A new mechanic in CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 will give players full control over the camera and their character during conversations and cutscenes, making that leaked photo mode an even more tantalizing possibility.

It’s no secret CDPR holds immersion as one of the important concepts in game design. For their newest project, the Poland-based company set out to create an open world that not only looks as realistic as possible but feels life-like in every single polygon. CDPR not only used their past mistakes with The Witcher 3 to rethink the way cutscenes are experienced in-game, but also researched some of the best techniques in the industry to expound upon cinematics and immersion. Rockstar and Naughty Dog are some of the best game designers to use truly immersive, one-shot cutscenes that flow fluidly back into the gameplay. With Cyberpunk 2077, CDPR wants to take this concept a step further with their “Scene System.”

In a GameSpot interview during PAX Australia, Lead Developer of CDPR’s Krakow office, John Mamais, describes “Scene System” as a fully immersive gaming component. He says:

One of the only complaints The Witcher 3 faced was its stiff, unmovable cutscenes that dragged players out of the game to offer better viewpoints and camera angles for specific conversations. They were well-done in the sense that they were cinematic and gave players a chance to see Geralt in all his acquired gear, yet these cutscenes soon became jarring, especially since players didn’t have control over the camera and a pair of black bars appeared on the top and bottom of the screen, similar to a wide shot in film. While only a minuscule problem in an otherwise stellar title, the cutscene debacle set in motion CD Projekt Red’s newest feature for Cyberpunk 2077.

When the news broke that CDPR removed 3rd person cutscenes, fans across Reddit were furious. It’s no wonder CDPR devs continuously affirm first-person cutscenes. Cyberpunk 2077 is a game all about immersion. Mamais relates:

CDPR’s forthcoming title looks to be one of the most immersive games we have seen in a long time. Experience the future when Cyberpunk 2077 releases on April 16, 2020.

“Everyone is working really hard right now because it’s a tight deadline for us; the game is really big and large-scope. We’re pushing it to the wall.”

Source: GameSpot