The Game Awards 2021 has come and gone, and as the smoke settled, unlikely winners It Takes Two stood tall amongst tough competition. Surely enough, there were some strange nominees here and there, but none as strange as Cyberpunk 2077, which was review-bombed to death by the public as its console release saw widespread criticism.

That didn’t stop IGN Japan though, as they actually gave Cyberpunk 2077 top marks in their Top 10 Best Games of 2021 list, which you can see here. The game beat out some unsurprising entries like Metroid Prime, It Takes Two, Monster Hunter Rise, Resident Evil Village, and Deathloop.

Now before you log onto Twitter, let’s just be clear that it was specifically given to the PC version, which was admittedly the best way you could play Cyberpunk 2077. I’m sure many are scratching their heads about the decision, but let’s hear out the IGN Japan members, given a voice by Susumu Imai, and we quote (roughly translated by Google):

“There will be pros and cons to ‘Cyberpunk 2077,’ which was in flames due to a flaw in the console version. However, IGN JAPAN members, including freelance writers, have gained a lot of support. The main reason is that the stage called Night City created by this work was a mass of density and sense that other open-world games do not have.

The world, which is designed from small signboards to residents, gives you a special feeling just by walking. The gameplay itself didn’t go far beyond existing work, but the desperate episodes of a cruel future unfolding on a fascinating stage and the bizarre urban legends that go far beyond our common sense are original. It’s overflowing. And the relationship between Johnny Silverhand and the player character played by Keanu Reeves gives a mature ending that makes think deeply about the question ‘What is a real hero?’, and this work is a masterpiece that remains in history. It was enough to say.”

Imai-san’s argument is quite sound from a narrative perspective and I can respect that stance, having invested over 100 hours into this game. As I said on my review, there is a masterpiece somewhere in there, but sadly, I am torn over what was advertised and what we have received, so there is that.

Do you agree with their list? Let us know in the comments!