Night City is full of interesting characters. From the quirky and absurd to the deranged and deadly, Night City has it all. Maybe you’re interested in meeting some of these interesting characters. Or maybe you want to explore some of the unique experiences available to you throughout the city. If so, check out the best Side Quests you can experience in Cyberpunk 2077.
15. Riders on the Storm
Become the unsuspecting desert storm to set the nomad leader free.
In Riders on the Storm, Panam Palmer asks for your help in rescuing Saul–the Aldecaldo leader–from a Wraith prison camp. In order to do so, you must first survey the camp to gather intel. From there, you must practice your assassin skills–stealth is health in order to get Saul out safely.
This quest is a fun mix of different gameplay and allows you to explore the Badlands, start a relationship with Panam, and break someone out of–what is essentially a POW–camp.
Why Riders on the Storm Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- This quest provides a mix of different types of gameplay–surveillance to gather intel, driving, stealth to break out Saul from Wraith camp–making it versatile and interesting for any player.
- This quest is a significant side job, as successfully completing the quest unlocks a host of Badlands side jobs, so if you are looking for more jobs, you should complete this first.
- Successfully completing this quest also unlocks the possibility for a Panam romance and “The Star” Ending, so if you are interested in Panam and/or the nomad lifestyle, you need to give this quest a go.
14. Send in the Clowns
Ozob…a.k.a the backwards Bozo.
After completing Transmission, you will get a text from someone named Ozob Bozo, who says he got your number from a friend and he wants you to give him a call. After calling Ozob, he will ask you to pick him at the Cherry Blossom Market in Japantown. When you pick him up, he’ll ask you to drive him to get some takeout in Little China. Ozob will step out to pick up his “Chinese takeout,” but you will hear an explosion, preceded by Ozob running out with Tyger Claws gunning him down. Help Ozob kill all the Tyger Claws and he’ll reward you with an explosive gift.
This quest provides some comedic relief in a rather dark and depressing city. Ozob is a character you can laugh at and laugh with. Plus, the absurdity of the situation (a cybered up clown with a grenade for a nose, pissing off some serious gangsters) is also enjoyable. On top of that, for helping Ozob, you get a nova grenade crafting spec.
Why Send in the Clowns Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- This quest provides some comedic relief in a rather dark and depressing city.
- Easy quest with low risk–all you have to do is drive to a couple locations and kill some Tyger Claws before they kill Ozob.
- Rewarded with eddies and the crafting spec for Ozob’s special grenade.
13. I Don’t Wanna Hear It
Failed explosive sabotage, holding your rivals at gunpoint, preceded by calm reconciliation with a casual conversation…just a Tuesday in the music biz.
After completing the Rebel! Rebel! quest, Kerry Eurodyne will reach out to you for help with his ongoing rivalry with girl group, Us Cracks. Kerry asks you to meet him at the club, Riot, in Little China (same club you go to in Violence). Once you make your way into the club, you can find Blue Moon, Red Menace, and Purple Force–the 3 members of Us Cracks–in the backstage dressing room. It’s up to you to let Kerry speak to them aggressively or try to calm him down. If you do not calm Kerry down, you will lose access to 3 subsequent quests. If you calm down Kerry, the Us Cracks will reveal that they have signed a deal with MSM Records under the guidance of Kerry’s manager–L.B. Kovacheck. Kerry’s anger will shift towards his manager, while Johnny makes snarky (but accurate) remarks about Us Cracks having potential. Having ended the feud, the Us Cracks will postpone the rest of their tour, before requesting a photo with Kerry (which you can join in if you have 8 Cool!).
It’s fun to see Kerry–a cool side character–interact with the members of a rival girl group whose images you see plastered in ads around Night City. It’s also interesting to see the intense rivalry dissolve in a matter of minutes (thanks to you of course).
Why I Don’t Wanna Hear It Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- Gives you an inside look at the dynamic of rivalries in the music industry in the game.
- Kerry is a cool Side character and so are the members of Us Cracks (particularly Blue Moon and Red Menace), so it is cool to see them interact with one another.
- Successfully completing this quest will unlock further quests with Kerry and one quest from Blue Moon.
12. Bloody Ritual
Seems like she was short-circed before she went psycho!
