I almost completely forgot a character in Cyberpunk 2077, but with a single side mission, he won my heart

The world of Cyberpunk 2077 offers many different stories and characters. One character was quite forgettable for MeinMMO editor Niko for a long time, but a side mission made him his favorite because it is so good.

Which character is it about? In the side mission I fought the Law V is to find out for Elizabeth Peralez whether the dead mayor Lucius Rhyne really died of natural causes or was murdered. For this, you receive early support from River Ward.

He is the cliché of a detective in the police. River outwardly speaks like a tough guy who has seen a lot, but deep down he is a good person who wants to do everything for justice. You can also tell this at the end of the mission after you learn that Han, his partner at the NCPD, has covered up the case.

I found this side mission quite forgettable. River as a character seemed rather boring, and I quickly forgot that he even existed. But then he called again, and the best side mission in Cyberpunk 2077 began, which deserved its own game.

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A Damn Good Detective Story

At some point after I Fought the Law I received a call from River. River needs my help to find his nephew Randy Kutcher, who has been kidnapped by Anthony Harris. He is behind the Peter Pan abductions. The side mission The Hunt begins.

Harris is indeed captured, but in a coma. It follows investigations with BDs and the investigation of websites. A terrible case unfolds that quickly reminded me of series like True Detective. For the character River, this is the perfect mission.

He not only fulfills the cliché of the detective who has been suspended for breaking orders, he has a personal connection to the case. As V, I had a different motivation to help him right away.

Due to the emotional connection to the case, River also acts more impulsively and emotionally, resulting in strong dynamics in the dialogues with V. V is not the protagonist here, but an outsider who wants to help.

As a duo, they fit wonderfully into the detective genre. V, the mercenary, and River, the detective. In addition to the characters, the case itself is simply exciting and really creepy.

Like From a Dark Thriller

The mission is already pretty dark even before the premise. A Peter Pan serial killer who abducts teenagers. But during the course of the mission, additional information emerges that makes everything worse. You worry about River’s nephew and just hope he is still alive.

A good tension curve develops here. The mission has a nice balance of story, dialogue, and investigation. The climax of the mission then takes place on the farm. The theme and visual presentation belong to the darkest thriller stories I know, and the moment when a disturbing cartoon is played will probably never be forgotten. I mean, take a look at this:

Although I did not choose River as a romance option, the mission also has a nice ending. In the side mission Following the River you are invited by him for a barbecue. There you play a video game with his other nephew and niece, eat together, and in the end, there’s a good buddy moment.

This is a nice contrast to the disturbing moments in the previous mission, and as a player, you get a better sense of why he wanted to save his nephew so badly.

The side mission has all the elements to stand on its own while also fitting into the world:

Overall, it is a story-wise small mission.
The emotional level is understandable for the player.
There is not only a red thread but also a nice tension curve and a good ending (if you do everything right)

Even though River seems somewhat inconspicuous and often irrelevant in the overall context of Cyberpunk 2077, he is one of my favorite characters because he not only tells a strong thriller story thematically, he stands for himself and for a small part in a world where sometimes you just have to do good.