Thanks to the Cyberpunk 2077 2.3 update, I've got my sights set on the highway leading out of Night City. Behind the wheel of the new beauty that is the Yaiba ARV-340 Semimaru that I've just gotten my hands on, I need a straight stretch of road to really unleash my shiny speed machine. Boasting 1690 horsepower, I hit the pedal and go flat out towards the Badlands. Johnny, who appears in the passenger seat, tells me to curb my enthusiasm, but I feel the need, the need for speed. Wracking up to 150mph in no time at all, I watch with joy as the speedometer keeps rapidly climbing until I hit an even 209. This, I think to myself, is where it's at.
From the silky smooth way the car feels to control and the quiet, even rumble of the engine, you'd wouldn't think I was pushing this beast to reach speeds that could almost rival the Rayfield Caliburn. Sure, the Rayfield may be sleek and is still technically Cyberpunk 2077's fastest car, but the Semimaru comes in a more compact package, and its edged design fits the Cyberpunk aesthetic so perfectly. All in all, I'm in love with it.
Aside from the fact that the Yaiba is fast-becoming my latest obsession in Night City, the update has been revving my engine in more ways than one, because it's by no means a simple add-new-cars-to-the-RPG kind of patch. On top of the introduction of neat features like auto-drive, the ability to hire Delamain, and yet more photomode options, you actually have to complete some more involved side jobs to get your hands on the fresh vehicles.
Motorhead
There are some prerequisite quests you'll need to have completed before you can unlock the side jobs for the new cars in the latest 2.3 update, which are all detailed in CD Projekt's patch notes. I naturally booted up my most complete save so I could get stuck in right away, and I actually managed to immediately stumble upon the Motorbreath quest that set things in motion for Semimaru by randomly returning to my Megabuilding apartment.
At the entrance I noticed a postcard wedged between the frame of my front door, and then I got a text from my beau, River. Within minutes of booting up the game I'm reminded of what makes updates like these so exciting – even the small new addition breathes fresh life into an RPG I've sunk a lot of hours into.
Plus, I've been yearning for any kind of new content for the companions of Cyberpunk 2077, so imagine my delight when I discovered River is the one who actually gives you the side job for the new vehicle – albeit indirectly via the holo. River says he's got wind of a job relating to a stolen vehicle from the NYPD, but it's no police cruiser. It's the shiny red Yaiba that will soon steal my heart.
From there, the chase is on and highspeed thrills await as I make my way to the highway to hunt down the car and reclaim it from the thieving driver behind the wheel. I was pleasantly surprised to find it has quite a few steps to it, with an additional objective that comes after you secure the car.
While I was speeding through the Badlands in my beloved Semimaru, I got another text – this time from fixer Reyes. From there, I was once again heading out in search of another vehicle: The Rayfield Calibrid Mordred. Super sleek with a very appealing purple chrome finish, the beautiful set of wheels also has an equally involved side gig that sees you investigate a crash site and follow its trail to unravel the truth behind its former owner.
Equally speedy with Araska plastered on its front bumper, I can already foresee the Mordred befitting my Corpo V perfectly, and it's very fun to let loose on the road if you're a speed demon like me. While I'm still on my way to securing the last two vehicles in the update, I'm already impressed by the latest side jobs which make it feel like you're earning your wheels as opposed to simply throwing down eddies to add them to your collection.
Outside of the fresh vehicles, I've also been absolutely loving making the most of the new auto-drive feature, which has come as something of a surprise to me. As someone who adores driving in Cyberpunk 2077, I did initially think I wouldn't use it all that much, but after giving it a test-drive (so to speak), it's just as much of a joy as hopping on the metro and sitting back to take in the sights and sounds of Night City. Plus, whenever I want to get a cup of tea, I can set on the auto-drive, or hitch a ride with Delamain and reach my destination while I'm doing other things. Win win.
With every update, it's clear CD Projekt Red is always thinking about ways to enhance the role-play features, or bring additions in that feel authentic to the experience, and actually letting us hire Delamain certainly ticks those boxes. But I also have to give some appreciation to the way the update added a "cracked" version of the Rayfield CrystalCoat technology for the lower-end vehicles. It's such a fitting way to allow us to customize our less expensive and flashy wheels that also makes sense in the world – as a lore fiend who loves to role-play, it really speaks to me.
I'm sure lots of fellow fans will still have plenty of features they still want to see, but for me, the 2.3 update has already brought me a lot of joy as a motorhead. And hell, I'm just going to say it: I think the Yaiba is now the best set of wheels in the game.
See what's ahead in our roundup of upcoming RPGs.