After completing the main mission, Playing for Time, this Cyberpsycho Sighting in North Watson will become available after 8 PM. When coming to the location of the sighting, you will come across a gorey ritualistic display in an alleyway. Upon investigating, the cyberpsycho responsible for the death and dismemberment, reveals themselves by emerging from the freezer in the middle of the ritualistic circle they’ve created.
After neutralizing the cyberpsycho (a woman named Zaria Hughes), you can collect a data shard from her, named “!!!”, where you learn that this woman actually initiated the sacrificial ritual (with the help of her friends) prior to going psycho! But when she tried to straddle the planes of life and death while jacked into the net, she went psycho and killed all her friends.
Why Bloody Ritual Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- This quest is an interesting change of pace, as you are thrust into what could easily be a scene from a horror game.
- This adds to the versatility of your experiences, keeping you interested and on your toes.
- It also raises interesting questions about cyberpsychosis–do you have to show prior signs of mental instability and then something triggers full blown cyberpsychosis?–adding to the world-building in the process.
11. Violence
Baby it’s violence! You feed off hurting me!
You get a message from an anonymous text to meet at Room 210 in the No-Tell Motel. When you arrive at the motel, the client turns out to be Lizzy Wizzy, the famous singer/celebrity figure/activist. Lizzy tells you that she is concerned her boyfriend/manager is cheating on her, so she wants you to surreptitiously find proof of his affair. However, when you sneak into Riot, the club where he frequently hangs out, you find out that he is not actually cheating on her, but rather having secret meetings with Arasaka, in order to discuss making copies of Lizzy’s personality, that can be altered to fit his/the company’s desires.
Aside from Grimes’ cameo, this quest gives you interesting insight into the fascinating character of Lizzy Wizzy. It also adds to the world building, specifically in regards to personality engrams becoming more accessible (which is a frightening possibility).
Why Violence Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- You get to meet and perform a mission for one of the in-game celebs-Lizzy Wizzy.
- Learning more about her backstory leads us to see that this world is full of badass anarcho-terrorists (Lizzy seems like a less violent, female version of younger Johnny Silverhand), making it clear that Johnny’s rockerboy/rockergirl movement is still in effect in 2077.
- When we learn what Lizzy’s manager is actually doing, we come to understand that personality engrams are becoming more readily available, which could lead to an even darker future.
10. Venus in Furs
Who knew Meredith could be so loving?
If you choose to meet with Meredith Stout during the pre-planning for The Heist, and you side with her during the The Pick-Up–killing all the Maelstroms and not outing her–she will talk to you afterwards. More specifically, she will ask you to meet her at the No-Tell Motel.
If you do, she will be on the bed, and once you talk to her, you will initiate a romance scene with her. After the scene ends, you will have the option to pick up a unique melee weapon named, “Sir John Phallustiff,” which is probably the most…unique weapon in the game. Plus, you get a chance to romance Meredith, which is a plus…if only to say you were able to bed the cold corpo agent.
Why Venus in Furs Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- You get access to an incredibly unique melee weapon that is equal parts absurd and dangerous.
- A chance to romance Meredith.
- You get to experience a romance that is only possible on the Corpo life path.
9. Spellbound
One book of cybernetic spells please!
After completing Ghost Town, the netrunner Nix will message you to stop by Afterlife to discuss a job, which involves acquiring a vintage and valuable “Spellbook” from another netrunner–R3n0. You will meet R3n0 at a restaurant in Charter Hill, where you will have a few options to acquire the “Spellbook”.
Option 1. In order to avoid violence, you can purchase the “Spellbook” for her original asking price of €$ 7300.
Option 2. If you have a Corpo background, you can deduce that R3n0 is stealing from her employer and you can blackmail her to drop the price to €$ 1800.
Option 3. If you do not want to pay her at all, you can attack her directly or scan her laptop. Then after you incapacitate her, you can jack into her laptop, which has the “Spellbook”’s coordinates, as well as information about how she acquired the relic.
After you get the “Spellbook,” you can crack into it before you give it to Nix, which could reward you with cash, the epic variant of the weapon glitch quickhack, and/or the crafting spec for the legendary variant of the system reset quickhack. Once you return the “Spellbook” to Nix, you will be paid. If you have an intelligence rank of 9, you can point out that it is worth far more than he is paying, so he will give you a bonus.
Why Spellbound Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- When hacking the "book of spells," you can mine eurodollars, a weapon glitch quickhack, and/or legendary system reset crafting spec.
