Cyberpunk 2077 features an intriguing story between its bugs and performance issues. But aside from the ongoing conflict that V and Johnny Silverhand face during their weeks together in Night City, Cyberpunk 2077 is also packed with complex characters held together by deep backgrounds, such as Judy Alvarez, Panam Palmer, Claire Russell, and Vik Vektor, V and Jackie's ripperdoc.
The many faces that V comes across are arguably what make Night City such an interesting place to explore, regardless of whether their role in the overarching plot is big or small. Most of them force V to make difficult decisions at their end with no real indication of which option is good or bad, correct or wrong. Some of them may play into Cyberpunk 2077's upcoming DLC while others are simply excellent standalone missions.
Judy Alvarez, Pisces, and Pyramid Song
Players will meet Judy Alvarez early on in Cyberpunk 2077 because she ties into the main quest. In the first act, she's simply a braindance technician that helps V with their massive heist assigned by Dexter DeShawn. Later, though, V can help Judy make Clouds, where her good friend Evelyn Parker used to work, independent from the clutches of Tyger Claws to make it a safer place, especially for the women who work there.
However, Maiko Maeda becomes a somewhat problematic player in all of this, using Judy's plan for her own personal gain with the Tyger Claws. Over the course of these quests, V must make many difficult decisions along the way, such as killing Woodman or how to handle Maiko's selfish scheme. If V is a woman, Pyramid Song can end in a touching romance that can also tie into one of Cyberpunk 2077's endings.
Sinnerman
Sinnerman is easily one of Cyberpunk 2077's most disturbing, horrifying side jobs, and it involves religion and how the corrupt people on Night City are willing to exploit the religious beliefs of others for their own personal gain. Following the story of Joshua, a death row escapee, V learns that he believes he's the next messiah, and Fourth Wall Studios was able to trade his sentence in exchange for Joshua starring in their next braindance recording.
Luckily, there are many points in which Cyberpunk 2077 will ask V if they wish to back out of the quest without leaving the job open. There are also other ways to finish the quest that might be more morally just, but then players may not get the full experience of They Won't Go When I Go, the last quest of the three-part questline.
Panam Palmer and Riders on the Storm
Panam is another romanceable character in the world of Cyberpunk 2077 and like Judy, she ties heavily into the main story surrounding V. In fact, if players complete all of her and the Aldecaldos, one method of beating the game is by siding with the nomad clan. This ending is largely considered one of if not the best Cyberpunk 2077 ending.
Before that, however, Panam's story encompasses her relationship with her found family, the Aldecaldos. V assists her on several riveting missions and, when returning to camp, experiences the heated relationship between her and Saul, the leader of the Aldecaldos, which culminates in a tragic yet uplifting ending.
The Beast in Me
Cars and car customization in Cyberpunk 2077 were one of the many elements fans were looking forward to in preparation for its launch. Though it was a disappointment, in The Beast of Me side quests, players can go street racing in each of Night City's districts with Claire, the bartender of the Afterlife that they meet in the first act alongside Jackie. The races are a lot of fun, each with its own challenges due to the variety in course styles, but Claire has become a fan-favorite NPC since the game's launch. However, V finds that, like many residents of Night City, Claire has ulterior motives and is using these races to get back at a man named Sampson due to a complicated history.​​​​​​​
Dream On
Like Sinnerman, Dream On and the story of Jefferson Peralez is a haunting one. Jefferson is up for election as Night City's mayor, which makes him a major target for a mysterious manipulative corporation. After coming in contact with Peralez in a quest with River Ward, his wife Elizabeth will later contact V for assistance on a strange quest. The pair have been experiencing blocks in their memories, behavioral changes, and inexplicable events in their apartment. After investigating their "security team," V finds that it's actually a shadowy organization brainwashing the Peralezes, which plays into a larger conspiracy theory within the larger universe of Cyberpunk 2077. In the end, however, V must make a difficult, morally gray decision that feels bittersweet either way.
Rogue, Chippin' In, and Blistering Love
As players will find out in the flashbacks at the end of Act 1, Rogue is an old associate of Johnny Silverhand. Except, they were much more than that. Aside from helping the rockstar blow up Arasaka Tower, the two seemed to be harboring romantic feelings for one another despite Johnny dating Alt at the time, and V can help the two play out the ending they never had.
After the main quest Tapeworm, Chippin' In will become available, but it's important that players let Johnny take over V's body. Chippin' In mostly revolves around Johnny, and it's a great opportunity to find exclusive items in the game that used to belong to him. If the correct dialogue options are chosen, Johnny will ask V to ask Rogue on a date on his behalf, which occurs during Blistering Love. Like the Aldecaldos' storyline, following this path can lead to a separate ending of Cyberpunk 2077.
River Ward and The Hunt
River Ward's romance may have been lackluster, but his story isn't. After completing I Fought The Law with River, the NCPD detective will contact V for help with his nephew Randy's abduction. Searching the clues in Randy's bedroom, they find that he's been groomed and lured out to a lab facility where he and many other children are being held. This quest is also quite disturbing, and if V and River don't find the correct location, it can horribly wrong.
Cyberpunk 2077 is out now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions in development.
