V is running out of time. That’s the premise of Cyberpunk 2077: a stolen chip is slowly rewriting their mind. The only way out of this particular predicament ushers V through a cast of fixers, rock stars, and corporate killers who all want something from you. And yet, despite those bewildering stakes, there’s a decent chance you spent most of your time in the game clearing gigs, scanning NCPD crime scenes, and wandering Night City’s neon alleys. Then the credits rolled and, within moments, you were back at the character creator.
You’re in good company: Cyberpunk 2077 draws you into that second (or third, or fourth) replay, no matter how many hours you already have in the game. While there’s new content to peruse, such as the brand-new Edgerunners 2 Update, which adds a perk that lets V dual-wield, there are plenty more self-guided replay strats that make this familiar game feel fresh. Here are eight rules to make Night City feel like a place you’ve never been.
8
Be a dual-revolver cowboy
Gig terms: Start as a Nomad, build around revolvers, and look the part.
Nomads are Night City’s outsiders — clans of drifters who live in the Badlands, beyond city limits. If you choose to be among them by selecting a Nomad origin for V, you’ll join the Aldecaldos, the clan that includes Panam Palmer, a hotheaded driver who can become your closest ally. That’s a fabulous setup for roleplaying as an old-fashioned cowboy who’s all about family. Lean into this by donning torn jeans and a hat, ride your bike everywhere, and build V around handguns (especially revolvers). Do so, and you can take advantage of a new trick: The Edgerunners 2 Update’s Double Trouble perk in the Cool tree lets V dual-wield pistols and revolvers from the Power category. If you’re on an older build, a single iron will still do. Just keep the roleplay consistent: Never leave the bike at home, treat every NPC like a neighbor, and let the revolvers do the talking.
7
Clear Watson before the heist
Gig terms: Don’t go to Konpeki Plaza until you’ve finished everything in Watson. Everything.
How long can you put off the biggest job of your life? In Cyberpunk 2077’s opening act, V and their partner Jackie take a job from the fixer Dex. It’s a heist at Konpeki Plaza that sets the rest of the game’s narrative in motion — but there’s nothing actually forcing you to start it. Some players won’t touch it until Watson is cleared, which involves tackling a stretch of gigs, cyberpsycho hunts, NCPD scanner hustles, and side jobs that can put you around level 20 before the heist.
One approach is to treat it as a shopping spree: Level up enough to get Mantis Blades or Gorilla Arms and double-jump legs, then talk to Jackie about Dex’s gig, so V walks into Konpeki Plaza with a signature loadout. Another is to play it as a character beat: This V is too savvy to take the biggest job of their life without a few favors in the bank, so they invest in gigs and scanner hustles as insurance, first. Or you could spend time chasing Street Cred, the reputation meter that unlocks better vendor gear and later gigs. Regardless, by the time you head into Konpeki Plaza, you’ll be overleveled, overequipped, and extremely prepared for the job that changes everything.
6
Do…less
Gig terms: Pick one lifepath, a couple of characters, and one fixer. Ignore everything else.
Completionism is fun, but taking a different tack on a replay can let you focus more deeply on a specific storyline or build. For example, you might decide to prioritize getting Johnny Silverhand, the rockstar whose digital ghost rides along in V’s head, out of their life. That means pursuing that priority at the expense of anything else (you know, like you probably would if you really had Keanu Reeves stuck in your head). That could mean never meeting Goro, the former Arasaka bodyguard, or Panam, Rogue, or Claire, and sticking to Judy among the supporting cast. Looking for other targeted run ideas? Try being a Valentinos loyalist who never leaves Heywood, a Voodoo Boys netrunner who never leaves Pacifica, or a Mox-only run that never leaves Judy’s side. Everyone you skip will still be waiting at the Afterlife on your next run.
5
Go all-natural (relatively speaking)
Gig terms: No cyberware beyond what the story installs for you. Zero exceptions. Even for armor.
Since Update 2.0, almost every piece of armor in Cyberpunk 2077 comes from cyberware, not clothes. Trying to play the game without it feels as strange as strolling into a gunfight wearing a cardigan — which makes this play style such a weirdly energizing prospect. A no-cyberware run means giving up the game’s better armor and a lot of your mobility. A katana, blocking, and a stealth or sniper build will likely be your best bets. Enjoy more freedom to play around with fashion, too: Since clothing is now mostly cosmetic, wear whatever you like. Just be forewarned: Your first run-in with a cyberpsycho will remind you exactly why everyone else installed the chrome.
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4
Be a netrunner who never fires a gun
Gig terms: Hack, don’t shoot. Every kill comes from a quickhack.
Netrunners, or hackers who plug into enemy networks with a cyberdeck, use quickhacks to disable, distract, and kill enemies from a distance. At low levels, these short-range code attacks are quite weak, which can translate to a rough first few hours in the game. Survive that, though, and it becomes one of the most overpowered builds in the game: you can jump into a room and take out a group without firing a bullet. You can even remain unseen by chaining Memory Wipe followed by Cyberware Malfunction, which clears enemies without alerting anyone. You can invest absolutely nothing in stealth and the build still does it for you. Just remember: Your cyberdeck is your weapon now, so spend on anything that boosts your RAM.
3
Brawl with Gorilla Arms
Gig terms: Fists only, no hacking, and no other weapons.
Punch first! And then keep punching. The Gorilla Arms are the chrome for players who’d rather settle things up close. Here, a brawler run means no hacking and no weapons. Only the arms. Put your attribute points into Body, which powers the Blunt Weapon perks that directly buff Gorilla Arms, and add Reinforced Tendons, the double-jump legs, to close the distance. Now, with the Edgerunners 2 Update, you have even more options. Five Glamdocs around Night City can now restyle your Gorilla Arms, along with Mantis Blades, Monowire, and the Projectile Launch System. If you’re going to knock an enemy across a room with your bare hands, you might as well do it in hot pink.
2
Turn off the minimap
Gig terms: No minimap. Navigate solely by landmarks and (if you really need it) the map screen.
The absolute fastest way to rediscover Night City is to stop watching the corner of your screen. Turn the minimap off, and, while it may take longer for you to reach your ideal destination, you’ll almost certainly discover places you’ve never seen before. Night City is a vertical city of districts like Kabuki, Japantown, and Pacifica, each with its own landmarks and shortcuts, and you’ll learn them by heart. Use the skyline as your compass: Arasaka Tower looms over everything, just find it to get your bearings. If you want to go further, slow down. With this playstyle, aim for a 100-hour playthrough instead of a 30-hour one. Read every shard. Drive around slowly with the radio on. Play Cyberpunk 2077 like a neon neo-noir novel. It works surprisingly well.
1
Be a sellout
Gig terms: Play a Corpo, pick the self-interested option in every conversation, and side with whomever is winning.
Sometimes it is everyone for themselves, and that’s okay. Cyberpunk 2077 gives you three origins to choose from — Nomad, Street Kid, and Corpo. You can play each as you’d like, but some play styles seem to pair more nicely with some backstories than others. Think: A people’s hero Street Kid, a loyal Nomad who never leaves family behind, or a sleazy Corpo who sided with the cops whenever it seemed profitable to do so. Your origin unlocks its own dialogue options and consequences, so, for example, a Corpo sees doors a Street Kid never will. If being mean to pixels makes you feel bad in real life, this run is good practice. In Night City, everyone has a price. In this run, you’re finally naming yours.
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