While I haven’t had the chance to dive into Phantom Liberty yet, images surfacing online from Cyberpunk 2077 reveal a redesigned Johnny Silverhand, showcasing a more mature and refined look. The digital depiction of Keanu Reeves now bears a closer resemblance to the actual actor, moving away from a mere puppet-like rendition.

I pondered if Johnny’s altered appearance was solely due to the new patch. The distinction is most evident when Johnny removes his oversized aviator sunglasses, especially when contrasting the two representations, as highlighted by SynthPotato on Twitter.

The consensus among fans suggests that the original version resembled a meticulously crafted RPG avatar inspired by Keanu, but now, the portrayal is much more vivid and defined. The most notable enhancement is around Johnny’s eyes – the noticeable wrinkles and the pronounced dark circles make him seem more seasoned. It’s as if Johnny Silverhand has skipped his grooming routine, adding a decade to his appearance. Still, ladies might find him equally captivating, and John Wick aficionados will surely nod in approval.

Johnny Silverhand’s new model in Cyberpunk 2.0 is such a gigantic improvement from his old 1.0 look, he actually really looks like Keanu now FINALLY

Old vs New pic.twitter.com/ldPpqpd1Bo

— Synth Potato (Ameer) 🥔 (@SynthPotato) September 21, 2023

In another clip by YouTuber Lacry from a 2077 gameplay video, we can see the previous “smooth” version of Keanu. In particular lighting conditions, this smoother version still holds up. But on the whole, I believe the change is a positive step forward.

When you contrast the image of the revamped Johnny with a screenshot showing the “smooth” Johnny, both from identical in-game moments, YouTube’s compression seems unkind to the latter. Nevertheless, the enhanced details are unmistakably evident.