Arma has more complex Ai

Particularly those with low calibre firearms, even at point blank range. Luckily for V.

That's probably true, but what does it change in the context of headshots?

Well with the Grad I get a HS through a wall and the head explodes so IDK maybe OP needs to level up weapons etc.

Also the Ai in CP2077 is pretty bad.

I think one issue is then you can argue that at ANY difficulty it *should be* a 1-shot, which would defeat the purpose of a difficulty setting. It is a game, so you have to take in the "rules' like progression, distance to the target, what caliber is "good enough" to get your 1-shot, why bother putting points into crits if a shot to the head is a 1-shot... it would really mess up alot of other things.

That being said I get 1-shots all the time, but I get close to my targets with my revolvers, that are leveled up, and I keep crafting a high level version every few levels to keep the stats "maxed" for my level, I have clothes with crit %s, and damage mods in my weapons... I put alot into that just for headshots, including perks, so I get em. And even when I do not I can take 80-90% of their health away with it, so I just have to follow up with a second blast to their body.

Anyways, I think it would end up "defeating" a huge number of other things the game allows you to level up (such as your character and the gear they use).

Fallout 3 (never played 4). Borderlands. Rage 2.

Most RPG FPS hybrid games have a silular setup. It used to frustate me (Borderlands was the worst in this imho), but now I just assume it's part of the RPG FPS hybrid.

I've only finsihed the first mission and am running around doing things, but noticed two doublebarrel shots point blank kill everyone in the starting area, or really close to get their health down to a handgun round or two finished them off.

You can have a shooter without skills or an RPG system with hit points. Unfortunately, devs haven't discovered a way to properly combine FPS mechanics with RPG mechanics.. at least, not to my knowledge (and I play quite a few RPGs). It is kinda frustrating at times, I will admit, but when you've played as many RPGs with shooting mechanics as I have, you start to get used to it.

With appropriate perks and weapons there's no problem in making lethal headshots. I don't think that the lack of them early in the game is a problem. :) It's one of these things which make this game an RPG.

I agree, the AI could definitely be better.

At some point I found an intelligent sniper that was auto-aiming the head (normal) and dealing 20k-40k damage (wtf), oneshoting everyone. Easy mode. Not sure if it's a bug.

Instant kill is possible redengine (you even were able to finish a foe higher than your level in TW3 at full HP). thing is in cyberpunk 2077 skull is covered or replaced with implants wich they even have the ability to fix themeselves cyberware protects brain and its vessels and help the body maintain homeostasis.
If you want to kill them with one headshot you must become a netrunner (Quickhack the foes) and it's recommended to use a gun which deals fire damage.

If you want a really decent headshot

System Reset

Casually stroll in and blow their heads off whiles they're twitching on the ground, I've been doing it Judge Dredd Style murderers dealt with then and there

Deus Ex did it perfectly. Gun damage barely changes with your skill, however what dos change is gun's handling - at "untrained", base skill level, your gun wobbles like you're drunk, and at "master" the crosshair barely moves at all even when walking.

To preface this in fairness, I haven't played the original yet. I have, however, played Human Revolution and I'm not a huge fan of the way the guns work. It's not bad but I definitely like CP2077's gun play a lot better. I do think that stability is one of many ways that skills can change the way guns work but if we're going without a hitpoints system in an RPG, then there needs to be more than that IMO. Gun condition, jamming when it's dirty, certain mods making it more or less reliable, etc. Also, as much as I love that series so far, I'd consider it RPGlite, personally. It has the skill systems and dialogue systems but not most of the core elements that an RPG usually has. Other games along this line would be ones like the System Shock games, the 2017 Prey reboot and even Dishonored.

In the particular case of this game, there is extensive head armor, metal implants and what not.
Also some enemies will use cyber abilities to dodge gun shots consistently.
Have you even bothered to check the stats on guns? They have a damage multiplier for headshots.
Sniper rifle has 3x multiplier for example, and most head shots with a sniper rifle are one hit kills.
It also depends on your level against enemy level, what perks you chose, what gun you use and how.
Your "ak" is prolly one of those light automatic weapons that do minimal damage with one shot, they rely on rate of fire for their dps, and as is the case in reality with these weapons, they rarely shoot two bullets in same spot.
Weapons have a damage rating for a reason, if any headshot would be lethal, then why use anything than the most basic of pistols and just do headshots? Realistic maybe but fun? Not so much.
If you are so stuck up in reality, maybe you shouldnt play rpgs, play simulations instead.

It's like this Shooting a Terminator in the head only slows it down, Unless you're using a weapon specifically designed at blowing terminator heads off.