Cyberpunk is a great game, it has a great story that is marvelous told. That is the games biggest strength and one of its biggest limitations too. Heavy story driven games like cyberpunk don’t mix very good with a open world with its many detractions and side quests. If a game has a strong story that will capture the player, making side quests and open world design a burden, or into something that gets ignored.

Logically viewed everything that V would do after having Jonny implanted in his/her brain should be laser focused on the task to learn more about it and to find a cure or solution. There should be no driving around and playing mommy or daddy for some freaked out cabs or other side quests. Yes, doing side quests could be explained as a way to get resources for the main tasks, but as those side quests are completely optional there is nothing really backing that explanation up.

So you either have to ignore a life threatening condition to play side quests or ignore that huge part of the game and fixate on the main quest.

Cyberpunk has no real “sandbox” moment because the open world really only opens up after you get the world largest cyber brain virus implanted deeply.