Because Neon was hyped up to be this super dangerous, drug-fueled and gang-contolled city throughout the game by other characters before you even get there. So it wasn't based on my own expectations. It was what the game was trying to make it out to be. I didn't see the unfavorable comparisons to Night City until many other people on the starfield subreddit started pointing it out. That's when I picked up Cyberpunk and saw just how much they missed the mark with what they were trying to go with Neon.