Is the Short Circuit Quickhack Lethal in Cyberpunk 2077? A Deep Dive
No, the Short Circuit quickhack in Cyberpunk 2077 is primarily designed to be non-lethal. Its core function is to incapacitate targets by overloading their cyberware, rendering them unconscious rather than killing them outright. However, the nuances of gameplay mechanics and unintended interactions can sometimes lead to unexpected outcomes. Let’s delve into why Short Circuit is generally considered non-lethal, and the situations where it can become lethal, along with an exploration of non-lethal gameplay in Cyberpunk 2077.
Understanding Non-Lethal Gameplay in Night City
Cyberpunk 2077 offers players a significant degree of freedom in how they approach combat encounters. While guns blazing is always an option, the game encourages strategic thinking and, crucially, provides tools for non-lethal takedowns. This is important for several reasons, including mission objectives that explicitly require keeping targets alive, and simply roleplaying a character who prefers not to kill.
The Non-Lethal Arsenal
Beyond quickhacks like Short Circuit, the game offers various weapons and modifications designed for subduing enemies without killing them. These include:
- Blunt weapons: Baseball bats, wrenches, and other blunt instruments are inherently non-lethal, delivering concussive force that knocks enemies unconscious.
- Cyberware: Gorilla Arms are a popular choice for non-lethal melee combat, allowing players to deliver powerful blows that incapacitate opponents. Target Analysis cyberware mod makes all weapons non-lethal.
- Weapon mods: Certain weapon mods can convert a lethal weapon into a non-lethal one, allowing players to use firearms without fear of killing their targets.
How Short Circuit Fits In
Short Circuit is a cornerstone of any Netrunner build focused on non-lethal solutions. By targeting an enemy’s cyberware, it delivers an electrical surge that overloads their systems, causing them to collapse unconscious. The beauty of Short Circuit lies in its versatility; it can be used as a primary attack or as part of a larger suite of quickhacks designed to disable and control enemies.
When Non-Lethal Becomes Lethal: The Caveats
While Short Circuit is intended to be non-lethal, several factors can inadvertently lead to a target’s demise after being hit with the quickhack. These often involve unintended consequences of the game’s physics and AI:
- Fall Damage: Enemies knocked unconscious by Short Circuit may fall from heights, sustaining fatal injuries upon impact.
- Environmental Hazards: Unconscious enemies can stumble into environmental hazards like fire or electrified water, resulting in death.
- Friendly Fire (Sort Of): Accidentally shooting, hitting, or running over an unconscious enemy can easily kill them, even with a non-lethal weapon. The game does not always prevent lethal damage to downed opponents.
- Glitch: Despite the effort put in by the developer, the game is still prone to random glitches that could contribute to unexpected fatalities.
Mastering the Art of Non-Lethal Combat
To reliably achieve non-lethal takedowns with Short Circuit and other methods, players should:
- Be mindful of the environment: Scan the area for potential hazards and avoid engaging enemies near ledges or environmental dangers.
- Use takedowns strategically: Once an enemy is incapacitated, avoid further interaction. Resist the urge to loot them immediately if they are in a precarious position.
- Monitor enemy health: Before using Short Circuit, gauge the enemy’s health. A heavily damaged enemy may succumb to the quickhack even though it’s non-lethal by design.
- Consider Difficulty Level: Higher difficulties can impact enemy health and resistance, potentially making non-lethal takedowns more challenging.
Non-Lethal Choices and Game Consequences
The impact of choosing a non-lethal approach on the story is often minimal, even in gigs where your fixer specifically requests that you keep the target alive. Usually, choosing a non-lethal approach will reward you with a greater amount of credits.
The Value of Non-Lethal Builds
Despite the limited story consequences, choosing to play with a non-lethal build provides a unique and engaging experience, encouraging strategic thinking and a deeper understanding of the game’s mechanics. Consider contributing to the discussion and research on this topic and how games contribute to learning by engaging with resources like GamesLearningSociety.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is Short Circuit Always Non-Lethal?
Primarily, yes. But unintended interactions can lead to accidental deaths. Be mindful of fall damage, environmental hazards, and accidental follow-up attacks.
2. What Other Quickhacks Are Non-Lethal?
Overheat, Contagion, and System Collapse are also primarily non-lethal. Covert and Control hacks can often be combined for non-lethal takedowns.
3. How Do I Ensure I Don’t Accidentally Kill Someone After Using Short Circuit?
Avoid further interaction after the enemy is incapacitated. Don’t shoot, hit, or run them over. Also, be aware of potential fall damage.
4. Are Gorilla Arms a Good Option for Non-Lethal Combat?
Yes, Gorilla Arms are a very effective and popular choice for non-lethal melee takedowns.
5. Can I Mod My Weapons to Be Non-Lethal?
Yes, certain weapon mods can convert lethal weapons into non-lethal ones. Look for mods that specifically state they inflict stun or non-lethal damage.
6. Does Difficulty Level Affect Non-Lethal Takedowns?
Potentially. Higher difficulties may increase enemy health and resistance, making it harder to incapacitate them without dealing lethal damage.
7. Is System Collapse Lethal?
No, System Collapse is designed to be non-lethal. It renders the target unconscious without killing them.
8. What Are Some Good Non-Lethal Weapons Besides Gorilla Arms?
Blunt weapons like baseball bats and wrenches are inherently non-lethal. Skippy (in Puppy Loving Pacifist Mode) is also a good choice.
9. Does Choosing Non-Lethal Options Affect the Story?
In most cases, the story impact is minimal. Even when fixers request non-lethal takedowns, the primary difference is often the reward amount.
10. Can I Beat Cyberpunk 2077 Without Killing Anyone?
Yes, it is possible, but challenging. It requires careful planning, strategic use of non-lethal weapons and quickhacks, and awareness of the environment.
11. What Happens if I Accidentally Kill a Cyberpsycho I’m Supposed to Subdue?
You’ll fail the mission objective to subdue them non-lethally. The quest may still progress, but you won’t receive the bonus reward for keeping them alive.
12. Can I Use Quickhacks on Cyberpsychos?
Yes, you can use quickhacks on Cyberpsychos to weaken them and control the fight.
13. Can I Quickhack Through Walls?
You can hack devices through walls, but not people.
14. How Do I Stop Cyberpsycho Without Killing?
You just fight them like normal but completely stop shooting once they drop to the floor. If you shoot them while they’re down you will kill them.
15. Are there educational applications that leverage the gameplay from Cyberpunk 2077?
While Cyberpunk 2077 is not overtly educational, its intricate systems and emergent gameplay scenarios can be analyzed through the lens of systems thinking and problem-solving. Organizations like the Games Learning Society contribute to the study of games as learning environments.
By understanding the nuances of the game’s mechanics and taking precautions, you can reliably utilize Short Circuit and other non-lethal methods to navigate Night City without unnecessary bloodshed.