Joshua Stephenson
Joshua Stephenson, a name that many players probably cannot associate with a face without assistance. However, his mission is for many at least as unforgettable as it is macabre, contributing perfectly to the overall mood of Cyberpunk 2077.
Players can only get to know Joshua and his story better if they refuse to carry out their actual mission in which they were commissioned to kill Stephenson.
It turns out that Stephenson, a criminal and murderer, found God during his time in prison and is now seeking not only forgiveness but also redemption.
A film and braindance studio took notice of him and made him a deal: In exchange for a shortened sentence, he will take on the lead role in a braindance, in which he wants to sacrifice his life in the same way as Jesus.
The complex yet broken man, who would do anything to experience forgiveness for his crimes, agrees to this as well. He wants to die in the braindance so that all future viewers can empathize with his transformation and death.
The exploitation by the braindance studio does not bother him in this regard – but it once again shows the ruthless power and cruelty of Night City, where people sacrifice themselves for their beliefs while companies smell huge profits from such perversion.
This mission is one of the darkest situations in the game, and it is all the more exciting that some players may have never experienced it. Joshua Stephenson’s story is so tragic, macabre, and broken that one could dedicate a whole format to him.
