CD Projekt Red finally released Cyberpunk 2077 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox One on February 15 after numerous delays and a tonne of work. The game’s perks system was completely reworked in the massive patch that followed the game’s initial release, bringing much-needed quality-of-life improvements and gameplay tweaks.
CD Projekt Red’s use of the DualSense controller’s adaptive triggers to enhance the game’s immersion may, however, be a PlayStation-only feature. In fact, it’s this feature that keeps me coming back to Cyberpunk 2077 time and time again.
When I talk about the PlayStation 5, I’m referring to the controllers. The DualSense’s L2 and R2 buttons have adaptive triggers that can increase their resistance. This may result in increased tension while shooting a gun or increased vibrations while driving a car, depending on the game.
When all is said and done, the result is a more complex and realistic gaming experience. The DualSense is not a perfect match, but when used properly, its adaptive triggers do an excellent job of giving the impression of a real experience.
CDPR has taken full advantage of the controller’s capabilities for Cyberpunk’s next-generation launch, and the game feels completely different as a result.
Driving, for example, is an example. At first, the cars felt sluggish and the steering was imprecise. Due to the adaptive triggers in DualSense, the next-generation re-release addressed some of these issues while also radically altering how driving now feels.
Now you can feel the gears shifting and the tyres gripping the road while drifting corners while cruising down the rain-slicked streets of Night City in an old junker or a top-of-the-line sports car. As a result of the DualSense’s varying levels of haptic feedback, crashes are much more jarring than they would otherwise be. Honestly, the driving experience has gotten a lot better and more refined.
In the same way, trigger buttons on firearms make them heavier, increasing the amount of pressure needed to aim and fire.
Using a pistol, a heavy machine gun, and a shotgun all at the same time is striking. Lead gameplay designer Micha Dobrowolski at CDPR told Kotaku via email that the adaptive triggers shift between different settings and emit different levels of pressure to press the buttons to create these sensations. This is how the buttons are pressed.
Dobrowolski described the experience as “immersive to say the least.” A new sense of presence in the game world is provided, one that goes beyond the usual senses of sight, sound and even vibration. If you’re a gamer, it’s a great way to get more immersed in the experience, and the design possibilities are endless. “
Dobrowolski has it right. The PS5 controller’s adaptive triggers and haptics make playing Cyberpunk 2077 a blast. As Dobrowolski put it, “the weight of the game’s world can be felt.” There’s a greater weight to everything now, and it has a more complex nuance. Despite the fact that Cyberpunk 2077 still doesn’t feel fresh, this addition does wonders for the game’s ability to entice you into Night City.
If there’s one thing I can tell you about this city – you either love it or wanna burn it.
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) February 15, 2022
No middle ground. #Cyberpunk2077 pic.twitter.com/NnRPS8ExU3
Sadly, Cyberpunk 2077 is still lacking in content. Many of us who have already completed the game are now waiting for new things to do and experience in its newly revamped world, despite the quality-of-life improvements and new features.
In order for these new adaptive triggers and haptics, as well as all of the other changes brought about by this new re-launch, to be fully realised, CDPR needs to open up about any major paid expansions that are currently in development.
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