The world of Cyberpunk 2077 is marked by injustice, oppression, and violence, where everyone fights for themselves and has to make the best of what they have. A mission in Phantom Liberty is a perfect example of how difficult it is to ensure justice in Night City. Those who are willing to spare a character despite contrary instructions are rewarded with a rare scene.
Which mission is being referred to? It is the gig “Dogtown Saints,” which is commissioned by Mr. Hands. V is supposed to rescue Dr. Anthony Anderson from the Scavengers (also known as Scavs). They are known for abducting people to violently “take” their cyberware and implants.
The Scavs have taken over a hospital that was a refuge for those in need, where Anderson provided these people with used implants.
The mission is clearly stated: free the hospital from Scavengers, find Anderson, and rescue him unharmed from his situation. However, like many missions in Cyberpunk, it does not go completely smoothly:
Here is the trailer for the Cyberpunk 2077 DLC Phantom Liberty:
Two Sides of a Dilemma
What decision is crucial? Upon arriving at the clinic and finally locating Anderson, V sees that the doctor is being threatened by Nika Yankovich with a gun. She is searching for her missing brother Gasya, who was once cared for by Anderson. The situation becomes tense, and V must decide whether to shoot Nika.
If V hesitates too long, Anderson reveals that Gasya has already passed away. He had been in a coma, and Anderson had hoped to save some of his implants rather than help him to provide for the less fortunate.
Nika now wants her brother’s body, which Anderson is unwilling to allow. Here, one can decide whether to side with the doctor or the grieving sister.
What happens after both decisions? If one does not want to give Nika the body, she attacks V. The only option then is to take her down so that Anderson can utilize her brother’s body and the mission can be successfully completed.
However, if one gives Nika the body, one later finds her at the edge of the Dogtown wall. The location is specified in this video. She is sitting at her brother’s grave, where one can exchange a few words with her.
While both decisions affect the outcome of the mission differently, there is no “right” solution here. Ironically, Johnny is the one who manages to summarize the situation best:
I feel sorry for the girl. It must be hard for Anderson too. The guy had questionable ethics, but what else is a doctor supposed to do in Dogtown? It was a situation from the start where everyone loses.
Johnny Silverhand via V’s head
What do the players say about it? Despite the dilemma of which person to help in a situation where ultimately no outcome seems “right,” many players have a clear opinion. After all, Nika is a member of the Scavengers, who seemingly got a taste of their own medicine.
“The thing is, we have now been to a few Scav hideouts, seen the flesh on hooks, on butcher tables, and in ice baths… and seen what they did to Evelyn,” says lemao2222 on YouTube, “at least her brother cooked himself and was practically dead, unlike those poor pigs.”
While the decision in Dogtown Saints only significantly affects the end of this mission, there are other decisions that can determine the entire course of the game, from side missions to friendly or hostile corpos to the final fate of V. You can read about some important decisions in the game in this article: Cyberpunk 2077: The three most important story decisions at the restart
