A player completed Cyberpunk 2077 in a completely different way than one might expect: He finished the game on the hardest difficulty, but completely forwent Cyberware. Even the DLC Phantom Liberty was not part of his experience, although the community says that would have been perfect for him!
How did the player play? The player “WhyIGottaNameMyself” informed the Cyberpunk 2077 community on Reddit that he managed to complete the game on the highest difficulty and the most challenging ending “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”. And this completely without Cyberware.
With his 100% “organic” V and a build relying on handguns and stealth, he was able to conquer the entire game and single-handedly defeat the Arasaka Tower. He was inspired by the accompanying anime “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners,” which tells the story of a street kid and the dangers of too much Cyberware and resulting Cyberpsychosis.
The player does not own the DLC Phantom Liberty, which he finds a shame, as Alex’s pistol “Her Majesty” would have been ideal for his build. However, the community mentions that by forgoing the DLC, he might be missing out on something much better: a really bad ending that, in his case, would have been perfect. His V couldn’t have gotten closer to a happy ending.
“… and what is the bad news?”
Which ending would have been perfect for the player? Phantom Liberty unlocks an additional possibility alongside the regular endings of the game if you side with Reed and the FIA at the end of the DLC. They agree to find a solution for V’s biochip problem, which they ultimately do.
In the ending “The Tower,” V wakes up after a 2-year coma and receives the news that the chip along with Johnny has been successfully removed. However, Johnny’s brain suffered permanent damage during the procedure, which means V can never use Cyberware again.
Also, some old friendships and relationships have broken down in the 2 years as life in Night City simply went on. The game finally ends with a scene in which V, once a powerful Edgerunner and mercenary, is attacked and beaten up by a simple thug. A confession of how weak V is at the end.
The result: Yes, V lives. But are the circumstances really worth it?
For a V who could never rely on anything but his own strength instead of Cyberware, this actually tragic fate doesn’t foresee any severe consequences – aside from an prematurely weakened body and some lost love.
Upon hearing that his V could never “again” use Cyberware, his response would be: “… and what are the bad news?” (thoriumbr on Reddit)
How does the community react? Part of the community on Reddit wants to know how the player could really forgo all Cyberware when he cannot remove the Kiroshi implants gifted by Vik for the eyes. He achieved this through a common bug that removes the Kiroshis when upgraded immediately after acquisition. Then V has only a simple optical zoom instead of the scanning option.
Another part of the community, however, questions the description “100% organic,” as the player’s V has received quite a few upgrades even without Cyberware due to 20 points in Body, Tech, and Cool.
Here you can see the proof and the player’s build:
WhyIGottaNameMyself clarifies that he only meant the renunciation of implanted Cyberware. His V took “every damn steroid that Night City has to offer.” This would fit with his dumpstat, namely his intelligence of 3.
The player’s V is not the first proof that one can become incredibly powerful without Cyberware and just with enough determination. A player discovered this through a bizarre NPC who, even in his half-naked state and with just his fists, doesn’t stop even in front of the NCPD: “No shoes, no shirt, no mercy” – the wildest NPC in Cyberpunk 2077 has no implants and still terrorizes the streets of Night City
