Gabe Amatangelo, Game Director of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, breaks down the game’s two endings and dives into the development choices behind them.
First ending was Sending Somi to the moon. Second was siding with Reed and getting NUSA help with my chip–Johnny calling me "Valerie" as he resigns his fate to my hands broke me…
I just did the Betray/Save Songbird ending last night and V surviving after having the Relic chip removed is the most depressing of all of the endings for me. V living but becoming just another face in the crowd is the antithesis of everything your life had been up to that time.
The team did an amazing job with Phantom Liberty I don't think I had to stop playing a game or was thinking about a decision I knew was upcoming for so long for a game as you empathize with both Reed and Songbird, but not only are they complex, but they are always revealing this colder and really cruel side from working for the NUSA that V just isn't used to seeing even as a merc and I think that was what I kept thinking on, were they both playing my character? can I actually trust them? Is the human side just a front to motivate me? I mean they are Spies that is what they do and man this expansion did not disappoint and really blew me away with how they showed the spy-thriller angle it was perfect for Cyberpunk.
It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make in a game, but in the end, I just felt too bad about So Mi. I had to help her. Reed and Alex killing the twins before that might have helped cement that decision, too. Made me wonder if Reed had killed Jacob and Taylor. Songbird's motivation is also a lot more understandable. It's the same as V's – survival. Also, you can't give a walking WMD to someone like Myers. Either Songbird gets cured or she dies. Giving her up is just a bad idea.
Choosing Reed was an easy choice for me. I was empathetic to Songbird, but I had a duty to bring her in. Anyone touched that deeply by the Blackwall is not to be trusted. And after playing through it a second time and finding out that she lies to you, I was happy with my choice. The ending where you get "cured" is just not worth it at all though and is extremely unsatisfying, do not do it under any circumstance.
The canon ending in my head is King of Cups + The Star if you romanced Judy or Panam, OR The Sun + giving back the body to V to see a really beautiful Johnny Silverhand closure.
great stuff. pain is now we have to wait few years for next game but hopefully it will only be better. please add some comady moments and make fighting little more challanging. cyberpunk is kinda easy.
The last question I would have asked : "Is there a continuation to V's life "post-King Of Wands" ending? V receives one message from SongBird (on the Quantum Tuner) but then that's it… Does not feel complete. Does SongBird keep her promise?
Unpopular opinion but I really liked the cure ending, the last conversations with Johnny and Misty were some of the best in the entire game. My takeaway by the end was that going out a Night City legend isn't really worth it after all.
This was hardest choice in my life I remember 2 years ago when I first finished cyberpunk 2077 I also got fired the same day, but I was waaaay more worried about endings rather then being laid from the job
Is not fair for V to not be able to use anymore chrome or other implantat or cyberware honestly, i dont like when V is not able to best that two clowns who try to steal from V, i dont like cause i was hope in Phantom Liberty will be new side quest or new side missions about Peralez and everythin else
Great story but in my mind killing Reed and saving songbird was the only option where someone wins. I had that hope that maybe there was a cure for V but knew better from night city. Reed follows the system blindly and knowing the system is using everyone for superficial gain meant Reed could never be trusted. In the end songbird lied, but saving her is the only path where you don’t completely lose.
The best ending is definitely the helping the somi one. Especially with the discussion V and Johnny have as the rocket is leaving
Is the game ready when its ready yet?
You choose literally between Dead Space/ Alien Isolation moment and Max Payne 3 style airport assault
God Amatangelo is one of the best things to happen to Cyberpunk 2077
Good night V, today was a good day.
Using the blackwall in the ending was the best thing in this dlc
First ending was Sending Somi to the moon. Second was siding with Reed and getting NUSA help with my chip–Johnny calling me "Valerie" as he resigns his fate to my hands broke me…
I just did the Betray/Save Songbird ending last night and V surviving after having the Relic chip removed is the most depressing of all of the endings for me. V living but becoming just another face in the crowd is the antithesis of everything your life had been up to that time.