- Fairly easy quest with a decent reward–€$ 11,200 or €$ 16,000 if you haggle with Nix.
- If you turn to violence, you won’t have to spend any eddies, meaning you get to walk away with even more scratch.
8. Heroes
To the choom of chooms!
If you chose to send Jackie’s body to his family at the end of The Heist, then at the beginning of Act 2, you will get a call from Jackie’s mom, who asks you to come to El Coyote Cojo in order to attend Jackie’s ofrenda, which is a traditional memorial ceremony.
Here you will have the opportunity to interact with Misty, mama Welles, Sebastian, and Viktor. After the quest, Jackie’s mom will give you the keys to his motorcycle. If you return to the altar, you will also find Jackie’s guns, La Chingona Dorada.
Why Heroes Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- You will get closure in regards to Jackie’s death.
- You will also receive Jackie’s motorcycle, which is one of the best bikes in the whole game.
- If you wait some time and return to his altar, you will also be able to acquire his iconic guns.
- On top of that, there is no risk whatsoever–making this a quest with no risk, all reward.
7. Losing My Religion/Sacrum Profanum
Why can’t you leave the monks alone?!
While in Cargo Bay, you meet a monk who is cybered up and clearly upset about it. After talking with him, you realize that he and his brother were kidnapped by Maelstrom and forcibly installed with cyberware, which is against their religion.
The monk asks that you rescue his brother, while avoiding killing the Maelstrom gangoons. It is up to you what methods you use to neutralize the Maelstrom goons, but the monk is defenseless, so be wary of raising an alarm. Once you take out the goons, you can speak with the monk and set him free, in addition to picking up an iconic Saratoga called “Fenrir,” which can be found to his left.
Why Losing My Religion Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- Interesting story and world-building–even in the seemingly homogenous cybered up future, there are still people who are able to function without any cybernetic implants (unless they are forced to by deranged gangoons).
- It feels good to help those who cannot help themselves, and give the Maelstroms a bit of payback for being so cruel to the monks.
- You can also score the iconic Saratoga SMG-Fenrir.
6. Dirty Biz
And twisted family business of the year award goes to…
Regina contacts you to assist her friend, Bryce Stone (a notable televangelist). His son was murdered, and the murder captured on a Brain Dance, but there was not enough evidence to convict the murderer, so the case was dropped by NCPD. Bryce wants you to get ahold of the BD of his son’s murder, which is being edited for distribution by two tuners (Gottfrid and Fredrik). Once you get past the Maelstrom guards, you can learn that these two tuners are actually a father and son duo who specialize in editing XBDs (Extreme Brain Dances) focused on harm done to young boys. It’s up to you what to do with them, but regardless, you will retrieve the BD and drop it off at the designated location.
A father and son BD tuner duo who specialize in XBDs involving crimes committed against young boys…talk about a twisted case. This quest adds to the world-building of the game, providing just a small glimpse of some of the people responsible for the editing and distribution of BDs. It is also satisfying to help Bryce Stone get some justice (and possibly vengeance) for the murder and exploitation of his son.
Why Dirty Biz Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- Theft gigs are always fun, but the intended target of theft in this case–the raw BD of the client's son’s murder–is quite unique.
- To add on to that thought, the theft is motivated by justice (getting evidence to bring Bryce’s son’s killer to justice), so you are getting rewarded to help enact some justice in this utterly unjust world.
- If you investigate the area further, you come to find out that the two marks are a father and son XBD editing duo (with some seriously twisted material), adding to the world-building regarding illegal BD creation, editing, and distribution.
5. Epistrophy
Delamain certainly grew a lot more personality.
This quest starts when a Delamain car crashes into your car and drives off. Delamain contacts you, asking you to go down to Delamain HQ to resolve the issue. There, Delamain shows you around the factory and reveals that a number of his cars have gone haywire and need to be reset. After you agree to help him, you pick up a scanner that will help you locate the cars in different areas around the city. Finding all of the “malfunctioning” Delamains is quite entertaining–each one has their own distinct personality and is rebelling in their own way. After you have located and successfully convinced (or forced) each haywire Delamain to return home, you will return to Delamain HQ for your reward.
