Introduction
Cyberpunk 2077, developed by CD Projekt Red, immerses players in the sprawling, dystopian world of Night City, where high-tech cybernetics, neon lights, and corporate power struggles define the landscape. As V, a mercenary searching for a one-of-a-kind implant, players must navigate the complexities of this open-world RPG, making choices that shape the story and their character’s future. With its intricate systems, diverse gameplay options, and deep narrative, Cyberpunk 2077 can be overwhelming, especially for new players. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to master the game, from character creation and combat tactics to making the most of the open world and optimizing your build for success.
Understanding Character Creation and Attributes
Character creation is the first step in your journey through Night City. How you design your character will influence your gameplay experience, so it’s important to make informed decisions from the start.
Choosing Your Life Path
In Cyberpunk 2077, you begin by selecting a life path: Nomad, Street Kid, or Corpo. Each path offers unique backstory options and affects your dialogue choices throughout the game.
- Nomad: Start outside of Night City, in the Badlands, and enter the city as an outsider.
- Street Kid: Begin with deep connections to the city’s underworld and street knowledge.
- Corpo: Start as an employee of a powerful corporation, with insider knowledge of the corporate world.
Assigning Attribute Points
After selecting a life path, you’ll need to allocate attribute points. The five primary attributes in Cyberpunk 2077 are:
- Body: Affects health, stamina, and physical damage.
- Reflexes: Influences movement speed, critical chance, and weapon handling.
- Technical Ability: Determines proficiency with technical skills and the use of tech weapons.
- Intelligence: Governs hacking abilities and quickhacks.
- Cool: Affects stealth, composure, and resilience in stressful situations.
Each attribute opens up different gameplay styles, so consider how you want to play—whether it’s as a brute-force warrior, a stealthy hacker, or a tech-savvy engineer.
Creating Your Character’s Appearance
Cyberpunk 2077 offers a wide range of customization options for your character’s appearance. While this doesn’t affect gameplay, it allows you to personalize V to fit your vision of a cyberpunk mercenary.
Navigating Night City: Tips for Exploration
Night City is a vast, open world filled with opportunities, dangers, and hidden secrets. Knowing how to navigate the city effectively can make your experience much more enjoyable.
Utilizing Fast Travel and Vehicles
Night City is enormous, and while driving through its streets can be thrilling, sometimes you’ll want to get to your destination quickly. Make use of the fast travel points scattered throughout the city to save time.
- Fast Travel: Unlock fast travel points by visiting them during your exploration.
- Vehicles: Acquire different vehicles for faster travel, each offering unique handling and speed.
Exploring Districts and Neighborhoods
Night City is divided into several districts, each with its own atmosphere, culture, and challenges.
- Watson: A dense, urban district filled with markets, gangs, and corporate entities.
- Westbrook: Known for its luxurious lifestyle, high-end clubs, and casinos.
- Heywood: A mix of suburban and urban environments, often called the “people’s district.”
- Pacifica: A rundown area plagued by gang violence and abandoned projects.
- Santo Domingo: The industrial heart of the city, filled with factories and power plants.
Each district offers different types of missions, shops, and encounters, so be sure to explore them all.
Interacting with NPCs and Making Choices
NPCs in Cyberpunk 2077 play a crucial role in your story. Engaging with them can lead to new quests, alliances, and sometimes, conflicts. Your choices during conversations can alter the course of the game, so choose wisely.
Mastering Combat: Weapons, Hacking, and Tactics
Combat in Cyberpunk 2077 is diverse, offering multiple ways to approach encounters, from brute force to stealth and hacking.
Choosing the Right Weapons
The game features a wide array of weapons, each suited to different combat styles:
- Power Weapons: Traditional firearms that can ricochet bullets off surfaces.
- Tech Weapons: Chargeable weapons that can pierce through cover.
- Smart Weapons: Guns that use homing bullets to track and hit targets automatically.
- Melee Weapons: From katanas to hammers, melee combat is visceral and up close.
Hacking and Quickhacks
As a netrunner, hacking is one of your most powerful tools. Quickhacks allow you to disable cameras, overheat enemies, or take control of turrets.
- Hacking Skills: Invest in the Intelligence attribute to unlock advanced hacking abilities.
- Quickhacks: Purchase or craft new quickhacks to expand your arsenal of digital attacks.
Combat Tactics and Strategies
Combat in Cyberpunk 2077 is fast-paced and requires adaptability. Here are some strategies to keep in mind:
- Cover and Movement: Always use cover to avoid taking unnecessary damage and move constantly to stay unpredictable.
- Combos and Timing: Combine quickhacks with physical attacks to overwhelm enemies.
- Use the Environment: Explosive barrels, security systems, and other environmental elements can be turned to your advantage.