The team did an amazing job with Phantom Liberty I don't think I had to stop playing a game or was thinking about a decision I knew was upcoming for so long for a game as you empathize with both Reed and Songbird, but not only are they complex, but they are always revealing this colder and really cruel side from working for the NUSA that V just isn't used to seeing even as a merc and I think that was what I kept thinking on, were they both playing my character? can I actually trust them? Is the human side just a front to motivate me? I mean they are Spies that is what they do and man this expansion did not disappoint and really blew me away with how they showed the spy-thriller angle it was perfect for Cyberpunk.
It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make in a game, but in the end, I just felt too bad about So Mi. I had to help her. Reed and Alex killing the twins before that might have helped cement that decision, too. Made me wonder if Reed had killed Jacob and Taylor. Songbird's motivation is also a lot more understandable. It's the same as V's – survival. Also, you can't give a walking WMD to someone like Myers. Either Songbird gets cured or she dies. Giving her up is just a bad idea.
It's been 3 years, but I'm glad I can now say Cyberpunk is a great game without being dogpiled on.
Best ending is don't fear the reaper. The rest is just bad decisions.
In Night City, there are no happy endings.
Reed and Songbird are like Geralt and Ciri at the end of Witcher 3 but its the bad ending
Choosing Reed was an easy choice for me. I was empathetic to Songbird, but I had a duty to bring her in. Anyone touched that deeply by the Blackwall is not to be trusted. And after playing through it a second time and finding out that she lies to you, I was happy with my choice. The ending where you get "cured" is just not worth it at all though and is extremely unsatisfying, do not do it under any circumstance.
The canon ending in my head is King of Cups + The Star if you romanced Judy or Panam, OR The Sun + giving back the body to V to see a really beautiful Johnny Silverhand closure.
Somewhat Damaged was so good imho. Loved the ending variations. Im hoping for an official level editor now that the game is done.
I dunno, I prefer watching Kurt get sashimid in 2 seconds by Alex
CD Projekt really went out of their way to make the survive ending as depressing as they could. Felt so forced.
great stuff. pain is now we have to wait few years for next game but hopefully it will only be better. please add some comady moments and make fighting little more challanging. cyberpunk is kinda easy.
It's bad we can't replay the last mission to choose different option, the same way we can in the main game.
The last question I would have asked : "Is there a continuation to V's life "post-King Of Wands" ending? V receives one message from SongBird (on the Quantum Tuner) but then that's it… Does not feel complete. Does SongBird keep her promise?
Gabe Amatangelo, thank you for your incredible work.
its amazing that this DLC isn't actually about V or Johnny, this entire expansion was Reed and So Mi's story. Loved every minute of it.
Unpopular opinion but I really liked the cure ending, the last conversations with Johnny and Misty were some of the best in the entire game. My takeaway by the end was that going out a Night City legend isn't really worth it after all.
This was hardest choice in my life
I remember 2 years ago when I first finished cyberpunk 2077 I also got fired the same day, but I was waaaay more worried about endings rather then being laid from the job
Is not fair for V to not be able to use anymore chrome or other implantat or cyberware honestly, i dont like when V is not able to best that two clowns who try to steal from V, i dont like cause i was hope in Phantom Liberty will be new side quest or new side missions about Peralez and everythin else
Loved picking Reed and battling Max Tac
Funy enough, but both Reed and So Mi are big layers.
I mean, Mi lied about helping V with a cure. And Reed lied about taking Mi to the European clinic.
Unexpectedly, only Miers held her word and told V to bring So Mi alive, and she would help V survive.
Great story but in my mind killing Reed and saving songbird was the only option where someone wins. I had that hope that maybe there was a cure for V but knew better from night city. Reed follows the system blindly and knowing the system is using everyone for superficial gain meant Reed could never be trusted. In the end songbird lied, but saving her is the only path where you don’t completely lose.
If reed hadn’t have done the thing to the netrunners without talking to v about it it would have been a real choice. Reed had to go after that.
If only CDPR was as dedicated to CP2077 as they are PR and marketing.
Reeds path made me feel like I was in the Eagle Eye movie #ifkyk
I wanted to choose the Reed path, but I refused to let Alex die, I ended up caring about her way more than I expected to
The Cure ending annihilated me.