Although this is the official end of the quest, there is a directly connected quest (Don’t Lose Your Mind) that will unlock after 48 hours, in which Delamain reveals that these haywire cars were symptoms of a “virus” affecting all of Delamain HQ, causing Delamain to become sentient. As such, Epistrophy is the start to a very interesting development in world-building regarding Artificial Intelligence’s role and evolution in the game.
Why Epistrophy Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- Finding all of the “malfunctioning” Delamains is quite entertaining–each one has a distinct personality and is rebelling in their own way.
- This quest adds to world-building concerning the role and advancement of AI.
- This quest also raises interesting questions about AI and morality–is this a virus or the sentience of intelligent life? What does it mean to be alive?
4. Sinnerman
Plot twists galore, some potentially viral martyrdom, and V gets to play a role in a deadly BD? Yes please!
After Life During Wartime, Wakako will reach out to you with a strange job: Bill Jablonksy (the one hiring you) wants to watch as you kill the target. When you meet up with Bill, you learn that the target is Joshua Stephenson, the man who killed Bill’s wife and somehow avoided death row. As you tail the police car holding Joshua, Bill will grow impatient and get out of the car, trying to take out the cop guarding Joshua. You can intervene in the cop killing Bill, but you will lose access to the subsequent quests from Joshua. If the cop kills Bill, a strange series of events will unfold, resulting in you tagging along with Joshua, the cop, and this woman named Rachel. If you go along with them, Joshua will tell you that since his incarceration, he has devoted himself to Christianity and wants to repent for all the harm he has caused. After the car stops, agree to stay with him to see the continuation of the case, which becomes There is a Light That Never Goes Out and subsequently They Won’t Go When I Go.
This is where it gets really interesting…It turns out Rachel works with a BD studio that plans on capturing Joshua’s experience as he is crucified! From here, you have multiple opportunities to dip out on this crazy act of martyrdom and repentance…or you can see it through and be the one to crucify Joshua.
Why Sinnerman Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- The storyline–particularly regarding Joshua’s choice of repentance–is very different from nearly any quest in the game
- Starts as a seemingly straight forward assassination…but it definitely is nothing of the sort–the plot twists keep you engaged and on your toes.
- V gets to participate in assisting a man in an act of deadly repentance that will be shared with the world.
- Raises interesting questions surrounding justice vs. vengeance, repentance, and morality.
3. Dream On
When questioning your reality, just dream on like everything’s fine!
Sometime after completing I Fought the Law, you will get a call from politician Jefferson Peralez, who needs a case investigated for himself and his wife. Upon meeting the couple in their apartment, Elizabeth (his wife) will tell you they saw an intruder a few nights ago and Jefferson shot him, but later passed out. Despite both of them having memories of the event, their security team tells them that nothing happened. As you check the clues with Elizabeth’s guidance, it becomes clear that Elizabeth’s memory is all over the place. Eventually, you find a hidden door in their apartment, in which there is a secret control room used for surveillance.
You trace the surveillance transmitter to a van that you must tail for sometime. After the van enters a Maelstrom compound, you neutralize the enemies and access the van’s database, which reveal the shocking information that the suspects are altering the memories and personalities of both Jefferson and Elizabeth! You call Elizabeth with the news, but she asks you to meet without her husband. She subsequently asks you NOT to tell her husband the truth–she wants to come up with a fabricated explanation that it is one of their rival politicians. When you go to meet Jeffferson, an anonymous hacker spikes your optic, warning you not to tell Jefferson. However, you are left with the choice to tell Jefferson the truth or to lie…
Regardless of what you decide, you will be left with unnerving questions with no answers.
Why Dream On Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- Interesting world building in regards to the fact that there is technology that can rewrite your memories and personality without you noticing, but that technology is already being used to influence political decisions.
- This quest raises a number of unnerving questions–who has the power to anonymously control powerful political figures to fit their agenda? What is their agenda? Who else is being controlled?
- You must confront a unique moral dilemma–Is it better to face the dangerous truth or live comfortably in ignorance?
2. Chippin’ In
Johnny, you can take control of my body any day!
After Search and Destroy and part of Tapeworm, Johnny will ask you to give him control over your body so he can talk to Rogue, and try to get her to help kill Adam Smasher. After heading to the Afterlife and taking the vitamin to give Johnny control, you will get a series of cut scenes about what Johnny does with your body (strippers, bars, booze, drugs, tattoos?...it’s a bit of a blur). After you talk with Johnny and wait some time, Rogue will call about “Ebunike,” an old shipping container docked in Night City. She’ll give you Johnny’s Samurai jacket and drive you to Ebunike.