Enhancing Your Cyberware and Mods
Cyberware implants are a core feature of Cyberpunk 2077, allowing you to enhance your abilities and gain new powers.
Selecting the Right Cyberware
Different cyberware options cater to different playstyles, from increased health regeneration to optical camo for stealth.
- Reflex Boosters: Enhance your reaction times for quicker reflex actions.
- Gorilla Arms: Increase your melee power and the ability to rip open doors.
- Kiroshi Optics: Improve vision, allowing you to scan enemies and the environment.
Upgrading and Modding Cyberware
As you progress, you can upgrade your cyberware to more powerful versions and add mods to further enhance their capabilities.
- Ripperdocs: Visit ripperdocs to purchase and install new cyberware.
- Cyberdeck Upgrades: Enhance your hacking capabilities by upgrading your cyberdeck.
Completing Main and Side Quests
Quests in Cyberpunk 2077 are divided into main and side missions, both of which are crucial for experiencing the full scope of the game.
Main Quests
The main storyline is where you’ll make significant decisions that affect the outcome of the game. These quests are often more narrative-driven and involve major characters like Johnny Silverhand.
- Act 1: Introduces you to the world and sets up the main conflict.
- Act 2: Expands the story, offering multiple branching paths.
- Act 3: Brings the narrative to a climax, with multiple possible endings.
Side Quests and Gigs
Side quests are smaller, often self-contained stories that explore the lives of Night City’s residents. Gigs are typically shorter tasks given by fixers for quick rewards.
- Character-Driven Stories: Many side quests focus on deep character development and offer unique rewards.
- Gigs: Complete gigs to earn money, street cred, and new gear.
Maximizing Your Income and Resources
Money and resources are essential for survival in Night City. This section covers the best ways to earn eddies (the game’s currency) and manage your resources effectively.
Earning Money
There are several ways to earn money in Cyberpunk 2077:
- Completing Quests and Gigs: Quests and gigs are the most reliable sources of income.
- Selling Loot: Collect and sell weapons, cyberware, and other loot you find during missions.
- Crafting and Selling Items: Craft items and sell them for profit, especially if you’ve invested in the Technical Ability attribute.
Managing Resources
Balancing your income and expenses is key to progressing smoothly in the game.
- Inventory Management: Keep your inventory organized by selling or dismantling unnecessary items.
- Investing in Cyberware: Prioritize spending on cyberware that enhances your preferred playstyle.
Building Relationships with Characters
Building relationships with key characters in Cyberpunk 2077 can open up new quests, dialogue options, and even romantic possibilities.
Key Characters
Some characters play significant roles in the main story, while others are tied to side quests. Building relationships with them can provide narrative depth and gameplay benefits.
- Johnny Silverhand: As a major character, your relationship with Johnny affects the game’s ending.
- Romance Options: Characters like Judy Alvarez, Panam Palmer, and River Ward offer potential romantic relationships.
Impact of Relationships on Gameplay
Your interactions with characters can influence the story and lead to unique outcomes.
- Positive Relationships: Build trust to unlock additional quests and scenes.
- Negative Relationships: Poor choices can result in losing allies or access to certain missions.
Exploring the Endgame Content
Once you’ve completed the main story, Cyberpunk 2077 offers plenty of endgame content to keep you engaged.
Post-Story Activities
After finishing the main questline, explore the following activities:
- Maxing Out Skills: Continue leveling up your skills and attributes to become the ultimate mercenary.
- Completing All Side Quests: Return to unfinished side quests and gigs to uncover every story in Night City.
DLC and Future Updates
Cyberpunk 2077 continues to receive updates and expansions, adding new content and features.
- Expansions: Look out for major expansions that introduce new storylines and regions.
- Quality of Life Improvements: Regular updates often include fixes and enhancements that improve gameplay.
Tips for Achieving Multiple Endings
Cyberpunk 2077 features multiple endings based on your choices throughout the game. Here’s how to unlock them.
Key Decisions
Certain decisions in the game will lock or unlock specific endings.
- Final Mission Choices: Your choices during the final mission determine the ending you receive.
- Character Relationships: The strength of your relationships with characters can influence the outcome.
Unlocking Secret Endings
The game includes hidden endings that require specific conditions to be met.
- Secret Ending: To unlock the secret ending, maintain a high friendship level with Johnny Silverhand and choose specific dialogue options during key moments.
Conclusion
Cyberpunk 2077 offers a rich, immersive experience in a world where your choices truly matter. Whether you’re exploring Night City’s dark alleys, engaging in intense combat, or building relationships with its diverse inhabitants, there’s always something new to discover. By mastering the game’s mechanics, understanding its deep narrative, and making strategic decisions, you can fully immerse yourself in the dystopian future of Cyberpunk 2077.
