While all means of affording players creativity in the gaming experience are welcome, some may end up only serving to create buzz. In the case of the latter, the players are left confused as to the intention, and distracted from being absorbed in the world. One of these conundrums is on full display in Cyberpunk. Luckily, there's still time to remedy some of these issues in the upcoming Cyberpunk sequel before it's too late.

While Cyberpunk 2077 presented various shock factors, the game's gender customization (and that customization's limitations) felt gimmicky rather than boundary-pushing. Visible only while customizing, the genitalia also doesn't overrule a binary gender choice imposed by the character's pronouns. The functionality of this feature feels designed merely for shock value, even in a game known to shock.

A purple-haired character in Cyberpunk 2077
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Cyberpunk 2077 Didn't Stick the Landing on Gender Customization

When Cyberpunk: 2077 was released in 2020, the first-person shooter received a Mature rating by the ESRB. The rating makes sense. Cyberpunk, for all its dense lore and oily, post-apocalyptic ambiance, is an incredibly violent game. Stabbing and dismembering are common practices throughout the gameplay, and weaponry is a chief aspect of Cyberpunk's style. The names of its guns include "The Headsman," "Widow Maker," and "Guts." The "Malorian 365" pistol utilizes a Cyberpunk melee capability. In the gameplay of the initial Cyberpunk release, one timeline allows the player to nail a praying character to a cross, tantamount to a crucifixion.

Sexuality in Cyberpunk

Cyberpunk is also a fairly sexually charged game. While explicitly sexual scenes don't include gratuitous nudity, the game remains sexually suggestive. V has the opportunity to have sex with several different characters, and other encounters hint at or imply sexual activity. Yet the graphic sexuality reaches a shock factor with one particular functionality: the Cyberpunk genitalia customization.

Changing Appearance in Cyberpunk

Prior to the start of a new game in Cyberpunk, players can customize their character's genitalia on the menu screen. This capability was highly publicized before and after the game's release. In practice, the characters' gender customization is fairly limited; players can change the shape and nature of their characters' genitals, but the character's assigned pronouns establish their speaking voice for the rest of the game. The Cyberpunk gender pronouns are also limited to binary options. Once these options are determined, the character's gender can only be changed by creating a new game.

To change a character's gender, players must visit a Ripperdoc, reach the character edit menu, and commit all characterization features to memory. After starting a new game, redoing the model will be easier.

While the irascible adrenaline of the Cyberpunk world and missions make it a singular experience, the game's more boundary-pushing aspects distract rather than enhance. While customizable gender is engaging in the decision-making process, the first-person nature of the game renders the player character's genitalia invisible for the vast majority of the game. A renewed focus on the story would greatly aid the Cyberpunk sequel's fun and efficiency. A game with fewer narrative detours doesn't have to mean a drearier, duller world. It could mean a Cyberpunk sequel with even more bite and dynamism than its predecessor.

The ability to customize gender in Cyberpunk is refreshing, but the limitations imposed by the restraints of the characters' voices and pronouns hinder this feature's relevance to the gameplay. Recognizing what works and doesn't work is important, even in a game as thrilling as Cyberpunk, and even with a feature as potentially trailblazing as its gender customization options. However, if the gender customization in Cyberpunk felt less in service of shock factor and in service of the world, its presence in the game would feel more relevant. Regardless, the Cyberpunk sequel will greatly benefit from limiting any elements for shock value.