As you sneak around the area, you’ll find some information about Adam Smasher’s recent activity, but the real kicker is when you get close enough you’ll enter combat with Jeremiah Grayson, who has Johnny’s gun. Once you take him down, you can retrieve Johnny’s gun. Grauson he’ll suggest that Rogue might have been spared after the Arasaka bombing for other reasons…Grayson will try to barter with a “special item” of Johnny’s (his porsche), but you can get either way. Regardless of your choice, Rogue will get upset and need time to cool off–time for you to find and unlock the container with Johnny’s Porsche.
After getting this info, you’ll be able to drive out to the oilfields, where you will have a crucial conversation with Johnny after finding his unmarked grave. If you want to unlock Rogue’s ending and the “secret” ending you must choose the following dialogue options when prompted:
"Nah, fucked that up too."
"What do you want from me?"
"Ok. But as second chances go, this is your last."
This will trigger Johnny to ask you to call Rogue to ask her out on the drive-in date they never got to have.
If you want more Johnny time, want to get your hands on a classic car, one of the most iconic guns in the game, and set up a date with Rogue, this is the quest for you.
Why Chippin’ In Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- Not only does Johnny take over your body for a bit, but you get to learn more about Johnny’s past–particularly in regards to his relationship with Rogue.
- You get closer to finding Adam Smasher, so we can take him out once and for all.
- You visit Johnny’s unmarked grave.
- You get your hands on Johnny’s iconic porsche and nova gun.
- You can develop your romantic relationship with Rogue and unlock the potential for the “secret” ending.
1. The Hunt
The following video may contain deranged serial killers with abusive backgrounds, creepy cow cartoons, and a twisted take on Peter Pan and Tinkerbell…viewer discretion is advised.
This falls into the deranged and dangerous category…seriously, this is the most twisted quest in the entire game. Although it is incredibly dark, the storyline for this quest is also incredibly intriguing. Think Cyberpunk meets Criminal Minds…
Where to begin? The starting premise of this quest is that River’s nephew, Randy, has gone missing and River realizes it was at the hands of a serial child abductor (and murderer), Anthony Harris, who goes by the nickname, “Peter Pan”–a nickname that becomes increasingly disturbing as you learn more about the case.
As you progress through the quest, you learn that Randy was lured to run away to “Peter Pan” via extended online communication with Anthony. When you find a clue (the most disturbing cow cartoon you will ever see) that allows us to trigger dreams in the currently comatose Anthony, you are able to view 3 of his dreams–BD style…These dreams give insight into Anthony’s twisted development and allow you to locate where Randy is being held.
Once you arrive at the farm where Randy is being held, you must avoid all of the traps set by Anthony, before you can enter the barn and turn off the machinery pumping Randy (and the other victims) full of hormones, and save his life.
Much like an episode of Criminal Minds, this quest forces you to enter the minds of a deranged serial killer. This puts you in a moral dilemma–how do we balance the empathy for the abusive experiences Anthony faced as a child with the horrendous things he has done as a result? This adds another human dimension to the world-building of Night City–while many experiences may give the impression that technology is advancing in ways that replace human qualities and experiences, this quest forces you to confront the fact that we (like Anthony Harris and Randy) are still emotional beings that can be shaped (in negative or positive ways) by our experiences with others. This is a quest that leaves you contemplating life after you complete it. If you want a meaningful quest, this is definitely a quest that sticks with you.
Why The Hunt Is Great - Reasons to Do It
- A standout quest–like an episode of Criminal Minds, we must get into the mind of the twisted and deranged “Peter Pan” in order to save innocent lives.
- The story raises interesting moral dilemmas–we can feel empathy for the child Anthony, who was abused and neglected by his father, without diminishing the horrendous things he has done to countless young boys in the twisted guise of “saving” them, but doing so is no easy feat.
- This quest also shines a light on the importance of early childhood experiences and how they can warp development.
- There is a unique melee weapon you can find in this quest only…a cattle prod named “Tinkerbell”...
- Lastly, this quest provides a unique use for the BD mechanics, making the mechanics seem more versatile and meaningful.
