Nothin’ but a Panama hat and a pair of old Greek shoes

With Cyberpunk 2077 getting a recent update I've headed back to Liberty City for a third run-through, and I'm finding the enforced story beats quite a drag this time around. The first time you experience them the slow reveals build tension but when you know what's coming they're just an obstacle to getting on with the fun stuff. There should be some sort of law that any mission involving walking very slowly while a bunch of exposition happens can be skipped if you've done it before.

Still, between the occasionally tedious bits of plot there's a whole city of nice little icons to be diverted by, and that's as splendid as ever. They've added a few vehicles over the updates, so my two main hobbies are currently "driving at absolute top speed and trying to turn corners without braking at all" and "clothes shopping".

These might not seem very related, but driving at absolute top speed and trying to turn corners without braking at all tends to have unfortunate consequences for pedestrians within, let's say, half a kilometre of major intersections (and indeed diners at any establishments with large glass windows within a similar distance). The local police seem to take a dim view of vehicular homicide, so my perfectly innocent hobby inevitably results in high speed chases, during which I never brake while trying to corner; an irony not lost on the pursuing officers I suspect.

This is where the second hobby comes in, as whenever I spy a clothes shop I fling myself immediately from my vehicle into a combat roll and dash in to the store. This is primarily to check if they have any fabulous hats for sale but has the happy bonus effect of clearing my wanted rating and getting the police off my back; entirely understandable in game terms, of course.

"Despatch, this is Officer Dibble, have eyes on male human, six one, black leather jacket, denim shorts, high combat boots, and fabulous hat."

"Negative, Dibble, suspect is male human, six one, black leather jacket, denim shorts, high combat boots, but not wearing a fabulous hat, repeat, no fabulous hat."

"Confirmed, Despatch, will continue search."

Sound of screeching tires in the distance and a lot of screaming