Cyberpunk 2077's launch was met with mixed reactions from most players. They were usually dependent on what platform they played the game on. However, regardless of how the game played for you, it won't be inaccurate to claim that the game has a lot of potential going forward, and depending on where CDPR takes it, it could still become one of the best games out there.
The best place to go to for inspiration regarding new features of the game, whether it be for a sequel, or an upcoming DLC, is, of course, the source material. Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk tabletop RPG was a very innovative piece of work and while CDPR's game is quite faithful to it, there are some features from the original Cyberpunk that would make it even better.
10 Actual Implementation Of The Four Rules Of Cyberpunk
Style over substance. Attitude is everything. Always take it to the edge. Break the rules. These are the four rules of the original Cyberpunk game, and while CDPR tried to somewhat implement them in Cyberpunk 2077, it's failed to deliver on that in a few ways.
One of the most obvious examples would be the first rule -- style over substance. Players aren't really free to wear whatever they want in the game, as all of the equipment has a stat value assigned to it, so in this case, the "style over substance" rule is more like a "stats over style" situation, where players don't really pay attention to how their V looks, but the armor stats of each piece of clothing.
9 Allow Players To Choose One Of The Original Classes
Cyberpunk 2077Â doesn't have a traditional class system. Instead, players can mold their characters into various builds by maxing out different parts of the skill tree (there are enough skill points only for two of them).
As of right now, the builds in Cyberpunk 2077 that can be identified with those in the original tabletop game are Solo, Netrunner, and Techie. However, Mike Pondsmith has planned for 9 various classes in the original RPG, including Rockerboys, Medias, and Corpos. While some of them are present in the game (for example, when choosing V's lifepath), or during various side missions, it would be great to see players taking on these roles as playable classes.
8 Expanded Role Of Trauma Team
Many players have been calling for CDPR to increase the role of the Trauma Team in future Cyperpunk-related releases, and rightly so. In the source material, they had a much greater role to play.
They were responsible for healing players whenever they were down, and even preventing them from flatlining! In the tabletop version, their actions were dictated by dice rolls, but Trauma Team mechanics could be easily implemented in Cyberpunk 2077 in another way, for example by making it dependent on the player's level or in-game wealth.
7 Give Players A Bigger Role In The World Events
The main story of Cyberpunk 2077 was really good. That is actually the one thing that players mostly agree on. Having touched upon topics such as digital consciousness, human dependence on technology, and the dangers of capitalism run amok, it's hard to argue against their reasoning.
However, CDPR has missed out on the opportunity to give players the possibility to have a greater impact on Night City and the greater in-game universe. In the original Cyberpunk, there was an option to be more involved in the Corporate Wars and other in-universe events. CDPR should implement such grandiose, world-changing plotlines and decisions in future releases.
6 More Developed Romances
While there were quite a few romance options in Cyberpunk 2077, they weren't nearly as expansive and developed as in Cyberpunk 2020, the source material.
There, players were required to actually care for the relationship. Their in-game significant others were capable of cheating, breaking up with the player, and even resorting to violence, should they feel too neglected. This adds weight and importance to in-game relationships, and could be quite easily implemented, so it is actually quite surprising that Cyberpunk 2077 (and many other RPGs, for that matter), didn't choose to explore more complex romance options.
5 More Ways To Make Money
By now, most players know of the best ways to exploit Cyberpunk 2077's systems and farm eurodollars on a scale that would be impossible should they want to play the game in the way the developers intended it to be played.
The fault here lays on CDPR's side. There should be more ways to make money in Night City, a town that is basically built on unfair competitive practices and ruthless capitalism. A good example of this can be taken from Cyberpunk 2020, and the ability to play the stock market in order to generate more wealth. It was already used in GTA V back in 2013, so there should be no reason not to implement it in Cyberpunk, too.
4 Add Bows To The Game
In many open-world games released in recent years, bows and bowhunting play a major role. In titles like Horizon: Zero Dawn, Skyrim, and Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, not only is shooting a bow a core gameplay mechanic, it is also incredibly fun!
In the world of Cyberpunk, bows produced by giant corporations such as Arasaka or Militech are commonplace. At least in Mike Pondsmith's tabletop RPG. Developers from CDPR should get on that as soon as possible and add bows to Cyberpunk 2077. Bows are unique weapons that, if executed properly, could be extremely fun to use. Not to mention their value to deadly stealth builds!
3 Develop MAX-TAC More
MAX-TAC are elite units of the Night City Police Department, tasked with dealing with cyberpsychos, as well as other prominent threats. They are supposed to be some of the toughest police officers, that have gone through marine-like training to become the best of the best.
Unfortunately, in Cyberpunk 2077, they only appeared once, in a cutscene at the beginning of the game. It's a shame, because in the source material, they were one of the most important groups in the game. Whether it is adding them as a playable class in the upcoming multiplayer mode, or just increasing their involvement in quests, developing MAX-TAC a bit more would help revitalize CDPR's title.
2 More Cyberware And Customization Options
To be fair, Cyberpunk 2077 offers players plenty of ways to alter and improve their experience with the use of cyberware. Upgrades such as the Mantis Blades or Reinforced Tendons flip the gameplay on its head, making the game more enjoyable, and replayable.
There still aren't enough customization options in the current cyberware system of Cyberpunk 2077. Players should be able to mold the items they purchase to their liking. It would be even cooler to make it so that they can make a mistake when putting together the setup, and have to live with the consequences of using faulty cyberware, just like in the original, tabletop game.
1 Give The Media A Bigger Role To Play
Although there are a few quests involving the media in Cyberpunk 2077, they don't feel all that influential as a group. In the source material, the media are the first people on the spot whenever something happens in Night City, long before the police force. As such, they had a much more prominent role in shaping the events of the game, and were even added as a playable class.
There is a lot of unrealized potential in CDPR's game when it comes to the media class of Night City citizens. The developers should think of ways to explore the world of Night City journalism a lot more, placing more focus on how reporters and big broadcasting corporations impact the world at large.