Life After the Main Quest: What Happens After You Beat Cyberpunk 2077?
So, you’ve stared down Adam Smasher, navigated the treacherous currents of Night City’s power players, and seen the credits roll. What now? Fear not, choomba! The neon-drenched streets of Night City still beckon. After completing the main story of Cyberpunk 2077, you’re not simply cut off. The game seamlessly returns you to a point before the final mission, allowing you to continue exploring, completing side content, and shaping your V’s destiny.
More specifically, upon finishing the main storyline, you find yourself back in front of Embers, the location from Act 2: Nocturne Op55N1. This is your chance to tie up any loose ends, tackle those lingering side gigs, and truly become a legend of the Afterlife. Your inventory, experience, and hard-earned eddies all carry over, giving you a fully powered V ready to carve a new path. The main story may be over, but V’s journey in Night City doesn’t have to be.
Night City Never Sleeps: Continuing Your Legend
The beauty of Cyberpunk 2077’s post-game is the freedom it offers. You are free to:
- Complete unfinished side quests and gigs: Dive into the intricate stories and morally ambiguous choices that populate Night City’s underbelly.
- Explore uncharted territories: Discover hidden locations, secrets, and encounters scattered throughout the game world.
- Upgrade your character and arsenal: Max out your skills, cyberware, and weapons to become an unstoppable force.
- Purchase new vehicles and customize your style: Cruise around Night City in style with a fresh ride and a killer wardrobe.
- Experience different endings (with a catch): While you can’t directly replay the final mission from where you are, you can reload a save file from before Nocturne Op55N1 to experience alternate endings.
- Engage with Phantom Liberty content: If you own the Phantom Liberty expansion, the post-game is the perfect time to dive into the new district of Dogtown and its gripping storyline.
Essentially, the post-game is your playground to become the ultimate version of V, a legend whispered about in the darkest corners of Night City. This provides the perfect chance to explore concepts related to narrative design and player agency – something discussed at length in the Games Learning Society annual conference. Find more info about GamesLearningSociety.org here.
FAQs: Decoding the Post-Cyberpunk Experience
Here are some common questions players have about what happens after they beat the main story of Cyberpunk 2077:
1. Can I Free Roam After Beating Cyberpunk 2077?
Absolutely! As mentioned before, the world is still open to explore. You’re encouraged to delve deeper into Night City’s secrets.
2. How Many Endings Does Cyberpunk 2077 Have?
There are five main endings, each with unique consequences for V and Johnny. The choices you make throughout the game, particularly regarding your relationships with key characters, heavily influence which ending you receive. Note there is now the addition of a brand new ending if you own the DLC Phantom Liberty.
3. What is the Final Story Mission in Cyberpunk 2077?
The point of no return is Nocturne Op55N1. The game explicitly warns you before starting this mission that proceeding will lock you into the ending sequence.
4. What Happens After the Secret Ending?
The secret ending, also known as “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” is a high-risk, high-reward option that becomes available if your relationship with Johnny Silverhand is high enough (around 70%). If you succeed, you get an epilogue where V becomes a Night City legend, but Johnny remains in cyberspace. If you die, you get an immediate game over with no further play possible.
5. Does V Survive the Sun Ending?
In the “The Sun” ending, V decides to return to Night City to live out their final days, embracing their remaining time as a legend in the Afterlife. However, it’s crucial to remember V is still under the six month deadline due to the Relic.
6. Can V and Johnny Both Live?
The closest thing to both V and Johnny surviving is the option where V returns to their body but only has six months to live, while Johnny goes beyond the Blackwall with the hopes of surviving in cyberspace. Ultimately, neither is safe in this scenario but both have some sense of independence.
7. How Do I Continue Playing After the Ending?
After the credits roll, the game returns you to the point before Nocturne Op55N1, allowing you to continue exploring and completing content.
8. Should V Give His Body to Johnny?
The decision to give V’s body to Johnny is entirely up to you and affects the narrative. If Johnny takes the body, V is essentially gone. There is no clear “correct” choice, it all depends on your preference.
9. How Do I Get Johnny to 70%?
Raising your relationship with Johnny requires specific dialogue choices and completing his associated side quests:
- Automatic Love
- Transmission
- Life During Wartime
- Tapeworm
- Search and Destroy
- Blistering Love
- Holdin’ On
- A Like Supreme
Choosing dialogue options that align with Johnny’s rebellious and anti-establishment views will improve your relationship.
10. Does V Get Cured in Phantom Liberty?
While Phantom Liberty offers a potential cure, it comes at a steep price. V undergoes surgery to remove the Relic and is left in a coma for two years. Upon waking, Johnny is gone, and most of V’s relationships have changed or dissolved. Therefore, V is technically cured, however loses their entire identity.
11. How Do You Fight Adam Smasher?
To beat Adam Smasher, exploit his weaknesses:
- Use Tech weapons to shoot through his armor.
- Target his cybernetic heart (his weak point).
- Utilize Frag Grenades and chemical-based weapons.
- Be mindful of his powerful attacks and prioritize dodging.
12. How Do You Trigger the Secret Ending?
To unlock the “Don’t Fear the Reaper” ending, your relationship with Johnny must be approximately 70% or higher. When prompted to make your final decision on the rooftop with Misty, wait and let Johnny interject. He will propose his plan for a suicide mission on Arasaka Tower, initiating the secret ending.
13. What is Max Level in Cyberpunk 2077?
The max level in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 is now 60, a significant increase from the original 50. This change was made to allow more player customisation with their characters.
14. Can You Do Side Jobs After Main Story?
Yes, you can complete any unfinished side jobs or gigs after completing the main story line.
15. What Do You Get For Completing All Cyberpsycho Sightings?
By successfully neutralizing every Cyberpsycho, Regina Jones will reward you with:
- 25,000 Eurodollars
- Trauma Team Armor-weave Tactical Vest
- Decadencia Verde Tactical Armor-weave Pants.
Beyond the Credits: Crafting Your Own Narrative
Ultimately, what happens after you beat Cyberpunk 2077 is up to you. Do you strive to become a Night City legend? Do you seek a cure, even if it costs you everything? Or do you simply want to spend more time exploring this rich and immersive world?
Cyberpunk 2077’s post-game offers a rare opportunity to truly shape your character’s destiny, even after the main story has concluded. So, jack back in, embrace the chaos, and continue your legend. The streets of Night City await.