the right call in this special case, although wouldn't it be exhausting if every game became this?

MBUN

No Huber?

Paul smith

Thank you Ben! Love your hard work. May play yakuza just because of y’all’s recommendation.

Logan Young

The audio glitches are very apt when in a podcast discussing Cyberpunk.

Varun Kachhwaha