"There's gotta be a way out of this", Johnny Silverhand declares at the opening of the latest Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty trailer. "Johnny, I'm dying," V replies. "There's nothing that can stop that''... But what if there is?
One of the most intriguing aspects of the expansion - outside of the major overhaul it promises - is the fact that it's set to introduce a new ending to the fold when it comes to the game's core experience. In an interview with wccftech, CD Projekt Red game director and VP Gabe Amatangelo revealed that: "based on the ending within Phantom Liberty, you can unlock a new ending in the base game".
While the prospect of a new ending is exciting in isolation, it's even more tantalizing when you consider the context of the trailer. We're introduced to Songbird, an NUSA intelligence analyst who states that they can save your life from "the bomb ticking in your head". While so much is still unknown about where Phantom Liberty will lead us, or how many outcomes there will be in the new district, our upcoming journey in Dogtown looks set to be a very significant one. With the mention of a "cure", my mind is already racing with just what this could mean for V and Johnny.
Some spoilers ahead for the ending of Cyberpunk 2077
"Quiet life or blaze o' glory?"
"V has at least regained some control and the days ahead - while limited - are unwritten."
Near the beginning of Cyberpunk 2077, fixer Dexter DeShawn asks you if you'd rather live a quiet life, or "go out in a blaze o' glory". It always felt like his words haunted me in V's shoes throughout the story. Night City isn't the place for a quiet life, after all, and as much as you fight it, you're more likely to go out guns blazing than you are to walk off quietly into the sunset. But maybe, just maybe, Phantom Liberty will offer that sunset ending… or something close to it.
As you'll no doubt know if you've tucked into CD Projekt Red's RPG, V's very life is on the line after they get stuck with an engram of rebellious rocker, Johnny Silverhand. With the threat of losing themselves to Johnny, the entire story revolves around your quest to save yourself. As you get acquainted with the seedy underbelly of Night City, various encounters and missions open up the way to different endings at the close of the adventure.
The final choice you make is based on who you decide to reach out to for help when Johnny's construct begins to really take its toll on V. Whether that be the Nomad Aldecadoes, Hanako Arasaka, or Rogue, you'll see different outcomes based on what you do. Relatively speaking, though - bar the secret ending - they all have one thing in common: V's days are still numbered and Johnny is out of the picture.
Since the release of the Phantom Liberty trailer, I've been reflecting on all the Cyberpunk 2077 endings, and what the expansion may hold for us. Having experienced each one at this point, I actually quite like the open-endedness of some of the paths you can take in certain respects. Sure, they might not necessarily be very happy, or even hopeful, but V has at least regained some control and the days ahead - while limited - are unwritten. It also feels fitting that a setting so known for chewing up and spitting out its people would do the same to V.
A new path?
Check out our Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty preview to find out why Idris Elba wasn't even the best part.
If I had to choose, I'd say that the Aldecaldos ending is the best one. The group of Nomads really felt like my family by the end, so much so that I didn't really want to leave them when the story pushed me forwards. As a result, asking them for help came naturally to me when my life was under threat. Having formed a relationship with Judy, leaving Night City and all of its corruption behind me with her at my side also felt as close to a sunset ending as I could get, even if my days were still limited and my Nomad family got hurt along the way.
Still, after spending so much time with Johnny, most endings are tinged with a feeling of loneliness that I didn't expect. Silverhand isn't exactly a good guy, and sure, at first I didn't trust or even like him all that much. The more time I spent with him, the more I saw new sides. I got so used to him being around. You got through so much together, after all, and when it became clear that he doesn't want to take your identity, I started to see him in a different light. Ultimately, I was left with a desire to try to help him and V, but I still don't really know how that could work given the circumstances.
Perhaps Phantom Liberty will provide an answer to that. If there is indeed a cure and Songbird's words can be trusted, the expansion may very well offer up another avenue that leads to a happier ending. Of course, with the trailer implying there's plenty of backstabbing, distrust, and chaos in the new district, there's no way of knowing what Dogtown will hold for us. Let's face it: nothing is certain in the corrupt world of Cyberpunk 2077. If the expansion doesn't lead to a happier sunset ending to round off V's story, maybe it will be a more definitive one, or set up what's to come in the Cyberpunk sequel Project Orion. Where our visit to Dogtown takes remains to be seen, but I certainly can't wait to find out.
See what else awaits us from the studio with our roundup of upcoming CD Projekt Red games.
