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Behind the wheel of my car in Cyberpunk 2077, the real-world slips away. The troubles weighing on me are pushed to one side, and suddenly all that matters is the road in front me. Sometimes I don't even have a set destination in mind. I just drive; soaking in the sights of the neon-tinted city through my windshield. Then, I relive quests and gigs I've done many times before. Keanu Reeves' abrasive rocker Johnny Silverhand keeps me company all the while, weirdly helping me stave off the loneliness that can so often take hold. For a place dripping with danger, corruption, and violence, it might sound odd to say I find it relaxing to get lost in Night City. But with almost 700 hours behind me in CD Projekt Red's RPG, I've come to the conclusion that V's adventure continues to be unexpectedly comforting.
Get in loser
I've always found solace in repetition. I often rewatch the same shows, reread my favorite books, or replay the same games over and over. It's something I've done for as long as I can remember, and I know I'm far from alone in that. There's a sense of safety that comes from knowing what to expect, and the familiarity that comes from revisiting a virtual world you know so well can also bring a sense of consolation or reprieve. Whether it be an escape from everyday concerns, or as means to help pull you through a particularly hard time, there are certain games I always return to.
Now, I'll be the first to admit that I never expected V's action-packed journey would be one such source of comfort. Following its rocky launch, I made the decision to hold out for the Cyberpunk 2077 PS5 upgrade, which eventually landed in early 2022. At that point, many parts of the world were still shut down as a result of the pandemic, and I was still processing two years of isolation. With a more polished Night City to explore, I immediately got sucked in, and as I drove through the streets, I found just the space I needed. When I played it, it felt like I could breathe again, and I couldn't seem to get enough of the driving. Even now, when I can go outside again, I still find myself getting back behind the wheel just to shut off for a while on tough days.
Racing games have always been a major source of stress relief, and I often fall into a flow state when I zip across tracks or drive through the roads of any one of the Forza Horizon entries. I never expected Cyberpunk 2077's open-world would help me decompress in much the same way. On occasion, I'll even boot up the game for that express purpose, shirking all quests to take my time driving from district to district. Listening to The Dirge or Body Heat radio station, nothing beats cruising around at night (particularly when it rains); the city is all aglow with animated advertisements and I feel like I'm transported right into the car.
Any time I get the chance to sit in the passenger seat as the likes of Panam, Judy, Jackie, or Claire take the wheel, I never skip the ride. In fact, I relish any opportunity to sit take in the views from the window - much as I do aboard the metro these days. Just as V sits still for a moment, I sink into the moment on my couch right along with them.
Keeping company
What's perhaps more surprising is that Johnny Silverhand often brings me a sense of companionship that helps me far more than it has any right to. Let's be honest, he's not the most likable fellow to begin with, and your partnership is entirely forced after a shot at the big leagues gone wrong. In fact, the first time I played Cyberpunk 2077, I actively tried to distance myself from him. I outright refused to engage or give him anything he wanted; unknowingly locking off an ending in the process. But the more I played in subsequent runs, the more I opened up to his presence. Eventually, I actually started enjoying his company and as I did some of Silverhands quests through the latter part of the game, it even got me through some particularly lonely episodes in my own life.
That's not to say I care for him half as much as any one of the companions in BioWare's RPGs, and I wouldn't say he's stolen my heart in the same way as, say, Parvati did in The Outer Worlds or Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3. But in a place like Night City, where V is alone much of the time, Silverhand makes everything feel less lonely. He may be selfish and harsh at times, but he's with you through every dangerous mission, gig, and side quest. After all, since he's in your head, there's no getting away from him, but it does mean you'll always have someone with you - for better or worse.
The more hours I spend in Night City, the more I've come to accept it's a place I want to keep coming back to, if only to get away from everything for a while. I'm sure I'll no doubt continue to find myself behind the wheel in Cyberpunk 2077 anytime I need to kick back and unwind.
For more, see why playing Cyberpunk 2077 for the very first time, is making one of our writers question everything they knew about how an RPG should look and feel.
