Now that the dust has settled and the verdicts are in, Cyberpunk 2077 is a phenomenal game in both positive and negative aspects. It’s a great game no doubt but it also came with its own issues due to the release schedule. Amidst all of the turmoil, developer CD Projekt Red still held its reputation as one of the more trustworthy ones around and proved that it could move past the success of The Witcher 3.

Of course, that begs another question: did they manage to outdo their previous masterpiece with Cyberpunk 2077? It’s a question that’s been floating around ever since fans were first regaled with Cyberpunk 2077’s gameplay footage. The game has been out for several days now so it’s high time to compare the two. Will Night City’s neon keep you hypnotized enough to forget the scent of the piss-drowned streets of Novigrad?

10 Cyberpunk 2077: Denser Setting

Cyberpunk 2077’s approach to world-building is more akin to open-world games like Grand Theft Auto where the star of the map is a huge city instead of a vast wild landscape. As expected, it has more verticality and content is packed tighter.

Most activities don’t really require prolonged travel as side quests can be found just around the corner. Additionally, there are plenty of tall structures in Cyberpunk 2077 making its map more complex.

9 The Witcher 3: Bigger Map

Despite being a newer game, technically, The Witcher 3 still has a bigger map than Cyberpunk 2077— at least horizontally. The calculations were in and The Witcher 3’s overall game world was slightly bigger at 136 square kilometers compared to Cyberpunk 2077’s 110.

Add in the two expansions for The Witcher 3 and the game world becomes significantly bigger. Of course, Cyberpunk might add more playground for content in the future but when it comes to seeking out new horizons, then The Witcher 3 currently wins.

8 Cyberpunk 2077: Better Graphics

Here’s an obvious point for Cyberpunk 2077, the visuals. Being released five years later than The Witcher 3 and having a longer time in development, Cyberpunk 2077 is more stunning and modern. All this sheen does come with a price of steep hardware requirements.

Anyone who met those demands from Cyberpunk 2077 will be rewarded with tons of eye candy. The game even packs the most modern graphics tech at the moment and has already become the “Crysis” of its own generation shortly after release.

7 The Witcher 3: More Polished

With that said, it’s clear that Cyberpunk 2077 needed more time in the oven, at least for the last-gen console version. It’s an almost sad sight to play it on the PS4 or Xbox One with how low-resolution it is and how hard it taxes old gaming hardware.

Meanwhile, the PC version, which is supposedly the most pristine, is riddled with bugs (on release day) and has its own share of performance issues. The Witcher 3 was nowhere near this problematic when it was released, at least not enough to warrant refunds and apologies. Also, years of improvement have made it even more stable. Needless to say, it’s a lot more playable than Cyberpunk 2077.

6 Cyberpunk 2077: Better Gameplay Variety

If there was one hardcore RPG gripe with The Witcher 3, it’s that players are mostly locked into playing Geralt of Rivia. Cyberpunk 2077 does away with this setup and gives players full freedom with who they want their character to be. Even the name is a mere unisexual “V.”

This adds more replay value to the game as players are not just confined to playing as a grumpy centennial mutant looking for his daughter. Additionally, Cyberpunk 2077 allows for more combat approaches from guns blazing to subtle tactical hacking.

5 The Witcher 3: Better Gameplay Length

As it has been out for five years and has had several DLCs and expansions, naturally, The Witcher 3 is the lengthier game. Yet even with just the base game taken into consideration, it’s still longer than Cyberpunk 2077’s rather brief 20-hour main mission.

That’s right, statistics are in and the average time to beat Cyberpunk 2077 is 20 hours. Add in the side quests and that time nearly doubles. The Witcher at the base game has around 50 hours of main story gameplay and 100+ hours if players get distracted by side quests along the way.

4 Cyberpunk 2077: More Immersive

Initially, Cyberpunk 2077’s choice of a first-person perspective was sad news for fans of The Witcher 3 but in hindsight, it actually worked better for the game. It made gunplay more intimate and sightseeing more personal since you’re looking through the eyes of the character and not at the back of Geralt of Rivia’s grey head.

Additionally, the fact that each and every V can be personalized on a deeper level makes self-inserts easier. This time around, you are no longer just watching Geralt or Ciri’s story unfold but your own character’s.

3 The Witcher 3: Better Legacy

Cyberpunk 2077, as fresh as it is, is still a relative newcomer to the RPG genre compared to the more established brand of The Witcher 3. It’s not just games that the players can enjoy for The Witcher franchise but also award-winning books that rival A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) as well as a TV show.

When players want more of The Witcher after playing the third game or watching a show, they can easily just boot up the older games. Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077 players aren’t left with much after finishing the rather short main mission, although there is always the option to dive into the tabletop game that inspired CD Projekt Red.

2 Cyberpunk 2077: Bolder

One might wonder just how much more daring CD Projekt Red can get when The Witcher franchise is already considered as the Game of Thrones of video games. Turns out, the studio could do a lot more with a property that provides a bit more freedom.

Cyberpunk 2077 is pretty much an unfiltered expression of art, as Night City’s streets are littered with phallic advertisements, phallic enhancements, and of course, phalluses. The sex scenes are also more vivid and sexuality is ubiquitous in Night City. It makes Novigrad look tame by comparison.

1 The Witcher 3: More Philosophical Story

When it comes to triggering players’ critical thinking and lulling them into a philosophical stupor, not many games can match The Witcher 3. Even the main character has come to represent moral crossroads and existential crisis.

Cyberpunk 2077 is more raw and fast-paced, oftentimes not leaving the players some meditative moments to ponder on the meaning of their actions and opting instead to focus on the drama and happenings as is. For some, it might have even missed the chance to channel Blade Runner, though that’s quite a low-hanging fruit. The Witcher simply toys with moral dilemmas and ideals more deeply than Cyberpunk 2077.

NEXT: Cyberpunk 2077’s Johnny Silverhand & 9 Other Most Popular Cyborgs In Video Games