Cyberpunk 2077 Now Has Transmog, And Other Games Should Too

It’s fair to say that Cyberpunk 2077 has had somewhat of a tumultuous life cycle so far. When it launched in 2020, the game divided players into two camps: those who saw the potential of what it had to offer with a bit of spit and polish, and those who were frustrated that the so-called genre-defining experience which was promised proved to be below expectations.

However, CD Projekt Red have done an excellent job of patching and updating the game with quality of life changes and new features that have transformed Cyberpunk 2077 into a much more enjoyable RPG experience. Whether it’s the work done to mitigate the sheer amount of glitches and bugs that were present at launch, or the next-gen update that made the game’s Night City feel more like the sprawling metropolis it was supposed to be, Cyberpunk 2077 is a much better game now than it once was.

Those updates are continuing with Patch 1.6, also known as the Edgerunners update, which is designed to coincide with the upcoming Netflix anime. The patch contains items that will be featured in the anime, along with some updates to the photo mode (which is absolutely fine with the picture taker in me), but the real game changing update is the introduction of transmogrification.

Transmogrification is a feature often found in various RPGs that allow players to transfer the stats from one piece of gear to another, giving players the ability to rock their ideal fashion without sacrificing an ideal build. In essence, it’s for players who care just as much about how their characters look than how they function, and it’s a feature that’s been sorely needed for a game like Cyberpunk.

How it works in Cyberpunk 2077 in particular is that players can travel to one of their apartments and access the wardrobe. From here, they can select from all the clothing options they have available to create up to six unique outfits. Players can then switch between these outfits whenever they want, but crucially, these outfits will overwrite the gear you have equipped. Essentially, you can have level 50 gear, but wear your starting jacket as an outfit.

Even though it’s a first person experience, character customisation is a core part of Cyberpunk 2077, yet, for the most part, you spend the majority of the game looking like a neon painted hipster douchebag, just because the garish gear in Cyberpunk tends to offer the best stats. Being able to transmog your gear to create your ideal character presentation without sacrificing the actual build will make Cyberpunk 2077 a much better experience for a lot of players.

In reality, transmogrification should be a feature that’s considered for most video games, or at least those where it would be appropriate. Take fantasy games like Skyrim, for instance. As someone who tends to run melee builds that involve swinging a big massive hammer, it’d be nice to wear armour that doesn’t look like it weighs six tonnes. I want the bulky armour’s stats, because lord knows I need that defence if I want to get close enough to smack a frost troll or even a dragon, but it’d be nice to wear something different for a change.

Of course, there’s certain games where transmogrification might not make as much sense, particularly those with a PvP experience. Being able to know at a glance what your opponent is capable of is vital for most multiplayer experiences, so introducing something like transmogrification could muddy the waters somewhat. No one wants to get invaded in Elden Ring by a dude wearing a basic tunic that’s actually some high-level gear in disguise.

The core appeal of most RPGs is the power fantasy/wish fulfilment that comes with being an all conquering adventurer/rogue, and one of the best parts of that is being able to create your own build and identity. Transmogrification is a key way of achieving that, and it’s great to see it being added to Cyberpunk 2077. Hopefully, it’ll be a feature in even more games going forward.

READ MORE: 10 Games Like Cyberpunk 2077 You Should Play